EMPORIUM — All families are encouraged to attend the 2ND Annual Youth Conservation Night Aug. 9 at the Cameron County Fair.
New this year, the name of the event will be the Jan Hampton Youth Conservation Night. Hampton, who passed away earlier this year, was very involved in the fair and she taught many youngsters about nature.
The event is co-sponsored by the Cameron County Long Beards Chapter of National Wild Turkey Federation and will also be considered a Chapter JAKES event. JAKES is acronym for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship.
Other co-sponsors are the Cameron County Conservation District and Cameron County Outdoor Youth Activities.
Youth Conservation Night starts at 6 p.m., with exhibitors on hand with several fun activities utilizing an outdoor conservation theme. Although the focus is educating area youth, adults can take part and learn about conservation as well. The Bucktail Watershed organization and CCOYA will exhibit and will have the popular safe archery range available to introduce young people to shooting sports.
Cameron County Family Center will be present with crafts and other fun activities for younger children and Nelson Haas will demonstrate how to make walking sticks and talk about the many uses these tools are utilized for other than hiking.
Arrangements are also being made to have an archery range set up using the National Archery in the Schools equipment on loan from Sinnemahoning State Park. Along with shooting, there will be an Explore Bow Hunting exhibit that will display all the necessary equipment one would need to get started in archery hunting.
Instructors for Cameron County’s 4-H Air Rifle Team will be on site with an air rifle range. Sizerville State Park personnel are also expected to be exhibiting, while Rich Valley Apiary will be set up to introduce people to honey bees and the importance they have in the natural world. Mark Baker of Eagle Dreams Rehabilitation Center of Olean, N.Y., is scheduled to attend to show his many live raptors. Todd Deluccia from Keystone Predator will attend to show what it takes to make flies for fishing.
