11/19/2009 - West Side Leader
     

To the editor:

For over 50 years, Bath Alpha Garden Club has provided scholarships to high school students allowing them to attend the Ohio Forestry Camp. This is a one-week resident camp located on Leesville Lake at Camp Muskingum in Carroll County. Students participate in classes in tree identification, forest ecology, silviculture and forest products. While primarily an academic program, the camp includes many athletic and recreational activities such as swimming, boating and fishing, as well as numerous social activities. Many of the students continue their interest in forestry by gaining education in outdoor-related fields and careers.

This year, one of the students sponsored by Bath Alpha Garden Club was Kevin Jewett.

“We were so touched by his letter detailing his experience that we wanted to share it with others,” said Committee Chairperson Rosalie Steiner.

“Dear members of the Bath Alpha Garden Club,

“Thanks to your contribution, I was able to attend FFA Camp Muskingum’s Forestry and Wildlife Conservation Camp earlier this June. This was my second year attending the camp, and I had an amazing time once again. Camp Muskingum is home to the most beautiful forest I have ever had the good fortune to see, and attending camp is the highlight of my summer.

“While at camp, I not only had fun and enjoyed myself, but I also studied many things pertaining to forestry, including dendrology, silviculture, forest ecology, invasive species and forest products. The camp brings in specialists from many careers to lead interesting and fun classes. I feel that it was a great opportunity for me to meet all of those professionals and learn from their experiences.

“Another great thing about Camp Muskingum is the sense of family achieved through the program. By the end of the week, everyone knows everybody at camp and would drive across the state to visit them. The ‘Leaf Groups,’ the trail group you are with for the week, assumes the role of your family, and the bonds formed during the camp activities never fade. The camp’s talent show, campfire, dance and water carnival are a few examples of fun activities where campers have the opportunity to build friendships and have tons of fun.

“Since it was my second year as a camper, I was taken on the veteran tour instead of attending classes on the last full day of camp. The veterans toured a logging site across the lake, an enormous white pine stand that ships out enough lumber to build three houses every day. The tour was very informative about the business end of logging, as well as the public relations work involved. I enjoyed the hike through the beautiful pine forest and was shocked to find that the areas that had been recently clear-cut were just as breathtaking as the dense forest. During silviculture class, heavy emphasis is put on the benefits of all types of logging, and though clear-cuts may not always be pretty, the instructors taught us that they are very beneficial to wildlife, as well as in forming an even-age stand of trees or encouraging the growth of shade intolerant trees.

“Once again, thank you very much for sponsoring my trip to Camp Muskingum this year, I wouldn’t have been able to go without your support, and as I mentioned, camp is the highlight of my summer. I wish your club the best in your endeavors and hope that you continue sponsoring camp fees for other would-be campers in the future, because I really believe that Camp Muskingum will be a positive force in any young person’s life.

“Sincerely, Kevin Jewett”

Andrea Fostvedt, president, Bath Alpha Garden Club

• Correction
• Copley service director explains fee increase
• Local Scouts celebrating 100th birthday
• Fair weather, not-so-fair finances
• Cartoon 2-4-10
• Ohio recognized for innovation in education
• State Highway Patrol offers Super Bowl advice
• Cartoon 2-5-10