Pledging our Hope for a Bright Tomorrow

THE KROGER CUSTOMER CABIN AT ROCK EAGLE 4-H CENTER

A huge thank you to Horace Hamilton and the entire Kroger team for their efforts to raise the funds to build
the Kroger Customer Cabin at Rock Eagle 4-H Center!

The first corporate partnership for the Rock Eagle cabin campaign was begun by the Kroger Company in 2007. Horace Hamilton, VP for Operations at Kroger, pledged support of the rebuilding of cabins through a paper icon campaign to be carried out in all Georgia stores. This paper icon campaign successfully raised both awareness and funds to support the Kroger Customers Cabin. Kroger employees were strong supporters of this campaign and were instrumental in its success each year. 4-H youth, along with their county extension agents, were fully engaged in this campaign in a variety of ways and worked to raise funds and create awareness of their local programs.

Georgia 4-H, representing over 170,500 youth and thousands of 4-H alumni and supporters in the state, was proud to have Kroger as our first corporate partner in the Rock Eagle 4-H Center Cabin Campaign. Funds raised through this cause marketing campaign supported construction of the Kroger Cabin at Rock Eagle 4-H Center located in Eatonton, GA.  

Background on the Current Cabins: The fifty-four cabins at Rock Eagle 4-H Center have served over three million 4-H members and adults, through 4-H events and other youth and adult conferences, for over fifty years. The current cabin that was designed in the early 1950s was a very useful design, and many of the cabins were slightly modified during a major renovation in the late 1980s. Today, the cabins do not serve the needs of Rock Eagle users as well as they once did. Because of the deterioration of the structures, it is now time to construct new cabins at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. In the summer of 2004, the Rock Eagle staff began the design of a prototype cottage. By the time the design was completed in the fall of 2004, money was secured to construct the prototype cabin. The prototype cabin is now open and in use at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. The Rock Eagle staff and architects are using this opportunity to modify the prototype design, so that when the cabins are replaced, the new structures can provide the best possible guest quarters for the 4-H Center. The new cabin features handicap accessible rooms and will sleep twenty-two people, compared to the eighteen in the existing cabin.

Our Commitment: The Georgia 4-H Program is excited aboutour partnership with Kroger employees in the State of Georgia to create awareness of the impact 4-H has on youth throughout this state and to educate 4-H youth and alumni of Kroger's generosity to the communities in which it serves. Georgia 4-H Extension Agents and 4-H youth helped promote this campaign and visited Kroger stores to express appreciation and inform employees of many of the local activities in which 4-H youth are involved. At the conclusion of this campaign, we will have not only raised funds to support the 4-H program, we will have built on the outstanding reputation of Kroger stores in each community and educated Kroger customers and others in the community about the 4-H program which aims to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes that will help them become self directing, productive, and contributing citizens.

Looking to the Future Through Kroger's Support: Through the support of Kroger employees and customers, the Kroger 4-H Cabin Campaign displayed a tremendous level of support for the Rock Eagle cabin initiative to raise $27 million over the course of the fundraising campaign. By continuing the public and private partnership which made the construction of Rock Eagle possible in the 1950's, Georgia 4-H'ers across the state will continue to have the best 4-H center in the nation.

Thank you for your support! We look forward to “Making the Best Better” through your involvement in this campaign!

If you are interested in supporting the Rock Eagle 4-H Center Cabin Campaign with a financial gift, please contact the 4-H Foundation office at (706) 542-8914. Naming opportunities are available.

Please note: The Georgia 4-H Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations made to the Georgia 4-H Foundation are tax deductible according to IRS standards. Your contribution can be designated to support a specific purpose that is important to you, or left unrestricted to be used where the need is greatest.

If you would like to make a gift to the Georgia 4-H Foundation, or would like to learn more about other giving opportunities, contact Mary Ann Parsons, Executive Director, Georgia 4-H Foundation, at (706) 542-9238 or via e-mail at parsonsm@uga.edu .