A Well-Rounded Facility
The Eastern 4-H Center’s amenities are as diverse as its programs
By Dave Herpy
Photos: Eastern 4-H Center
Located along the shores of Bulls Bay on the Albemarle Sound about an hour from the Outer Banks, the Eastern 4-H Center is North Carolina’s newest 4-H facility, providing a wide variety of services to guests from nearby and beyond. Owned and operated by NC State University in Raleigh, it opened in 2001 with funding from the North Carolina General Assembly, spearheaded by State Senator Marc Basnight. The 250 acres of once privately-owned land was purchased and developed by the state to serve as a hub for communities in the region. In addition to offering eight weeks of day and overnight summer camps each year, the center provides year-round facilities, programs, and services for groups.
Unlike most residential camps with a rustic feel, the Eastern 4-H Center feels more like a resort, with its climate-controlled cabins and facilities, as well as its waterfront location on Bulls Bay. The waterfront provides the ideal location for exploring the marine ecosystem with activities like boating and crabbing. However, the location doesn’t come without its challenges, having been through numerous hurricanes, most recently Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in 2018. The pier that provides the setting for activities like crabbing and fishing has been destroyed three times since 2001. After multiple re-constructions, design of the pier was changed to use marine-grade concrete Hog Slat. This design was a critical factor in the pier’s withstanding the force of wind and water from Hurricane Florence. The new pier has provided a beautiful venue for countless outdoor science classes for summer camps and school groups since then.
A Partnership With A Payoff
Under new leadership and an increased focus on environmental-education programming, the Eastern 4-H Center in 2019 applied for and received an AmeriCorps team member for a 10-month assignment through the Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC), to help develop and facilitate a standards-aligned, environmental-education curriculum, which debuted during that summer camp season. As a result of the dedication and hard work of the AmeriCorps team member, a total of nine new environmental-education classes were introduced. While a cost-share of a living stipend and lodging were requirements of the agreement with AmeriCorps, it was truly a win-win situation for both agencies. If your camp is in need of staffing related to the development and delivery of environmental education, the center highly recommends looking into a partnership with AmeriCorps.
Things To Do
Programs at the Eastern 4-H Center encompass all ages and interests, and caters to school groups, business retreats, university groups, religious functions, as well as weddings, reunions, and, of course, a full summer of overnight summer camps. There is an extensive team challenge course, climbing tower, giant swing, and high ropes with zipline for the more adventurous guests. For those wanting a more aquatic experience, there are boating programs, including kayaking and canoeing, along with a sailing program during the summer camp season.
Some other fun programs are archery, sports and games, GaGa ball, 9-square, and crafts, not to mention the recently developed environmental-education classes. These include topics like forestry, crabbing, properties of water, adaptable animals, and microscope mania. During the camp season, a few other programs are available, such as the pool and sound swim. There is also a variety of evening programs. One of the more popular is campfire and s'mores. Depending upon the group’s interest, karaoke, capture the flag, dance parties, and bingo can be accommodated. According to Program Director Jonathan “JP” Peoples, “It is a truly special place where memories are made each year. It is quite rewarding to see the impact of planning and program facilitation, to see the true impact our programs have on the youth that we serve.”
Aside from programming, the center’s facilities provide a variety of options for user groups. Waterfront meeting facilities include a conference center with a dining room, dining hall, and board room. Also on the waterfront is a boathouse that supports aquatic activities and serves as a classroom for on-land instruction and a wet lab for environmental-education classroom instruction. In addition to the meeting facilities and on-site dining services, the center offers overnight accommodations with executive lodges that have 20 hotel-style rooms and four group cabins that sleep up to 24 guests per cabin. The center's recreation hall was the first LEED-certified building for NC State University, opening in 2011, demonstrating the center’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. This newest meeting facility includes a gymnasium, classrooms, lobby, and staging kitchen for caterers.
Additional User Groups
With meeting facilities, overnight accommodations, on-site meal services, and educational or teambuilding programs, the center provides opportunities for a variety of partnerships to serve the needs of local communities, the region, and beyond. We are proud of partnerships with other mission-driven organizations like Camp Corral and Operation Purple Camp, national camps that serve youth from military families, as well as the North Carolina Grange, a camp that serves youth from farming families and rural areas across the state. The center also serves the needs of other agencies in the immediate community and surrounding counties, including the Elderly Nutrition/Meals on Wheels program in partnership with the Albemarle Commission, serving senior citizens in Washington, Tyrrell, and Hyde counties. As a certified regional training center for the NC Department of Public Safety, the center provides meals, lodging, meeting spaces, and a shooting range for new correctional officers and in-service opportunities for current officers. As a training facility, all meal services, lodging, meeting facilities, and the shooting range are available for all aspects of the training, which generally lasts six to eight weeks.
The Eastern 4-H Center fulfills a promise to bring a 4-H camp back to the region, after the Roanoke Island 4-H Camp closed on the Outer Banks decades before. According to Marketing Director Sara Phelps, “For almost 20 years, we have been working with state agency partners, like the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), community leaders, extension colleagues, and the center’s user-groups to establish a strong clientele base. The center staff’s focus on customer service, from the client’s first call or email to the day of the event, creates a customized experience for organizers and guests alike.” The center’s partnership with NCWRC has strengthened through the years. At the beginning, it assisted with the design and construction of the shooting sports complex, including separate ranges for archery, rifle, pistol, and shotgun. This continued partnership also includes program support for the center's Camp Canvasback summer camp program—focused on hunter safety, wildlife conservation, and shooting sports, all under the supervision and direction of NCWRC professionals. Another long-time partnership has been with the American Red Cross, serving as a location for regularly scheduled blood drives throughout the year. Other outreach in the immediate community includes KinderSwim, a partnership that provides swimming lessons for kindergarten students from Tyrrell County Elementary School in the center’s swimming pool.
Dave Herpy is NC 4-H Camping Specialist and Adjunct Lecturer of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at NC State University, as well as a freelance writer. He has over 23 years of experience with camps as a camp counselor, camp director, and camping specialist. His greatest adventure in life is being a father of four and sharing his passion for camp with his own children. He can be reached via email djherpy@ncsu.edu or follow him at explorenc.travel.blog.
Camp Basics
Eastern 4-H Center
Location: Columbia, N.C.
Type: 4-H Camp and Conference Center
Cost: $375 to $525 for summer camp
Ages: 5 to 17
Camps: Traditional 4-H camps and specialty camps
Sessions: Individual one-week sessions over an eight-week season