Pendleton and Grant county’s 4-H’ers concluded the inaugural South Branch 4H Camp June 13 at Thorn Spring Park with council circle.
For the first time in nearly 20 years, Pendleton County hosted two weeks of 4-H camp — one serving the county’s 4-H members in third through sixth grade, and one hosting 4-H members from Pendleton and Grant counties in seventh grade and above. Forty 4-H’ers and volunteers were enrolled for this year’s South Branch 4H Camp. The week’s theme was “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
Camp classes and instructors included air pistol (Wes Puffenbarger), archery (Brooke Alt), chair bottom weaving (Vicki Skavenski), Dollar Tree crafts (Sue Alt), fly fishing (Becca Meyers), outdoor cooking (Brooke Alt and Alex Mathias), shotgun (Rick Pownell), tie dying (Amanda Simmons), scrapbooking (Christina Simmons) and Tik Tok cooking (Alex Mathias).
On Monday, the campers had a visit from Jennifer Williams, West Virginia University extension associate dean. She talked about her experiences in Africa, their 4-H program called 4K, and the agriculture she was able to experience while she was there. On Tuesday, the camp traveled to Keyser to WVU Potomac State College where the campers were able to tour the campus, and get a taste of college life. On Wednesday, campers cooled off at the town pool. Thursday brought the campers a visit from Future Generations University, who talked about the syrup making process and let the campers taste different types of syrups that can be made from trees in West Virginia. That afternoon, visitors from the community, Anna Lee Alt and Faye Kile, led the camp in the homemade ice cream making process. Friday was a field day and clean up day before the campers headed home. The last meal of camp was pizza from Brandywine Fox’s, which was sponsored by the Pendleton County Family Support Center.
During the closing council circle on Friday evening the following awards were given:
Lucky penny certificates to 14 first-year campers — Ava Hess, Sloan Morrissey, Kaylee Wolford, and McKenna Earle;
Lucky nickels certificates to second-year campers — Brian Cheeseman and Reagan Welch;
Third-year felts — Kady Evans, Daniel Moxon, and Liam Ours;
Fifth-year felts — Jax Bennett, Mason Harper, Katie Heavner, and Phoebe Pownell;
Seventh-year felts — Emily Adams and Frankie Weese; and
Miss and Mr. Congeniality — Callie Judy and Lukas Alt.
Class awards were presented to the following campers: air pistol 1 – Brian Cheesman; archery 1 – Sloan Morrissey; chair bottom weaving – Vaylee Harper; Dollar Tree crafts – McKenna Earle; fly fishing 1 – Lukas Alt; fly fishing 2 – Liam Ours; outdoor cooking 1 – Mason Harper; outdoor cooking 2 – Kaylee Wolford; shotgun – Daniel Moxon; tie dying 1 – Ava Hess; tie dying 2 – Kady Evans; scrapbooking – Reagyn Atkins, Katie Heavner, Hannah Heavner and Abby Judy; and Tik Tok cooking – Ally Haggerty.
Maverick Wratchford was chosen to represent the Head H, Cole Harper the Heart H, Zander Adams the Hands H and Reagan Welch the Health H. Frankie Weese was selected as spirit of camp.
Charting pins were awarded to Alex Adams, Zander Adams, Cole Harper, and Khloe Haslacker for their completion of the 4-H charting program.
The newest additions to the 4-H All Star family in Pendleton County were introduced during final council circle. Lydia Heavner, McKenna Hedrick, and Addie Rexrode were present to receive their induction certificates. They, along with Hannah Bennett, fellow 4-H’er, may attend a state camping event this summer, or 4-H Volunteer weekend this fall to be “officially” inducted into the 4-H All Stars.
Tribal chiefs, Callie Judy, Khloe Haslacker, Caleb Armentrout, Frankie Weese, Ty Armentrout, Emily Adams, Jacey Thompson and Ally Haggerty, all represented their tribes as joint chiefs. The Pendleton County representatives received a half scholarship to the 2026 county camp from the Judy Memorial Scholarship Fund.
The Andy Guy Memorial Scholarship, a scholarship to 2026 county 4-H camp, was awarded to Reagyn Atkins.
A scholarship in memory of Ralph Dunkle by the Dunkle Family, which was a $25 return scholarship to the 2026 county camp, was given to Vaylee Haper.
Scholarships were awarded to campers to attend a state camp of their choice next summer. The following campers received scholarships: Alex Adams (Clover Scholarship); Callie Judy (Leadership Scholarship); Jacey Thompson (Opportunity Scholarship); and Jayden Souza and Emily Adams (4-H Shooting Sports full scholarships).
Tribal honors were awarded to the Cherokee tribe.
Tribes for the week consisted of the following:
Cherokee — Callie Judy and Khloe Haslacker (chiefs), Callie Judy and Regan Welch (sagamores), Kady Evans, Reagyn Atkins, Hannah Heavner, and Alex Adams;
Delaware — Caleb Armentrout and Frankie Weese (chiefs), Jayden Souza and Maverick Wratchford (sagamores), Aiden Shirk, Katie Heavner, Daniel Moxon, Jax Bennett, Phoebe Pownell, and Liam Ours;
Mingo — Ty Armentrout and Emily Adams (chiefs), Gary Smith and McKenna Earle (sagamores), Zander Adams, Lukas Alt, and Brian Cheeseman;
Seneca — Jacey Thompson and Ally Haggerty (chiefs), Cole Harper and Sloan Morrisey (sagamores). Mason Harper, Vaylee Harper, Ava Hess and Kaylee Wolford; and
Big Foot — Brooke Alt (camp director/WVU 4H Youth Development extension agent), Janet Hartman (WVU Extension Office administrative assistant), Dalton Dearth (extension camping instructor), Rick Pownell, Amanda Simmons, Kaitlin Earle, and Gary Hess.
