4-H summer camps canceled

The 4-H Camp in Washburn recently made the decision to cancel and NOT reschedule the Just Starting to Ride: Wish I Had a Horse Camp (originally scheduled for May 31-June 4) and the Livestock Camp (originally scheduled for June 7-11). They had hopes of rescheduling them later in the summer, but will begin to process full refunds. Even though the situation with COVID-19 in our state has improved, settings like residential camping experiences are still discouraged. The expectations of managing a camp based on current CDC guidance and the responsibility of managing a communicable disease, like the coronavirus, in the close confines of a camp setting were key factors. Campers coming from various locations and living together for a number of days greatly increases the risk of an outbreak and community spread.

The 4-H Camp is not alone in taking this action. A vast majority of the residential camps (overnight) in the state have made this same decision.

4-H, as part of North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension participated in trainings sponsored by the American Camp Association (ACA) and have been monitoring the guidance given us by the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH), Governor Burgum and NDSU.

We appreciate your understanding about having to cancel and look forward to a different situation in 2021.