Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Youth Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
WVU Extension reports steady 4‑H camp participation; staff seeks roughly $5,000 to keep costs below $200 per camper
Summary
Rachel Neal, Putnam County 4‑H and youth development agent, reported 116 campers attended 4‑H camp in 2024, that volunteers and staff keep per-camper costs low, and that roughly $5,000 in additional support is likely needed to prevent a price increase for families.
Rachel Neal, the Putnam County 4‑H and youth development agent with WVU Extension, updated the Putnam County Commission on Jan. 28 about last year’s 4‑H camp and asked the county to consider additional support to keep costs steady.
"4 h is 1 of the largest youth organizations in the in the world," Neal said as she opened her report. She told commissioners that 116 children attended Putnam County’s 2024 camp at Camp Virgil Tate in Kanawha County, supported by 33 fully vetted volunteers and four WVU staff instructors.
Neal said camp programming includes archery, outdoor cooking, STEM, fishing, crafts and other rotating classes; attendees also participated in community service projects such as making rope dog toys for the animal shelter, placemats for a nursing home and tie blankets for foster youth. Putnam County 4‑H awarded roughly $6,000 in scholarships for campers in 2024 and used donations and an Amazon wish list to offset supply costs.
For 2025, Neal told the commission Camp Virgil Tate invoiced the county and the extension is evaluating whether to keep the camper fee at $175. She said extension staff currently expect to need about $5,000 more in sponsorships or donations to keep the fee below $200 per child. "We're looking like we're gonna need roughly around $5,000 more to help keep the cost lower than $200 per kid," Neal said.
Neal also described growth in the volunteer team‑leader program and active recruitment plans to increase camper numbers back toward 140–145. Commissioners thanked Neal for the report and did not take an immediate funding action; she invited the commission to consider sponsorships and said she was coordinating with the extension’s treasurer and local donors.
The county’s role in camp funding has been to help keep out‑of‑pocket costs low for families; any county assistance would be considered alongside other county funding priorities in upcoming budget work.
