4-H Camp Is Accused of Adding an F -- Fisticuffs

Sheriff’s officers are investigating allegations that counselors at a 4-H summer camp arranged fistfights between children ages 9 to 13, charged admission to the brawls and allowed betting.

Franklin County Sheriff Quint Overton said Tuesday youngsters were told to lie to parents about the fights after several campers suffered black eyes and one broke his hand.

No charges have been filed, but Overton said six officers were investigating the five-day camp that began June 30 at the Smith Mountain Lake 4-H Educational Conference Center.

“It’s hard to believe anyone would do this,” Overton said. He said he heard that campers were charged $1 for admission, and that the counselors and children could bet up to $4 per fight.

The sheriff said investigators have talked to several parents since the first complaint came in Monday from Richard Rawls, who said his 10-year-old son came home with a black eye. Rawls said his son claimed at first that he had been hit by a basketball.

“They pitted these kids against each other like a damn cockfight,” Rawls said.

Rawls said his son was forced to defend himself five times during the week. He won the first four fights, but was knocked out the fifth time.

“He’s OK now, I guess. He’s been crying, and he told me today he wants to go to the doctor,” Rawls said.

While girls attended the camp, the sheriff said the fights involved only boys. Boys who did not want to participate were confined to their cabins, Overton said.

About 300 children attended the camp last week at Smith Mountain Lake. It was organized by the Bedford County chapter of the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Youngsters pledge their head, heart, hands and health -- hence, 4-H -- to loyalty, clearer thinking, community service and better living.

The camp was supervised by teen counselors, 14 to 18 years old, and adult counselors, 19 and older. Four teens and two adults were in charge of the lodge where the fights allegedly occurred, said Charlie Stott, spokesman for Virginia Cooperative Extension.

If the accusations prove true, Stott said, “it’s certainly an isolated incident.”

Calls to the national 4-H headquarters were referred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees 4-H. A USDA spokeswoman did not immediately return a call.

Smith Mountain Lake is one of six 4-H camps in Virginia with activities ranging from rifle marksmanship and archery to computer science, journalism and the performing arts.

Camp counselors come from local 4-H chapters and are mostly volunteers, who must have 24 hours of training on working with young people and emergency procedures, Stott said.

The camps also have at least one full-time paid staff member.