Buckingham News
Published 3:29 pm Thursday, June 6, 2013
BUCKINGHAM – The Buckingham Unit of the Virginia Cooperative Extension and Buckingham's Safe and Stable Families Board is sponsoring three Family Field Trips this summer.
Family Field Trips offer parents/guardians an opportunity to accompany their school-age children to strengthen family bonding and communication skills while engaging in educational trips that support the Virginia Standards of Learning.
Each family pre-pays for the selected trip at least four weeks in advance to accommodate pre-planning and arrangements. Buses will be filled on first come, first served basis. And, unless there are unfilled spaces, there is a limit of one trip per family.
Families are responsible for packing picnic meals, snacks, cameras, rain gear, and other essentials used when traveling and sight-seeing.
Cost is $17 per person per trip. This fee, thanks to supplemental grant funding, will cover bus transportation and admissions. Although the fee is non-refundable, it can be transferred to another person for the specified trip. Please note that you'll want to bring extra money for meal stops, special features and/or souvenirs.
The first trip is to Washington, D. C. on Thursday, July 18, with plans to visit National Memorials and Monuments, the Old Post Office Tower, and Smithsonian Museums.
On Tuesday, August 6, the bus will head to Norfolk with plans to visit the Casemate Museum at Fort Monroe in Hampton, and Nauticus in Norfolk.
The last trip, planned for Tuesday, August 13, features Petersburg with tours of City Point, Petersburg National Battlefield, and the Siege Museum.
For more information and/or registration, call the Buckingham Extension Office at (434)969-4261.
On Thursday, June 13, beginning at 12 noon in the Historic Village at Lee Wayside, Buckingham Active Seniors and TRIAD will enjoy a Cookout Picnic. Food and beverages will be provided. Participants are asked to bring a lawn/camp chair.
Here's four days of day camp that truly sounds like a great adventure in the out-of-doors as youth ages nine through 13 discover the secrets of nature from the clues left behind. .
Sponsored by the Virginia Cooperative Extension, Central Piedmont Virginia Master Naturalists, and Bear Creek Lake State Park, Wildlife Detective Camp will be held at Bear Creek Lake State Park beginning on Tuesday, June 25 through Friday, June 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
Investigations and special activities include Snakes, Frogs, and Salamanders along with Snake Snoop on Tuesday; Birds and Mammals; ARK-Animal Rescue; and Bear Creek Bird Walk on Wednesday; Storyteller; Water Critters; Looking for Macro-invertebrates; and Canoeing on Thursday; and Walk in the Woods; Swimming, and a Cook-out on Friday.
Cost is $25. Space is limited to 25 so if you are interested, you should call the Cumberland Extension Office at (804)492-4390; or email leanes@vt.edu. Registration deadline is June 10.
Participants will need to bring a packed lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Drinks and snacks will be provided daily. And, campers will be required to wear closed-toe shoes.
On Saturday, June 15, in celebration of Father's Day, the Curdsville Community Center is hosting a BBQ.
BBQ dinners will be available from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The menu features pulled BBQ pork, Cole slaw, baked beans, rolls, beverage and dessert. Cost is $10 and seconds are encouraged. Kids under the age of 12 get to eat free.
After the meal, there will be a Cake and Bake Auction featuring baked goods by some of the best cooks in Buckingham.
Proceeds from the BBQ and the Auction will be used to help fund the continual restoration and maintenance of the old Curdsville School, which now serves as the Curdsville Community Center.
So if you are looking for some great BBQ and a good dose of Curdsville-style fun and fellowship, gather up the family and head to Curdsville. And, don't forget to bring Dad along.
The Curdsville Community Center is located off Route 15 on School Road, Route 633.
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On Saturday, June 15, the James River Batteau Festival begins. If you've never witnessed this festival, you ought to try to make it to the river and visit one of the encampments.
The boats will leave Lynchburg's Percival's Island at 11 a.m. and head to Galt's Mill. The next morning, June 16, they will float down river to Bent Creek.
Monday morning, June 17, the crews will load up their boats and head for Wingina. On Tuesday morning, the crews will leave Wingina and pole their way to Howardsville. Wednesday, June 19, the boats will travel to Scottsville. Departing Scottsville on Thursday, June 20, the next stop is on the Buckingham side of the James at the old Solite plant where the Slate River meets the James.
Friday, June 21, the boats float to Cartersville; and, then, on Saturday, June 22, they make their way to their final destination, Maiden's Landing.
