The Madison County Sheriff’s Office facilitated its 4th annual Youth Adventure Camp from July 27 through 31. Forty-two boys and girls were registered for this summer’s week long camp. They ranged in age from six to 17 years old. This Youth Adventure Camp is a faith based leadership course that emphasized team building while encouraging a passion for adventure and the outdoors. Captain Mark W. Joost, Warrants and Criminal Records Secretary Tammy Webb and Administrative Secretary Kelly Zimmerly were the primary facilitators for the camp, but many others within the sheriff’s office and community were instrumental in making the week safe, adventurous, informative and fun. On the first day of camp, Monday, July 27, the adventure camp started with an orientation and overview for the week. This was followed by a devotional on The Ten Commandments, which tied in the importance of boundaries, structure and discipline in our lives. After the morning devotional, the participants were taught the N.R.A. basic rifle class. Boundaries were then reinforced as they were taken outside and introduced to military drill, the P.T. (Physical Fitness) formation and a mild dose of pushups, flutter kicks and mountain climbers. After a Subway lunch, complements of the Sheriff’s Office Firearms Training Fund and Concealed Carry Weapons classes, the campers caravanned to the Sheriff’s Office firing range where the participants received hands on training. The group fired rifles for several hours. Tuesday, July 28 was the second day of camp and it started with a standard morning formation. Since the activities of day two would focus on archery and ropes skills, the morning devotional was on Psalm 91:5, John 15:5, and Seven S’s… Sustenance, Supplication, Sanctuary, Sabbath, Simplicity, Sovereign and Savior.
The rest of the morning was spent at the Cherry Lake 4-H camp. A big thank you goes out to the camp director, Neva Baltzell, for her continued support of the youth adventure camps. Cheyenne, Summer Program Staff; and Garrett, Waterfront Coordinator, were extremely helpful in providing the group excellent archery instruction. After a short trip to the firing range, the group was provided M.R.E.’s, military Meals Ready to Eat, for lunch. Russell Williams of Farm Share and Helping Hands of North Florida provided the M.R.E.’s. Captain Joost provided the participants an overview of knots, rope work related to law enforcement and instruction on rappelling before going to Cherry Lake. The group spent the remainder of the day swimming and kayaking at Cherry Lake. After the morning formation on the third day of camp, the campers stopped by the Madison County Emergency Operations Center. E.O.C. Director Alan Whigham and his assistant, Leigh Webb, provided the camp participants with an outstanding overview of emergency preparedness. The group then went to Blair Park where Sergeant Todd Richardson and Correctional Officer Donnie Bass of the Madison Correctional Institution K-9 team provided an explanation and practical application on their K-9 operations. The participants took turns by their squads tracking each other down through the nearby woods. Madison Church of God provided a great lunch at the park before M.C.S.O. Corporal Chris O’Brian and K-9 Onyx demonstrated drug search and suspect apprehension techniques. The third day was completed with more defensive tactics training, swimming and kayaking at Cherry Lake.
The next day, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Youth Adventure Camp traveled to Gary Mill’s home. Gary has been a friend and a blessing to the youth adventure camps for several years. Gary then shared another one of his passions as he explained the fine art of fly-fishing to the kids. The squads then rotated between fishing in one of Gary’s ponds and Gary spending one on one time with them to fine tune their technique. Six-year-old Kaprale “Kap” Brinson won a fishing rod and a stocked tackle box for catching the biggest fish. Eight-year-old Lucas Plain and 10-year-old Calvin Johnson won rods and tackle boxes for catching the most fish. The fishing equipment was acquired and donated by Russell Williams of Farm Share and Helping Hands of North Florida. Day five, Friday, July 31, Jamie “Knife Life” Willoughby of WilloughbyKnives.com, was a feature of the last day’s activities. Jamie’s skills as a knife maker and blacksmithing are always a highlight to the camps. The participants were taken to the Sheriff’s Office firing range where Jamie provided them an explanation and demonstration of his knife making, ironwork and blacksmith skills. Madison Church of God and Greenville Baptist Church provided a lunch cookout on the firing range. Members of both of these churches were a tremendous blessing throughout the week. After lunch, the participants had an opportunity to spend additional time with firearms, archery, rope climbing and rappelling or observing Jamie as he continued to demonstrate his iron working skills. The campers completed their time at the firing range with several competitions for the knives and survival tools that Jamie fabricated. The Kervin family was represented real well during these competitions. 10-year-old Alana Kervin won a knife after out muscling her group in a six count pushup competition immediately followed by a 200 yard footrace to the top of the firing range berm and back. Her brother, 12-year-old Gabriel Kervin, won a knife after beating out his group with the most correct six count pushups followed by the berm race.
10-year-old Paige Richardson won one of Jamie’s custom knives after she came in first to win a girl’s foot race to the top of the berm and back. Jamie then drew names for the remaining prizes. nine-year-old Keri L. Newsome won fire steel and 13-year-old Zach Waldrep won a fire starter kit. We finished up day five with more swimming and kayaking at Cherry Lake. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office would also like to acknowledge Pilgrim’s Pride, Pepsi of Perry, Lance, Wal-Mart of Valdosta and Perry, Tony Uphold of Uphold Feeds, Mike Kirkland and Jeff and Janet Bailey of Greenville Baptist Church for their contributions to our recent summer camp. As the participants learned, teamwork made the 4th Annual Madison County Sheriff’s Office Youth Adventure Camp the huge success that it was. The teamwork and discipline helped them grow in many positive ways as they widened their sense of adventure. With Sheriff Stewart’s continued support, CPT. Joost, Tammy Webb and Kelly Zimmerly look forward to facilitating future weeklong adventure camps. They intend to continue the quarterly day camps as well. Any groups or individuals that are interested in sponsoring a meal or assisting in any other way can contact CPT. Joost at (850) 519-0947 or Tammy Webb and Kelly Zimmerly at (850) 973-4151. Mark 10:45… With His blessing we serve.
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1. Photo By R and R Event Pros. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office Youth Adventure Campers are shown enjoying their M.R.E.’s (Meals Ready to Eat) for lunch during the second day of camp.
2. Photo By R and R Event Pros On. Thursday, July 30, the campers traveled to Gary Mill’s home where they were able to tune up their technique when it came to fishing. Pictured, from left to right, are: Lucas Plain, most fish caught winner; Calvin Johnson, most fish caught winner; and Kaprale Brinson; biggest fish caught winner.
3. Photo By R and R Event Pros. Jayce Johnson (left) and Captain Mark Joost (right) suit up to repel.