Pendleton County younger 4-H’ers concluded their week of camp at Thorn Spring Park with council circle on June 5.
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 younger camp. The week’s theme was “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
Camp classes and instructors included animal investigation (Jeremy Hedrick), archery (Brooke Alt), basket making (Vickie Skavenski), Dollar Tree crafts (Sue Alt), first-year camper (Emma Cremman and Moses Talley), fly fishing (Experience Learning instructor Becca Meyers), LEGO engineering (Heather Waggy), outdoor cooking (Mary Hess), and STEM (Olivia Bolliger).
Monday’s camp specials were activities surrounding one’s natural environment, including a forestry survey with Martha Williams, a STEM activity with Bolliger, a STEM Ambassador, e and a visit with Officer Matthew Stover and his K9 Luna from the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources. On Tuesday, campers traveled to the Sweetwater Trail Farm Center, where they got to test their survival skills, survey the creek for critters, and participate in team building activities. On Wednesday, the camp had a visit from Kasey Shifflet with the WVDNR, who showed them many different West Virginia wildlife species, and campers got to cool off in the town pool that afternoon. The week’s festivities wrapped up on Thursday with a visit from Future Generations University, field day games and a total camp clean up. 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 Thursday evening the following awards were given:
Lucky penny certificates to 14 first-year campers — Harper Dempsey, Leland Dove, Madalyn Griffin, Piper Hubbard, Levi Miller, Everett Boner, Braxton Beachler, Paige Warner, Dallis Hull, Bethany Teagarden, Abby Cayton, and Ariel Martin;
Lucky nickels certificates, given to second year campers — Addie Miller, Dakota Vandevander, Harper Marsh, Sydney Demers, Jacob Dove, and Stella Halterman; and
Miss and Mr. Congeniality — Bethany Teagarden, Maycee Woods, and Ross Pownell.
Class awards were presented to the following campers — animal investigation 1 – Breymann Keesecker; animal investigation 2 – Maddie Kirk; archery 1 – Addie Miller; archery 2 – Piper Hubbard; archery 3- Madalyn Griffin; basket making 1 – Bella Hoover; basket making 2 – Sydney Demers; Dollar Tree crafts 1- Chevelle Noble; Dollar Tree crafts 2 – Bethany Teagarden; first-year camper – Braxton Beachler; fly fishing 1 – Leland Dove; fly fishing 2 – Jacob Dove; Lego 1 – Kenden Champ; Lego 2 – Stella Halterman; Lego 3 – Dakota Vandevander; outdoor cooking 1 – Cody Miller; outdoor cooking 2 – Dallis Hull; outdoor cooking 3- Sean Waggy; and STEM – Lexi Hedrick.
Chevelle Nobel was chosen to represent the Head H, Sydney Demers the Heart H, Maddie Kirk the Hands H and Addie Miller the Health H. Ross Pownell was selected as spirit of camp and received a $25 scholarship to a 2026 state camp by the Freida Dunkle scholarship.
Bethany Teagarden was awarded the Outstanding First-Year Camper Girl Scholarship, while Levi Miller was awarded the Outstanding First-Year Camper Boy Scholarship.
Tribal chiefs, Jacob Dove, Maycee Woods, Marion Williams, and Ross Pownell, 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 Breymann Keesecker.
Jacob Dove received the Outstanding Second-Year Camper award, a full scholarship to the 2026 county camp funded by the McCoy Family in memory of Bill and in honor of Harriet.
Sean Waggy received the 4-H’s award, which provides a full scholarship to a third-year camper to the 2026 county camp.
A scholarship was given in memory of Ralph Dunkle by the Dunkle Family, which was a $25 return scholarship to the 2026 county camp. Piper Hubbard received this award.
A new scholarship in the memory of Zelene Harman, which is a full scholarship to the 2026 county camp, was given to Ross Pownell and Bella Hoover.
Tribal loyalty patches were awarded to Easton Boner and Leland Dove (Cherokee), Harper Marsh and Levi Miller, (Delaware), Chevelle Noble (Mingo) and Bella Hoover and Maddie Kirk (Seneca).
Tribal honors were awarded to the Delaware tribe.
Tribes for the week consisted of the following:
Cherokee — Ross Pownell (chief), Easton Boner (first sagamore), Owen Champ, Kenden Champ, Breymann Keesecker, Everett Boner, and Leland Dove;
Delaware — Jacob Dove (chief), Addie Miller (first sagamore), Sean Waggy (second sagamore), Sydney Demers, Harper Marsh, Harper Dempsey, Dallis Hull, Levi Miller, Stella Halterman, Abby Cayton and Maddie Grace Nesselrodt;
Mingo — Maycee Woods (chief), Dakota Vandevander (first sagamore), Cody Miller, Chevelle Noble, Maddie Griffin, Bethany Teagarden, Paige Warner, and Ariel Martin;
Seneca — Marion Williams (chief), Bella Hoover (first sagamore), Tori Heavner, Maddie Kirk, Lexi Hedrick, Claira Kimble, Piper Hubbard, and Braxton Beachler; and
Big Foot — Brooke Alt (camp director/WVU 4H Youth Development extension agent), Janet Hartman (WVU Extension Office administrative assistant), Jessica Hoover (WVU Ag extension agent), Emma Cremman and Moses Talley (extension camping instructors), Olivia Bolliger (WVU STEM ambassador), and Carrie Ruddle, Bobby Keesecker, Mary Hess, and Gary Hess. Junior councilors who joined the camp for the week included Katie Heavner, Lydia Heavner, Phoebe Pownell, Vivian Pownell, Marley Champ and Jax Bennett.
