It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Welcome to Williams Dining Hall at Rock Springs 4-H Center. At Williams, our decorations and fantastic food service will put you into the spirit of the holidays. Each winter, we host family gatherings, company parties and more!  To see more photos, check out our album on Facebook by clicking here.

Turkey Trot Recap

Over 100 participants gathered Sunday for Rock Springs 4-H Center’s second annual five kilometer event, appropriately named the Turkey Trot.

The 5k had 89 registrants and the Kids Gobble Jog saw a significant increase in registrations, with over 20, thanks to a local youth running club, Wee Run JC. Volunteers from Alpha of Clovia 4-H Scholarship House at Kansas State University cheered on and directed runners and walkers throughout the course. The route included pavement, trail running and grass paths that wind through Rock Springs’ scenic campus.

Prizes, which consisted of donated gift certificates and goods from various local businesses, were awarded to the top male and female runners in six age categories, as well as the first male and female finishers overall.  Derek Hoff, of Manhattan, won the men’s overall race in 19 minutes, 48 seconds. The female winner was Tonja Ulvenes Ystaas, a foreign exchange student from Norway. Tonja resides in Winfield, Kansas for the school year. Her finishing time was 23:27:52.

Jerrad Boland of Junction City won the 18-and-under division for the men and Winfield’s Hannah Niederee won on the women’s side. Ricky Searles (Junction City) and Heather Pittman (Fort Riley) won the 19 to 29 age division. John Eslick (Lawrence) and Paulette Arnold (Manhattan) took the 30-39 age division. Tom Silovfky and Kimberly Milleson (both of Junction City) won the 40-49 age division. Mike Gil (St. Marys) and Barbara Klotzbach (Abilene) finished first in the 50-59 age division. Bob Potter (Manhattan) and Mary Jo Meyer (Gypsum) finished first among those 60 and above.

Weather for the event was ideal, with temperatures in the upper 60’s to low 70’s. Positive comments came from many participants, who say they plan to participate again next year.

Fall Scenes

Our very own Beverly Knopp, Human Resources Director for Rock Springs, has a passion for nature photography. This October, Bev captured the following scenic shots. All were taken on the Rock Springs campus and demonstrate vibrant colors and gorgeous fall images Rock Springs has to offer.  

Enjoy!

2nd Annual Turkey Trot Scheduled

Please join us! Rock Springs' second annual 5 kilometer run/walk has been scheduled for Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome to participate in the event, appropriately named the "Rock Springs Turkey Trot." In November of 2008, over 80 people gathered to try out the relatively flat course, which winds through and around Rock Springs' scenic 735-acre facility. The course starts near the spring and moves through Camp WaShunGa,  travels east along Texaco Nature Trail, past Rock Springs' famous Palomino horses, and through the Sunflower Walking Trail. 

A short run for youth participants, named the Kids Gobble Jog, is scheduled to follow the conclusion of the Turkey Trot. Refreshments and prizes will also be provided for participants and fans. For more information or to sign up for this year's Turkey Trot 5k Run/Walk or Kids Gobble Jog, call (785) 257-3221 or click HERE to register!.

Armed Services YMCA and Sierra Club Operation Outdoors Visit Rock Springs:

Click here to learn more about the Sierra Club and Operation Outdoors. For information about the Armed Services YMCA, you can visit their website by clicking here.

Treasure Hunt!

A variety of environmental education programs at Rock Springs enable guests to experience the outdoors through fun, hands-on courses. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are hand held units that allow visitors to explore Rock Springs with a new kind of map.

"Some Leavenworth County 4-H members have a new project: treasure hunting. They don’t need to be archaeologists, explorers, or pirates with dusty old maps. Thanks to the U. S. Department of Defense, a bit of relatively-inexpensive technology is all it takes to find trinkets, toys and surprises – perhaps right in their neighborhood. 'Geocaching is like a scavenger hunt,' said Beth Hecht, a 4-H youth development agent for K-State Research and Extension’s Leavenworth County office. 'It's kind of like a treasure hunt, and these treasures are hidden all around the world...'

At a recent training weekend for Kansas 4-H members taking on leadership roles in the state Health Rocks! Program, Hecht and her team traveled to the Rock Springs 4-H Center to teach a crash course in geocaching."

To read this entire article from K-State Research and Extension, click here and visit their website.

Photography Adventure Camp

2009 marks the 13th year for Photo Adventure Camp at Rock Springs. The camp is structured for kids who are too old to attend 4-H camp, but too young to be counselors. Participants learn all about photography, including techniques from the experts and advice about their specific camera settings. These videos will give you an idea of what campers experience each June at Photo Adventure Camp!

Part 1:




Part II: