When most people think of the 4-H organization, they picture livestock and agriculture. That’s certainly the historical roots of the program and it continues to play a big role in rural areas like Lake County; however, an equally important component of 4-H is leadership and community engagement. All the clubs around the county take on projects or join with other organizations to give back to their community.
Over the years, Lake County 4-H clubs have raised money for Meals on Wheels, holiday turkey dinner baskets and Autism Speaks, to name a few. They have promoted the sales of Christmas wreathes in the Wreaths Across America program and honored our veterans by participating in cemetery ceremonies and creating handmade cards for veterans attending Veterans Day celebrations and those in veterans’ hospitals.
Youth like Morgan Hayes, of Anderson Marsh 4-H, have solicited donations of gently used horse blankets for equines at the Lake County Animal Care and Control center. Some clubs even visit care homes or donate gifts at Christmas time. Blue Heron 4-H Club members made fleece scarves for care home residents Christmas of 2013.
4-Hers participate in clean ups of parks and roadsides. In 2014 Cobb Mountain and Blue Heron 4-H clubs directed parking at the Lake County Wine Auction. Club members have also decorated tables or provided centerpieces some years for the Lake County Farm Bureau’s Love of the Land event.
Just recently, Sofi Evans and Grace Tucker, of the Anderson Marsh club, proposed cleaning all the headstones of veterans in the Lower Lake cemetery over the upcoming months.
In short, many of the more than 300 4-H youth of Lake County truly live the words of their 4-H pledge:
“I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country and my world.”
If you are inspired to live the 4-H pledge or get involved in the 4-H program, contact the 4-H office at (707) 263-6838 or visit http://celake.ucanr.edu/4-H_Program/. Open enrollment is on-going during July and August.
Ethan Jones, 16, is a 2015 Lake County All Star candidate
