Southscapes Spring 2008

Outreach

4-H'ers swing into fun at the Fortson Center, an outdoor adventure near metro Atlanta

By Sharon Omahen

Less than an hour's drive from downtown Atlanta and smack dab in the heart of 'NASCAR Country' sits the Fortson 4-H Center. The center is Georgia's newest 4-H center despite the fact it's hosted campers since 1962.

Like many success stories, the Fortson story begins with a group of people who donated their time, money and land because they loved community and children. Positioned on the Henry-Clayton county line, the camp includes 77 acres donated by Ed and Claude Fortson.

Over the years the camp has grown into a retreat where 4-H'ers, community children and adults come to get up close and personal with nature. In its early years, the camp was led by Robert and Regina Whitaker, both Master 4-H'ers and parents of 4-H'ers. They started the Blackjack 4-H Club that became the basis for the first Fortson program.

The first Fortson campers slept outdoors in tents before the dining hall was constructed. Meals were served in the dining hall during the day and at night the building was transformed into a girls' dormitory. Both boys and girls sleeping quarters were later built and remain in use today.

In April 2004, Georgia 4-H entered a leasing agreement with the Fortson Foundation which transformed the camp into an official 4-H center. "I will always fondly remember the day Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker asked me to come have a glass of tea and discuss Fortson," said Bo Ryles, Georgia's state 4-H youth leader. "We made history that day, and I know 4-H became a stronger organization by adding Fortson to our centers."

"For many years, Georgia 4-H leased Camp Truitt-Fulton from Fulton County," said Arch Smith, associate state 4-H leader. "We only operated there during the summer months. Now we have a facility near the metropolitan-Atlanta area that we use 12 months out of the year."

Former school teacher, camp director Susie Greer loves interacting with campers and critters at Fortson. Greer is shown getting up close and personal with the center's baby alligator Dawg Food.

Fortson is led by Susie Greer who became center director in 2006. Greer was a Georgia 4-H'er, a Rock Eagle camp counselor, a 4-H parent and president of the volunteer leaders' association.

Like all camp directors, Greer is figuratively and literally at home at the center. The former middle school teacher lives on site and loves what she calls a dream job.

"I get to teach environmental education, which I love, and social studies through our pioneer class," she said. "And I don't have to deal with homework or meetings."

Fortson's popularity is growing because it's close to Atlanta, the Atlanta Motor Speedway and nature. "Parents are amazed that their children can tromp through the woods and hold snakes and still be so close to Atlanta," she said.

"(It's) an oasis of nature in a very developed area of Georgia," Ryles said. "It's just 12 miles from our Griffin Campus and less than 40 miles from half the population of Georgia."

Like the other four Georgia 4-H centers, Fortson's camping program includes outdoor and environmental education.

"Everyone knows what a fish looks like, but many of our campers don't know what lives in the muck in the pond," Greer said. "Last year, one of our campers almost stepped on a snake eating a frog. It sounds gross, but the kids just loved seeing that."

The attraction for the 4-H center at Jekyll Island is the beach. The attraction for the one at Wahsega is the mountains. Fortson's draw is the roar of engines and the smell of hot asphalt.

"A lot of our campers have seen dirt track racing, but most of them have never been to Atlanta Motor Speedway or met a NASCAR driver," Greer said. "Last year, some of the campers met Bill Elliott and his son. And this year our camp counselors will race on the track against one another."

In addition to Thursday Night Thunder at the race track, 4-H'ers at Fortson visit Six Flags, the Georgia Aquarium and Stone Mountain.

Fortson hosts 172 campers a week during eight weeks of summer camp and two weeks of community camp.

"The founders of the center always offered the camping experience to community children, too," Greer said. "We continue that tradition by offering two community camps each summer."

Through the environmental education program, the camp also hosts school groups. Football teams and church groups also come to Fortson as scheduling allows. Weekends are typically set aside for adult groups. Greer encourages 4-H, school and adult groups to consider visiting Fortson 4-H Center for one-day trips, too.

"With school budget cutbacks and the price of gasoline it's much easier to travel to us if you're in the metro-Atlanta area," she said. "“We offer a great camping experience and we've got a ropes course, nature trails, a swimming pool and a gym. And, we're easily
accessible and just a 30- to 45-minute drive from Atlanta."

Preparing for her third summer season, Greer recently received the biggest compliment a director can get. "I heard that 4-H agents and program assistants are requesting to bring their kids to Fortson," she said with pride. "That's great because everyone usually fights to go to Rock Eagle."

Watch out Rock Eagle, Fortson's gaining on you and the checkered flag's in sight.

To learn more about the center and its history, visit the Web site at www.fortson4h.org.

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