Community News

Wood County 4-H’s annual Ox Roast slated for Oct. 1

MINERAL WELLS -- The Wood County 4-H will host its Annual Ox Roast on Oct. 1 at the Wood County 4-H Camp on Butcher Bend Road.

The event will be from 4-8 p.m. and pit roast beef will be served along with mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade barbecue sauce, green beans, roll, dessert and a drink at a cost of $12 per meal.

All proceeds go to support the upkeep of the Wood County 4-H Camp.

Due to a Community Participation Grant from the state Senate, the Wood County 4-H Camp will have all new windows and doors. Senators Donna Boley, R-Pleasants, and Mike Azinger, R-Wood, sponsored the grant and presented it to Larry Bargeloh, President of the Wood County 4-H Camp Trustees, and Linda Dearth, President of the Wood County 4-H Leaders' Association.

"I am so thankful for the senators and their contribution to the camp, and to all of the volunteers and donors who give time and money to help keep this facility going,'' said Dearth. "The 4-H Camp means a lot to a lot of people.

"I grew up in the 4-H program, my kids and now my grandkids are all involved, and this campground has played a big part in our 4-H experiences. I believe all young people need to be involved in a program like 4-H," she said.

The Wood County 4-H Camp Trustees, an all-volunteer board of directors, work all year to ensure that Wood County continues to have a place where kids can go to just be kids.

The Wood County 4-H Leaders' Association volunteers take the lead on all programming, club leadership, camps, and projects. Members from the Wood County Farm Bureau, CEOS, and 4-H serve on the trustee board for the camp and support the mission of the WVU Extension 4-H program.

Due to generous businesses and individual donors, grants from area foundations, and volunteer support, this 80-year old 4-H camp has been able to make many improvements.

The 4-H Ox Roast is the major fundraiser for the 4-H Camp, providing operating expenses for the facility.

"I really appreciate the state senators and their commitment to the 4-H campground," said Bargeloh. "Over the last few years, several local businesses and foundations, as well as a lot of great volunteers, 4-H families, and community members have contributed funding and time to making a lot of needed improvements to the camp."

The camp is a volunteer-led facility, and it is used by several community members, schools, and youth groups in the area, he said.

"Keeping up with the cost to run the facility is approximately $150 a day, just to maintain it, pay utilities, and conduct regular maintenance," Bargeloh said. "We are all volunteers, and the only income for this camp is the Ox Roast fundraiser and our rentals.

"The additional support we've been able to secure from grants like the one provided by the state Senate are helping us make updates to this historic facility, so that we can ensure the safety and security of all of our community members and groups who love and use this camp."

The Wood County 4-H Camp has been part of the community for more than 80 years. Each year, more than 250 youths attend 4-H camp in Wood County, and several hundred more attend other youth camps at the facility. At 4-H camp, children spend the week doing crafts, playing outdoor recreation games, singing, dancing, fishing, learning independence, mastering new skills, and they gain a sense of belonging to a group. Perhaps most importantly, children at 4-H camp make lifelong friends. In a connected world, camp is a place where youth and adults both can disconnect and get back to nature and the outdoors.

For more information, contact the WVU Wood County Extension Office at (304) 424-1960 or visit them at www.extension.wvu.edu/wood.