Camp Palmer names cabin for area teen

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This spring, a new 1,800-square-foot cabin will be completed at 4-H Camp Palmer. The year-round retreat cabin will have sleeping rooms for 10 on each side, handicapped accessible bathrooms, showers and a meeting/conference room. This new energy efficient cabin will allow camp to serve more summer campers, year round retreat groups/family reunions, corporate training groups, and allow more space for outdoor education school programs and band camps.

Last year, the 4-H Camp Palmer Board of Trustees voted to name the cabin in honor of Rob Sonnenberg, a young 4-H member who was very involved in camp and died due to a heart condition at age 14 in 1993.

Always wanting to follow in his older siblings’ footsteps, Rob was an enthusiastic 14 year-old who loved 4-H. The fourth of five children of Tim and Diane Sonnenberg of Wauseon, Rob had attended 4-H club meetings since he was a preschooler. When Roby turned 8, he had great expectations of all he would experience in 4-H … and those dreams proved true. In fact, the highlights of the year for Rob were, in order, 4-H Camp, Conservation Camp, the county fair, and then his birthday, and Christmas!

Rob loved the outdoors so his 4-H projects included dairy feeders, turkeys, and Conservation projects. He also took Food projects and participated in the county demonstration contests.

Rob was a happy extrovert and enjoyed serving in various offices for the Clinton Kids 4-H Club, concluding as its president.

After attending 4-H Camp as a camper for four years, Rob was ecstatic to be selected as a
counselor-in-training (CIT) for Conservation Camp. As a CIT, Rob’s adventurous spirit challenged his fear of heights as he successfully completed the high ropes course for the first time. So it had been a wonderful, exhilarating day for Rob when unexpectedly his heart stopped while emceeing a skit for the evening campfire. Rob was born with a congenital heart defect and had major reconstructive surgery as an infant. He lived an active and meaningful life.

Rob wanted to be a 4-H agent when he grew up — perhaps that’s the greatest compliment a young person can give to a program and its leadership.

“As a family, we all agree that Rob would really be thrilled to have a cabin named ‘Rob’s Cabin’,” said Tim Sonnenberg. “In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if we’d listen very quietly, we’d even hear a sound in the wind saying, ‘Awesome!’”

It is with the deepest appreciation, that each one of us in Rob’s family, thank the visionaries and contributors for this project so that other youth and their families can also make lasting memories. Sincerely

There is still time for interested parties to donate labor or financial support for Rob’s cabin. 4-H Camp Palmer is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information please contact the camp office at 419.237.2247.