Community service critical part of 4-H

One important aspect of the 4-H program is community service. What is community service? Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions. It is more than just being a volunteer. Community service teaches 4-H youth a variety of skills from organization, advertising, leadership and citizenship to name a few. It brings youth and adults together to join forces to enhance the lives of others. What better use of the 4-H motto: To Make the Best Better.

The 4-H community has begun the “4-H Revolution of Responsibility.” What is it? It’s a movement for positive change in every community in America. 4-H youth are all for doing the right thing. They do this by breaking through obstacles and pushing our country forward by making a measurable difference right where they live. That takes commitment.

4-H’ers can impact their communities every day. Stutsman County 4-H’ers are doing just that with their annual “Stock the Stock Trailer.” Each year the local food pantries in Jamestown struggle to help citizens in our county provide nutritious, healthy meals. What started as Prairie Pals 4-H club challenge to other Stutsman County 4-H clubs to fill a small room at Immanuel Lutheran Church to help the food pantries has turned into a county wide campaign to fill a stock trailer with non-perishable food and toiletry items.

This year the “Stock the Stock Trailer” event will be held Oct. 12-14. The trailer will be located at the TSC parking lot in Jamestown beginning at noon on Oct. 12. The trailer will be open during normal TSC business hours on Oct. 13 and Oct. 14. If you are unable to stop during those hours, you can call the Stutsman County Extension Office. You can assist the Stutsman County 4-H clubs by picking up an extra package or two when you shop at the local stores and drop them off at the stock trailer. Can you make monetary donations? Yes, they will have a drop box for those donations as well.

One 4-H’er’s comments about her Revolution of Responsibility? “My community supports 4-H with sponsorships, time and resources, so it is only natural for me to want to give back to my community in their time of need.”

Why not help the Stutsman County 4-H clubs “Stock the Stock Trailer” to benefit the local food pantries. Last year we collected approximately 2000 items. Let’s fill it to the brim in 2012.

For more information on this topic, contact Deb Hatlewick, Stutsman County 4-H Coordinator, NDSU Extension Service Stutsman County, 116½ First Street East, Jamestown, ND. Hatlewick may be reached at 252-9030 or debra. hatlewick@ ndsu.edu .

Tags: life, family