By Tyler Painter, Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development
Registration for Botetourt County 4-H’s annual week of summer camp closes on Friday, May 6th at 5:00 PM. Anyone interested in registering a child for camp is encouraged to contact Tyler Painter, 4-H Extension Agent at 540-473-8260, or stop by the Extension Office at 9 W Main Street, Fincastle, VA 24090. Our week of 4-H Camp is scheduled for June 13-17 at the W.E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake. This residential camping opportunity allows youth to participate in a variety of classes and enhances life skills development through hands-on experiential learning, and many other activities. For more information on this or any other 4-H Programs, feel free to contact our office or follow our social media channels @Botetourt4H on Instagram and @BotetourtCounty4H on Facebook.
Six volunteers with the Botetourt County 4-H Shooting Education Club earned instructor certifications during a training weekend in April. National and Virginia 4-H Shooting Education Councils require shooting instructors to be trained and pass certification standards in order to work directly and instruct youth in the shooting disciplines. From left, front, are Josh Williams, Michelle Johnston, Katie Osterman (Junior) and T. Haymaker, who were certified as shotgun instructors; back, Nicky Byer and Chris Gilbert, who were certified as rifle instructors. The Botetourt 4-H Shooting Education Club participates in archery, rifle, pistol and shotgun. The county Shooting Education program also has certified instructors and 4-Hers in the Hunting, Wildlife and Outdoor Skills discipline. The county Extension Service office accepts youth on a waiting list for when there are openings in the shooting disciplines. Those youth interested in Hunting, Wildlife and Outdoor Skills may join any time through the county Extension office. For more information, call the Extension Office at 540-473-8260 or 4-H instructor Ed McCoy at 540-339-0622.