The Buckingham County Youth League is now accepting registrations for players 13 and older for baseball. Cost is $55 per player. Registration forms are available at the concession stand at Gene Dixon Memorial Park.
Practices will begin soon. For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Commissioner, Sherron Eldridge, at 983-3504 or 607-0145; or Jack Stearrett at 390-1299.
Here's an overview of some of the 4-H programs offered for area youth this summer.
Cloverbud Weekend, for ages five through eight, will be held June 14-16, at the Holiday Lake 4-H Center. Cost for this overnight camp is $95.
Fantastic 4-H Fun Days (Session I) for ages 5-8, will be held June 10-12 and June 17-19, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Buckingham Agricultural Center. With a theme Travel the World in Six Days, this day camp will include two field trips. Cost is $60.
Session II, for ages 5-8, features the theme Between the Pages Multicultural Style and is planned for August 5-7, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $30 and will include one field trip.
Fantastic 4-H Fun Days for ages 9-13 will also feature two sessions. Session I will be held July 1-3 and 8-10, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $60 and will include two field trips.
Session II is scheduled for August 12-14, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $30 and includes one field trip. Both sessions will be hosted at the Buckingham Agricultural Center.
Summer Sensation, Exploring the Arts, for ages 9-13, is planned for July 29 through August 1, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. Cost is $40.
For information and/or registration for any of the above camps, please call the Buckingham Extension Office at 969-4261.
Environmental Day Camp, for youth in grades 5-7, will be held July 15 through 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. This fantastic experience in the outdoors is organized and sponsored by the Peter Francisco Soil and Water Conservation District in conjunction with Buckingham 4-H. Cost is $10.
Please note that youth may only attend this camp once. To register, contact Sherry Ragland at the Soil and Water Conservation District Office at 983-7923.
The Buckingham County Department of Parks and Recreation is offering something new this year-Summer Movie Night, which promises to be a great night for the entire family.
The first Movie Night is scheduled for Friday, June 21, at Buckingham County Community Park, on Main Street near the entrance to the Industrial Park-at the Picnic Shelter.
Gates will open at 7 p.m. and the movie will begin at dusk. Admission is free.
You'll need to bring a blanket or lawn chairs but please remember to be courteous to those around you so that they can view the movie, too.
Although you can bring along food items, please leave the pets and alcohol at home. Concessions will also be available.
The Buckingham County Department of Parks and Recreation 2013 Summer Program Guidebook is hot off the press. If you haven't received a copy, the guidebook is also available online, as are all of registration forms. Please visit www.buckinghamcountyva.org and click on Recreation.
Here's a few of the many clinics and classes that will be available this summer.
Baseball Clinics for ages nine and ten, will be held June 10-13 (Registration deadline is June 7); ages 11-12, June 17-20 (deadline is June 13); and ages 13-14, June 24-27 (deadline June 19). These clinics will take place at Gene Dixon Memorial Ballpark from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on specified days. Cost is $45.
Players will be instructed in baseball fundamentals to include hitting, pitching, and infield/outfield techniques. Mike Jones, head varsity baseball coach at BCHS, and Tim Hoag, BCHS assistant varsity coach, will be instructing.
Co-Ed Tennis Clinic for ages 8-18, beginners and intermediate, June 17-21, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. each day at Buckingham County High School, with instructor Erin Lake. Cost is $20. Deadline for registration is June 14.
Swimming Lessons, held at the Nazarene Campground located across from Buckingham County Middle School, start with Session I for Beginners, ages three through 12, June 24-28 (deadline for registration is June 19).
Session II, for Intermediate/Advanced swimmers, ages six through 12, is planned for July 24-27 (deadline July 17). Cost is $40.
Trip to the Metro Richmond Zoo on June 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., for ages six through 12, (children under six are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult) will cost $12 per child and $13 per adult. Cost includes transportation and zoo admission. Other zoo amenities are at the cost of each participant; and, participants must bring their own lunch.
The Buckingham County Department of Parks and Recreation is also working to provide activities and classes for adults, too.
Co-Ed Softball League is gearing up for a new season that will start the end of June. Anyone interested in signing up a team for this league is asked to contact Todd Shumaker at (434)969-4242 by June 21.
For those who haven't heard, I'm retiring. We'll talk more about that later but yes, it's time. Along with filling my position as staff reporter, The Farmville Herald is also looking for another individual to serve as a community correspondent to take over the Buckingham News column.
I figured this column would be an appropriate venue to launch the search for that community-spirited individual who wants to help keep all of us informed on the many activities and events happening here in Buckingham. For more information, contact Steve Wall at 392-4151.
