4-H’ers Attend Junior Rally
By Renny Burton
Jasper Co. Junior 4-H’er
Last weekend, April 26-27, Jasper County 4-H’ers in the 6th – 8th grades were invited to attend Junior Rally at Camp Wahsega near Dahlonega.
They departed at 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning excited and ready to smell the fresh mountain air. Those who made the trip from Jasper County included Renny Burton, Jameson Carter, Eryn Davis, Zoey Davis, Parker Foster, Grace Galloway, Lyla Nesler, Riley Perdue, Kenn’yah Sands, Canyon Stewart, and Kirby Thornton.
They were joined by three 4-H’ers from Putnam County: Braxton Bailey, Elizabeth Hensley, and Savannah Rushing. Jasper County 4-H Agent Kasey Hall accompanied the group.
Camp Wahsega is Georgia’s oldest 4-H center and is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Wahsega was originally a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp built in the 1930’s and housed CCC program workers involved in road and bridge construction near Dahlonega.
The CCC was a voluntary government work relief program that was designed to supply jobs for young men who had difficulty finding jobs during the Great Depression. It was a major part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal that supplied manual labor jobs related to the conservation and development of natural resources in rural lands owned by federal, state, and local governments. In 1946, Wahsega began operating as a 4-H camp.
Highlights of the weekend included: the 4-H’ers’ choice of ropes course classes (flying squirrel, zip line, climbing wall, and low ropes/leadership building), dancing, spending time with friends, visiting the canteen, s’mores, a glow-in-the-dark Easter egg hunt, and a talent show. Canyon Stewart, who did voice impressions of famous movie characters in the talent show, won third place in the comedy category.
The opening and closing assemblies were led by the 2024 – 2025 Northwest and Northeast District Junior Board members. During the closing assembly, the 2025 – 2026 officers were introduced for both districts. Jasper County 4-H’er Renny Burton was recognized as a new Northeast District Junior Board member. She was elected to her position during Junior/Senior DPA in March at Rock Eagle.
Wahsega is an indescribably charming campus. Georgia 4-H’s second smallest camp includes plenty of untouched beauty like the well-known falls, a large pond, several hiking trails, and Ward Creek. Overall, this natural getaway made for an amazing weekend for those that attended Junior Rally. The Jasper County 4-H’ers are glad to be back home but look forward to returning to Wahsega next April!