This week is National 4-H Week, and Kosciusko County is celebrating the 4-H youth who have made an impact on the community, and are stepping up to the challenges of a complex and changing world.
4-H youth will connect with the community this week through numerous events.
Saturday, there are three events for people to attend.
4-H Informational Meeting Come learn about what 4-H has to offer, see examples of 4-H projects, ask questions, and get information on how to join 4-H at the Leesburg Grace Brethren Church Fall Fest from 11 a.m. to 3pm at 101 West School St., Leesburg.
There will be examples of many projects, from photography and electric, to crafts and posters – even some animals to pet.
Staff, youth and volunteers will be available to answer questions and tell their 4-H stories.
Shooting Sports Fun Shoot Interested in shooting sports? Come to the Annual Kosciusko County Shooting Sports Fun Shoot. Those interested can learn about the shooting sports program, learn basic firearm safety, and get to try out some of the many activities the program has to offer.
This will be held at Camp Mollenhour at 10265 S. CR 600W, Silver Lake, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lunch will be served, meat is provided and those attending are asked to bring a dish to share.
Chicken Sale to Help Dairy Barn Support the Kosciusko 4-H Dairy and Dairy Calf Feeder Steer projects. To help raise money for a new dairy barn at the fairgrounds, a Nelson’s Chicken sale will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Warsaw Walmart parking lot.
Chicken will be $6 a half and Pit-Taters will be $3 an order.
The week will conclude with the annual Achievement Night.
This event will begin at 6 p.m. at the Shrine Building at the fairgrounds.
4-H’ers will be recognized for their hard work and achievements in both general projects and livestock projects. Volunteers also will be recognized. This event is hosted by the 4-H council. It is a carry-in dinner and meat, drink and table service will be provided.
Those attending are asked to bring a dish according to the first letter of the person’s last name: A-G bring salad, H-R bring vegetable/casserole and S-Z desserts.
“I would say 4-H has made me grow as a person and ultimately affected my choice of career in the animal science field,” said Gayle Peters, 10-year Kosciusko County 4-H member. “Reflecting on my 10th year it amazes me how far I have come from starting my first year and how much younger 4-H members look up to me as I did to the older 4-H’ers before me. 4-H in itself is community development in the time and effort leaders as well as older members put into the program to help today’s youth succeed in a project that can translate into a long-term career or at least learning experience.”
Recent findings from Tufts University’s 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that young people in 4-H are three times more likely to contribute to their communities than youth not participating in 4-H.
Notably, the Tufts research discovered that the structured learning, encouragement and adult mentoring that 4-H’ers receive play a vital role in helping them actively contribute to their communities.
4-H is one of the largest youth development organizations in America with more than 6 million young people, ages 5-19; 540,000 volunteers; more than 3,500 staff and 60 million alumni.
In Kosciusko County, more than 791 4-H members and 254 volunteers are involved in 4-H.
Kathy Schlipf, a Kosciusko County 4-H volunteer, said, “I love being a 4-H volunteer. It is an opportunity for me to work with some of the most dedicated, hardworking, talented kids in our area. I see them learn about the value of hard work, taking criticism and turning it into a better project next year, also how to win and lose graciously. Friends made through 4-H will last a lifetime as the kids mature and interact as adults, continuing these relationships and benefitting our community by their positive role models for a new generation.”
Also during National 4-H Week, hundreds of thousands of youth from all around the nation will complete a single, innovative experiment on 4-H National Youth Science Day, which will be held Wednesday.
The 2011 National Science Experiment, Wired for Wind, will introduce young people to the possibilities of using wind as a clean, widely available, and low-cost source of renewable energy.
Cameron Zimmerman, who just finished his first year as a Kosciusko County Exploring 4-H member, said, “I learned that hard work can be fun. I love the animals and the projects. I learned that there are lots of people in my community and 4-H makes us friends.”
Learn how you can join the “Revolution of Responsibility” at 4-H.org/revolution or contact Anne Truitt-Petre, Extension Educator – 4-H Youth Development, at Purdue University Cooperative Extension, Kosciusko County at 574-372-2340 or atruitt@purdue.edu
Visit the local county website at www.ag.purdue.edu/counties/kosciusko
