Campers learn to 'mind their manners'

By Lil Spinks, West Nassau Correspondent

From July 30 through Aug. 3, 14 youths 8 years old and older met at the Mickler Street County Building in Callahan for the fourth in a series of 4-H Summer Day Camps, "Mind Your Manners," to learn more about proper etiquette.

4-H Program Leader Amanda Thien also had several helpers during the week, including Nassau County Family and Consumer Science Agent Meg McAlpine, University of Florida intern Matthew Benge and Nassau County 4-H Teen Council member Victoria Hygema.

On Monday and Tuesday the campers concentrated on socialization and conversation skills and played games introducing them to etiquette. The kids made a list of "magic words" and identified which words are more appropriate to use with family members and friends. They discussed pronouncing their words clearly to avoid mumbling and talked about how to be polite with friends and things to avoid that might offend them. They also made friendship bracelets.

On Tuesday they discussed telephone manners and information they should or should not divulge to people they do not know who call their homes. They also learned it is only appropriate to make telephone calls from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

They practiced making telephone calls to each other and also learned to use those "magic words," including thank you, you're welcome, please, good day and others from the list they compiled the day before. They also learned that slang words should be avoided when speaking on the telephone.

Wednesday was centerpiece day, when the kids learned how to create centerpieces, placemats and different place settings for the dinner table.

On Thursday, they focused on using table manners and practiced eating dinner rolls and spaghetti.

During the afternoon, they divided into three groups and took turns making napkin rings, folding napkins three different ways and painting flowerpots in which to plant marigolds.

Friday was the big day, though, when they visited the Cumberland Room at the Conference Center at Amelia Island Plantation.

There they enjoyed a three-course dinner of cream of mushroom soup, a chicken dish, mashed potatoes and broccoli, warm foccacia bread and chocolate mousse cake with raspberries for dessert.

Thien said she coordinated the event with the director of conference services, Beth Fulton, who Thien said went out of her way to make all the arrangements, insuring a memorable and successful trip for everyone.

The kids learned how employees are trained to greet and introduce people there. Then they were taught by their server, Russell McNair, how to fold the napkins four different ways.

McNair pointed out that each resort or restaurant has its own method for doing things in the dining room and gave the campers pointers or guides they use for determining how tables will be set, said Thien.

The trip gave the youths the opportunity to use the manners they learned throughout "Mind Your Manners" week while at the Plantation, said Thien.

The 4-H Summer Day Camps are sponsored by the Nassau County Extension Office, in conjunction with the University of Florida.

Story created Aug 10, 2007 - 14:05:52 PDT.