Children circle around Allison Stumbo as she introduces the two new angora goats to children at the Boys & Girls Club. Some to the children will learn more about the goats when they spend a week at SonRidgeFarm this summer.

Three baby goats or kids made their first public appearance at the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County Monday afternoon.
Allison Stumbo, owner SonRidgeFarms, Kings Mountain, wanted the children to meet her two new angora goats that she had just gotten after driving to a farm in Ohio to get them. A surprise visitor added to the event was a dairy goat kid that was born two days earlier.
As the children circled around her to meet the goats, you could feel their excitement as one of the goats nudged a hand or sat on a child's lap and allowed them to be petted.
Some of the younger children from the Boys & Girls Club are able to attend the farm camp each summer. The camp allows the children to experience farm life first hand. They learn to feed a baby goat, how to milk a goat, ride horses, and other activities related to farm life. The highlight of each camp is Friday afternoon when the children have a goat show that is judged by the camp counselors.
Mary Pass, program director, Boys & Girls Club explained that the opportunity for these children to attend is made possible through the Rural Experience for Youth. Board member Susan Allen holds two fundraisers a year to allow at least 15 children to experience life on the farm.

Submitted by Jack Weller