Summer is on the way, and with it comes 4-H Camp, making a reappearance after having been canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bell County 4-H Youth and Development Agent Brian Good went over some of the specifics of this year’s camp.

“We’ve got camp coming up, it’s going to be June 7 through June 10,” Good said. “We camp in London at Camp Feltner.”

According to Good, this year the camp will be running at 50 percent capacity due to COVID-19.

“We did get the go-ahead that we are going to be able to have camp and proceed with that 50 percent capacity,” Good explained. “We are going to be limited on how many youths we’re going to be able to take this year, but we’re still looking forward to taking the kids that we can take.”

Good pointed out that Bell County camps with Knox, Whitley, and Rockcastle counties. Bell County will be able to accept approximately 21 girls and 17 boys for camp.

“We’re in the neighborhood of about 38 kids total,” Good said.

The process for applying to attend camp begins with a phone call to the Bell County Extension Office at 606-337-2376.

“We’ll go ahead and get them on the list and started in the process,” Good added.

The camp is open to ages 9 to 14.

“We can take an 8-year-old as long as they will be starting the fourth grade the next school year,” Good explained.

Those turning 15 before June 10 are not eligible to attend as a camper, but there is another option.

“We can take a 15-year-old if they would like to go as a youth counselor,” Good said. “We can also take 16- and 17-year-olds as a teen counselor.”

Good explained the counselor positions are very limited in number. There are also a few slots remaining for adult leaders. The adult leader positions are open to those 18 and over, and a background check must be completed.

“We are looking for one or two more adult leaders,” Good said. “Those spots for counselors and leaders are both very limited.”

Good said cabin groups, or pods, will stay together instead of mixing with each other this year to lower the COVID-19 risk, with a typical day at camp involving activities such as a polar bear swim, breakfast, fishing, leadership development classes, rifle classes, nature classes, meals, and some free time.

“The days are very long,” Good said. “They start out at 7 a.m. and go until about 11 p.m.”

“Masks are going to be worn unless they’re eating or swimming,” Good explained. “Cabins will remain in pods together; they won’t really interact with other cabins.”

Other precautions will include a large amount of cleaning and spreading out lunch times to allow for cleaning and distancing, Good explained.

“They’re trying to limit any kind of contact with another cabin, that way if something were to happen – because nobody can predict that – if there were to be something happen it would be limited to a small group of six to eight kids.”

Good also mentioned the cost of camp this year will not be high.

“We’ve got some very generous donors around the county,” Good said. “Camp cost is $240, but with those donations we’re going to be able to send the kids that want to go this year for $40.”

Good added anybody who wishes to donate to 4-H Camp should call the Bell County Extension Office.

For more information, contact the Bell County Extension Office at 606-337-2376.