4-H Camp Pioneer Ox Roast celebrating its 60th anniversary
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BEVERLY -- 4-H Camp Pioneer will host its 60th annual Ox Roast on Thursday, July 27 as the community looks back fondly to the first Ox Roast.
The Ox Roast will be offered from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Meals will include two pit roast beef sandwiches served with baked beans, coleslaw, homemade dessert and a drink. Attendees can dine-in at the camp or use the drive-thru option.
Attendees can also view this year's completed 4-H projects, as they will be on display around Camp Pioneer.
"We're very hopeful for a great turnout," Dawn Swecker, treasurer of the Randolph County Parks & Recreation Board, told The Inter-Mountain. "Weather plays a big part, but even if it rains people can come by for the drive-thru."
Funds from this year's Ox Roast will aid in continuing improvements for 4-H Camp Pioneer.
Recent improvements include the complete renovation of the Boys' Dorm and the completion of the Dakan Arena bathhouse.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online at camppioneerwv.com, or at the following locations: Liggett's Supply, the Beverly Heritage Center, the Elkins Senior Center, Southern States, WVU Extension Office, and on-site the day of the event.
The first Ox Roast took place in 1963, along with centennial celebrations of West Virginia's birth as a state.
Madalaine Fleming, Camp Pioneer's AmeriCorps member who is working on compiling 4-H archival and oral history within Randolph County for the 4-H History Roundup Project, said the 1963 Ox Roast isn't too far removed from the present event.
It has served as a vital fundraiser for 4-H Camp Pioneer since the beginning. In 1963 proceeds are reported to have aided the construction of the dining hall and kitchen attached to the Hammer Assembly Hall.
Historical pageants also took place on-site alongside the Ox Roast. The 1963 pageant was a production titled "Because Someone Cared." It featured a cast of 150 4-H members, elaborate costuming, and music performed by Jack Basil and high school band members. It was also produced and written by Mrs. Robert (Rose) Hammer, a 4-H club leader.
"It was so interesting to see how many kids were involved in 4-H in the 60s," Swecker said. "And we're starting to see that again. Our camp numbers are starting to come back from COVID."
In 2023, the Ox Roast traditions haven't changed much. Food is still prepared on site. Meat is slow-roasted within a large in-ground roasting pit and monitored by volunteers all night.
These volunteers, including community and 4-H members, still dedicate their time and care for the event's success.
While there may be no more pageants, 4-H members still perform in some sense, showcasing their 4-H projects and the recent hard work and accomplishments of the county's youth within the 4-H program.
"It's our hope, in the not-too-far future, to have a 4-H history museum at Camp Pioneer," Swecker said.