Source:  Cooperative Council of NC, 5/26/09

We are currently accepting registration forms for organizations, cooperatives and school and community clubs to send campers to attend this summer’s Cooperative Leadership Camp!  Please sponsor a student to attend this exciting and educational event and promote your organization!

                Co-op Camp, which has been in existence for over 25 years, will be held at the NC FFA Center at White Lake this year.  We will begin Monday afternoon, June 22, and adjourn Friday morning, June 26.  The week of camp will also include teaching students about the cooperative way of doing business through a student-run T-shirt Cooperative, small group competitions to improve team-building skills, leadership training, hands-on learning and recreational fun by the lake.  This exciting venture for youth will include a day trip to Wilmington, where students will visit the NC Aquarium and the NC Battleship.  They will also enjoy a cookout at a local water park.

                Several of this year’s participants will be selected to attend the National Institute on Cooperative Education to be held July 25 – 29 in Knoxville, TN.  Camp participants will also be eligible for the annual $1,000 Jim Graham Cooperative Leadership College Scholarship when they become high school seniors.

                The cost of this year’s camp will be $285.  This will include the bus trip to Wilmington plus camp food and board.  This does not, however, include transportation to and from camp.  Bus transportation will be available for youth who need it, and sponsors will be billed after camp.  To get your students registered for camp, please send the council office the names of the youth you choose to sponsor so that we can mail them the registration forms.  We will also provide you with registration forms if you prefer to give them to students yourself.  Names and registration should be sent to the council office by June 10.   

                This is a great, fun week with many leadership development opportunities.  I truly hope your organization will sponsor several youth from your community.  These students are the future leaders of your communities and organizations.  Opportunities such as Co-op Camp help shape these young people. 

                Please do not hesitate to call your local 4-H Agent, high schools, Agriculture / FFA teachers and other groups who will gladly supply you with names of outstanding students who would be honored to represent your organization.  Students should be high school rising sophomores, juniors or seniors or ages 15 to 18.  If you are interested in sponsoring a student to attend, but you are not able to find a student, then please contact our office and we will be glad to find a student for you, for there are so many students out there who are ready to jump on this kind of opportunity!  There are also other sponsorship opportunities available.

                I truly am excited about another great year of camp and helping to not only make a difference in the lives of our young people, but to also educating them on cooperatives and leadership.  Thank you so very much for your continued support of our camp program!

Jennie Gentry, President

Cooperative Council of North Carolina

www.ccnc.coop

919-834-5544, Office

919-744-7434, Cell

919-828-9322, Fax