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HYDE COUNTY — In the 29 years since the Hyde County 4-H Livestock Show and Sale began, there’s never been one quite like this year’s event. With social distancing and stay-at-home orders affecting nearly all activities this spring, for the first time ever, the show went digital, bringing local children and their animals right into viewers’ living rooms.

“We wanted to highlight the hard work of livestock exhibitors this year,” said Hyde County 4-H Agent Lee Brimmage Jr. “We wanted to put something together that they could watch and enjoy, because we don’t want them to completely miss out on the opportunity. We want to see their hard work put on display, so we came up with a virtual format.”

In putting the 15-minute video together, Brimmage said his goal was to replicate the Livestock Show and Sale as closely as possible. Altogether, 51 young livestock exhibitors participated this year, ranging in age from 5 to 18 years old. With the help of their parents, participants submitted still photos and videos of themselves with their livestock, which Brimmage edited together to make the final product.

“I think it was a great reception,” Brimmage said. “The kids responded well, and the parents responded well. Everyone got their photos and videos in, and once it came all together, I think everyone really enjoyed it.”

With three 4-H Centers statewide, including the Eastern 4-H Center in Columbia, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service announced that summer camp programs at those facilities have been canceled for 2020. According to the announcement from the organization, North Carolina 4-H has hosted residential 4-H camps every summer since the first camp at Swannanoa 4-H Camp in 1929.

While the cancelation of summer camps marks the first in 91 years, Brimmage said he and other 4-H agents across the state are working to provide a variety of online activities for 4-H members over the summer.

“In lieu of us having the camps this year, we’re going to try to offer some virtual activities this summer,” Brimmage said. “We’re all working to have some virtual programming this year.”

For the latest updates from 4-H, visit hyde.ces.ncsu.edu/categories/4-h-youth-development, in Hyde County and beaufort.ces.ncsu.edu/categories/4-h-youth-development in Beaufort County. A full video of the 29th-Annual Hyde County 4-H Livestock Show is available here.