Oregon State University Extension provides many services to the state’s citizens. Support for the 4-H program is one of these services. Fay took advantage of the 4-H program at an early age as a youth member. She continued with 4-H through her college years and continues to use that support to the present day.
The 4-H program provides a stable platform of professional support to volunteer leaders. It gives volunteers confidence to pursue leading and teaching projects to interested youth and their families in many communities thorough out the state. Our family has taken advantage of this support and it has allowed us to work with many youth in our county. With this support, we are able to form a community club. Thanks to help from other adult leaders, we are able to provide projects in up to 12 different subjects each year.
This has impacted our lives in numerous ways. We have met many people from the county who found 4-H projects for their children or grandchildren. In most cases, these projects helped the youngsters find a subject that interested them and one that they enjoyed working on. Most times they surprised themselves by finding out how good a job they were doing by the results at county and state fairs.
Our club specializes in the natural resource area. Members, and their families, get an appreciation for forestry, entomology and outdoor projects on our 45-acre tree farm. Through the 4-H program, we are able to take members on field trips to Hawaii and around Oregon visiting sites related to natural science.
A large satisfaction we gain from 4-H is watching the children grow from a shy child to a self confident young adult who is ready to take on the world.
