4-H welcomes members to 2020 programming during sign-up night

by Sylene Argent

Last Wednesday evening, the Essex County 4-H Club welcomed new and returning youth members to its sign-up night, which took place at the Essex Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 201).

  During the event, the many young members in attendance were able to select which of the many clubs they would like to join this year as a way to learn. 4-H offers its members a wide-array of clubs to capture the interest of as many youth as possible. Some of the clubs the Essex County 4-H offers includes ones that focus on teaching about poultry, beef, dairy, sewing, field crops, sheep, barn quilting, cake decorating, canning, etc.

  The Cloverbud program was introduced a few years back. This club provides an opportunity for youth, between the ages six and eight, to learn about 4-H, and get introduced to some of the club topics they will be able to explore more fully when they get older. 

  Some of the activities the Cloverbud participants enjoyed last year included a trip to a potato farm and learning about beef products and their use in everyday items. They also participated in the Kids’ Safety Day.

  All of the clubs follow the 4-H mandate of “learning to do by doing.”  

  In addition to learning about the clubs that will be available this year through the Essex County 4-H program, returning members were presented with certificates of achievement and project seals, which are presented after successfully completing a 4-H program.

  Other awards were presented during the evening. MacKenzie Wright earned the Gay Lea Award for successfully completing 24 clubs through 4-H. Wright and Emma Srigley earned the Long Standing Graduating Member Award for aging-out of the 4-H program.

  In addition, the 4-H members voted the Dairy Club as the best club of the year, and also selected the secretary, press reporter, junior member, and senior member of the year awards. 4-H volunteers were also recognized for their first year of service, their fifth, tenth, fifteenth, and twentieth.