4-H director seeks common ground with Mallo camp

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
The 4-H groups in Weston and Crook counties would like to come home to Mallo Camp, according to Brittany Hamilton, the 4-H/youth development extension educator.
“It was suggested when I first took this job that I should try to get the 4-H camp back to Mallo,” Hamilton told the commissioners at their March 19 meeting. “We kicked around the idea, and I asked for the weekend of June 20-22, 2020. I called Caleb (Thompson) and that date was open, at that point at least.” 
Hamilton said that because Mallo Camp board members had been at the March 5 commissioners meeting, she now felt it necessary to share her “side of the story.” At that March 5 meeting, camp board members Gideon Dixon and John Prell told the commissioners that the camp reserves weekends for weddings and family reunions. They also said the board felt that 4-H groups should pay the same rate ($13) as other groups, such as youth groups, schools and church groups.  
“We understand where they are coming from with wanting to treat everyone the same with the same rate,” Hamilton said. “Our argument for wanting the weekend is, we can’t get enough volunteers unless it is the weekend. I think if the Mallo board was willing to let Weston County, the home county, have the weekend, we would not ask for a reduced rate. We would be willing to pay the $13 per head per day if they are willing to let us have the weekend.”
Hamilton said that the 4-H groups in both Weston and Crook counties would have to look at funding because the “cost of the facilities and food alone at Mallo are quite a bit more than at the RAM Center.” 
According to Hamilton, in 2017 Mallo Camp cost $3,562 for the weekend at the $13 per head rate. With food and a cook, the total cost was $4,610, not including other supplies. She said that the RAM Center, a camp and retreat facility near Devils Tower in Crook County, has a $1,500 rental fee, with food included. 
According to Hamilton, the RAM Center was a suitable facility, although it lacked a shooting range and fishing. 
“That is quite a substantial cost difference,” Hamilton said. “We charge $35 a camper to attend.”
According to Hamilton, the cost for camp has not been raised in as long as she can remember, dating back to when she attended 4-H camp at Mallo. 
Hamilton said that she believes the 4-H groups can handle paying the entire $13 a head fee, if they are allowed to have the weekend requested. She said that the groups have some scholarships available for children who cannot afford the $35 and that with fundraising, they can continue to offer the scholarships. 
Chairman Tony Barton calculated that the fee for the camp would have to be raised to roughly $48 a camper, based on the most recent camp attendance, for the campers to completely cover rental and food costs. He said that if the weekend is open, he does not see why the Mallo board should not allow the 4-H groups to hold camp at that time. 
“Mallo is pretty hesitant to let us have the weekend. They want to have them open for family reunions and weddings,” Hamilton said. “I see them being hesitant to let us have the weekend. At their last meeting, they were.” 
Hamilton said that she understands why the Mallo board would not want to “open a can of worms,” with other youth groups then also requesting weekends. 
“I would like camp to go back to Mallo. I personally think it would work if they are negotiable,” Hamilton said. 
“I would personally like to see kids in this county and Crook County go to Mallo,” said Barton, who also expressed a willingness to help with funding the camp if the commissioners declined to do so. 
Commissioner Nathan Todd said that funding is a moot point if the Mallo board will not allow the camp to have the weekend. 
“It would be nice if the county or Mallo board could figure out a way to make it work out,” he said. “I think it’s unfortunate that they used to be able to. We are talking close to home and our own kids here – Weston and Crook County as well.” 
Hamilton said that she planned to attend the Mallo board’s next meeting on April 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Weston County Public Health office to further discuss the issue. 
“I’m not trying to make them out as bad, and the animosity between our offices shouldn’t be there,” Hamilton said. 
Todd said that he doesn’t feel the commissioners should “strong arm” a board of volunteers into letting 4-H have the weekend and that it would be “convenient” if the two entities could reach an agreement on their own. 
“I will go to the next meeting and see where we are at. I will bring up the same points I did here, and that we probably wouldn’t ask for a reduced rate,” Hamilton said.