Great Things Happening in Richmond County!

 Written by:  Michelle Stumbo, Extension Agent, 4-H & Youth Development and Gene Shutt, Millstone 4-H Camp Director

Phone:  997-8255/652-5905

Upon first arriving at Millstone 4-H Camp and seeing over 250 youth walking around carrying guns and bows, I thought how some might be scared of the scene.  Many people fear any and all weapons because of the highlights on the news each night.  These young people, however, are not to be feared, they are to be applauded for their efforts in the recent North Carolina 4-H Shooting Sports Tournament held in Ellerbe, NC. 

The purpose of the NC 4-H Shooting Sports program is to develop caring, capable youth by enabling young people to become responsible self-directed members of society, offering young people of our state a positive experience in the shooting sports program, and promoting the safe sport of hunting and shooting. 

4-H’ers from across the state participated in both team and individual contests in the following categories:  shotgun, small-bore sporting rifle, small-bore match rifle, air rifle, air pistol, black powder, recurve archery, compound archery, and hunting and orienteering skills.  More than 25 counties were represented at the event this year.   

During their stay at the historic site in Ellerbe, youth used over 7,000 rounds of .22 ammunition, almost 5,000 shotgun shells, and around 200 round balls for muzzle-loading, ammo for air rifle and air pistol and numerous ends of arrows for archery.  Participants also got to experience the numerous renovations that have been done at the Camp over the past 3 years, including heated/air conditioned cabins, state of the art septic system, new roof & windows in the Dining Hall and a brand new kitchen.  More changes are quickly on the way at Camp as well!  Ground has been broken for a Courtyard which will eventually be part of the NC 4-H Museum at be housed right here in Richmond County. 

To see pictures from the day, Click Here , for results from the contest, check out the Shooting Sports section of www.millstone4hcamp.org.  If you are interested in developing safety, ethics, personal responsibility, and lifetime recreational skills in youth that you know, contact Michelle Stumbo, 4-H & Youth Development Agent with NC Cooperative Extension at 997-8255 or michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu.  For more information on Millstone 4-H Camp and the Museum Project, contact Gene Shutt, Millstone 4-H Camp Director with at 652-5905.