The Coshocton County Beacon March 25, 2020 | Page 14

14 • The Beacon
March 25, 2020
Stewart believes getting involved in 4-H is important
ers. He was a counselor at
By Jen Jones
Brandon Stewart spent Camp Ohio and now is part
eight or nine years in 4-H as of the staff for the camp.
“I grew up in Fallsburg.
a member of Kamelid Kush-
Submitted
Brandon Stewart is dressed in the green suit. It was a prop for the
campfire evenings, and he brought it out for some fun during the last
night’s dance.
I was actually the last house
in River View School Dis-
trict. 4-H was a social time
for me. I got to hang out
with my friends and learn
all about agriculture. It was
a great way to stay out of
trouble,” Stewart said. “I
actually had to get permis-
sion to show my animals at
the Coshocton County Fair
because we lived just over
the county line in Licking
County.”
Stewart said both he and
his fiancée, Marissa Craw-
ford, feel being in 4-H pre-
pared them for adult life.
“We were both prepared for
interviews — how to talk
to adults — from what we
learned in 4-H,” he said.
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Stewart’s favorite part of camp as a child is still his
favorite part: campfire. It happens at the end of each
night, and Stewart said the counselors act goofy and
embarrass themselves to make the campers laugh.
we could see the kids that
hadn’t been in 4-H weren’t
nearly as prepared as we
were. That’s part of why
I thin k 4-H is so impor-
tant. Kids learn so many
life skills that follow them,
like sewing, woodworking,
agriculture. These are all
possible industries for them
to follow after school.”
After Stewart finished
college, he told his former
4-H advisor he wanted to
help with 4-H. “I told her
whatever they needed, and
she told me they needed me
at the camp,” he said.
T h is su m mer w ill be
Stewart’s second year as
staff for Camp Ohio. He
travels twice a month for
meetings about camp. “With
travel time and the meeting,
it’s about a five-hour com-
mitment, but I enjoy it,” he
said.
W he n St ewa r t wa s a
counselor, he was really
connected with the com-
munity. “I knew everyone
at camp. I came back now,
and I don’t know anyone.
It’s funny: Last year when
the kids heard I was from
Columbus, some of them
thought the camp hired a
professional campfire per-
son. And some of the kids
remember me as a coun-
selor,” he said.
Stewart said the biggest
difference he feels as a staff
person is the bigger respon-
sibility. “When parents drop
off the kids and you are a
counselor, they look at you
as someone to have fun with
their kids. When you are
staff, the parents look to you
to keep their child safe,” he
said.
Stewart’s favorite part of
camp as a child is still his
favorite part: campfire. It
happens at the end of each
night, and Stewart said the
counselors act goofy and
embar rass themselves to
make the campers laugh.
“It’s sel f le ssne ss for
someone else’s joy. I loved
it as a kid, and I still do,”
Stewart said. “Marissa and I
want other people our age to
know that even if you move
away, it’s still OK to be
involved in your hometown.
It’s always home. Come
back and give what you can
— use your passions.”
Submitted
Brandon Stewart is pictured cheering on the teams at tug-of-war
during 4-H camp.