On April 9, Florida 4-H will celebrate the completion of the expansion and renovation of the pavilion at 4-H Camp Cherry Lake, a residential youth camp located in Madison, Florida.
This ribbon cutting event will recognize community supporters and the naming of the pavilion in memory of Henry & Nell Davis. Henry served as the director UF/IFAS Extension Taylor County for nearly 30 years, and Nell was an active volunteer in the community. The program will begin at approximately 3:30 p.m. Register online at https://bit.ly/4H0409M.
This pavilion expansion is the initial phase in a multi-year plan to enhance camping facilities for broader programming, including environmental and agricultural education.
Since 1937, 4-H Camp Cherry Lake has hosted thousands of youth. The camp experience helps children mature socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically, impacting youth for the rest of their lives.
“There are few things the University of Florida does that make as much impact on Florida as 4-H. We touch hundreds of thousands of lives today through our programming and we touch the future by helping youth develop to their potential,” said J. Scott Angle, UF vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of UF/IFAS. “Improving Cherry Lake and our other camps will give our youth the best place to develop that potential.”
Morris Steen joined 4-H at age 10 and camped at Cherry Lake nearly every summer, later serving as a counselor while a student at the University of Florida. Henry Davis was Steen’s 4-H agent in Taylor County, and he became a lifelong mentor and friend to the Steens.
“Camp Cherry Lake in particular is a vital component of the 4-H experience, not just for our community but for our region and state,” said Steen, Florida 4-H Foundation Board member, in early 2020 when renovations began.
For more information, please contact Caylin Hilton, associate director of development for Florida 4-H at 352.392.5432 or grow4h@ifas.ufl.edu.
4-H is the youth development program of the land-grant university system and Cooperative Extension System. The program provides hands-on educational programs and experiences for youth ages 5 to 18 with the objective of developing them as individuals, and as responsible and productive citizens. In Florida, 4-H is administered by University of Florida/IFAS Extension and Florida A&M University, and serves approximately 200,000 youth annually. Learn more at florida4h.org.
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