Press Release – 4-8-14

PRESS RELEASE      

Waupaca County UW-Extension – 811 Harding Street, Waupaca, WI  54981

Phone:  (715) 258-6230    FAX:  (715) 258-6232

 

For Immediate Release . . . April 8, 2014

Waupaca County

Title:  Wisconsin 4-H Centennial Being Celebrated with a Month of Service

Author:  Penny Tank, 4-H Program Assistant

 

            2014 marks the 100th anniversary of 4-H in Wisconsin.   Since 1914, Wisconsin 4-H Youth Development has helped youth grow the leadership, critical thinking and communication skills necessary to be successful in a constantly changing world.  Just seven youth attended the first 4-H club meeting in Walworth County on October 30, 1914.  Today however, more than 35,000 youth are enrolled as 4-H community club members, and nearly 50,000 young people are involved in 4-H through in-school and after-school clubs, day camps, mentoring programs and other opportunities across the state. 

4-H programs continue to emphasize lifelong learning, a strong connection with the University of Wisconsin, and programs are available for all interests including science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), arts and communications, leadership, healthy living, citizenship, family, agriculture and animal science, international exchange and more.  

The 4-H’s stand for head, heart, hands, and health.  In Waupaca County, 4-H members and volunteers demonstrate the 4-H’s in a variety of ways all year long.  4-H club work involves learning project skills, practicing leadership and other life skills, planning and carrying out community service projects and much more.

            Some examples of 4-H club community service projects in the past six months that have reached hundreds of people around Waupaca County include donating holiday cookies made by the members to local families/individuals in need, collecting food and hygiene products for local food pantries, making cards and door/tray decorations at each holiday for meals on wheels or nursing homes, and adopting families to help at different times of the year with 4-H members shopping for items they requested.  These community service projects not only impact the people being reached, however, many of them leave a lasting impression on the youth that do the service work.

            Across the state, April is designated as 4-H Centennial Service Month.  Locally, the 4-H Ambassadors organized a food and hygiene drive during 4-H Super Saturday project day.  Over 140 items were collected and distributed to three food pantries in Waupaca County.  Watch for more 4-H club community service projects and updates this spring.  The goal for Waupaca County 4-H is 100 hours of service for 100 years of 4-H!

For information on this and other 4-H and Youth Development activities in Waupaca County contact Penny Tank, 4-H Program Assistant at the UW-Extension Office, (715) 258-6230 or penny.tank@wisc.edu.  University of Wisconsin, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin counties cooperating.  UW-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX and ADA.

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4-H Ambassador Food and Hygiene Drive, Pictured left to right: Sara Knoespel, New London; Natalie Rustad, Iola; Ashley Acker, New London; Sarah Burmeister, Marion