“Throwback Thursday” – the photo above from Oct. 2011, features then 4Hers Victoria Elligsen, Kalli Swanson, Greg Elligsen and Ruben Mata after the duck parade at Alder Creek Farm, with Garden Coach Karen Matthews.
The Tillamook County 4-H program is celebrating the impact 4-H youth are making in their lives and their communities during National 4-H Week. 4-H is the nation’s largest youth organization, empowering more than six million young people across the U.S. This year, National 4-H Week is October 7-13. We want to encourage everyone to wear their 4-H gear (shirt, hat, scarf, etc.) anytime during National 4-H week, but especially on Wednesday, October 10th to represent 4-H. 4-H Alums are also encouraged to reconnect with the 4-H program at http://4-h.org/alumni/ or by getting involved in the Tillamook County 4-H program as a 4-H leader or parent. National 4-H Week recognizes the beginning of a new 4-H year. It is time for getting together to plan and organize the new 4-H year.
More than 6 million young people across the country, including over 700 youth and 100 adult volunteers in Tillamook County will celebrate National 4-H Week, an annual celebration of 4-H during the first full week of October. 4-H got its start in rural fields, but today it’s everywhere—from towns and schools, to farms and neighborhoods. That’s why 4-H has stayed important for more than 100 years. It changes with me and you. Don’t worry. 4-H is still here in small towns across America and stronger than ever.
Although today’s Tillamook County 4-H program still has traditional 4-H clubs, less than 15% of Tillamook County’s 4-H participants live on farms. In the traditional 4-H club program the most popular projects in Tillamook County are clothing, foods, arts, dairy cattle, rabbits, horse, swine and Cloverbuds (K-3), although more than 40 different projects are available depending upon the interests of volunteer leaders and members. In Tillamook County leaders are especially needed in the 4-H clothing, foods, gardening, photography, horse and small animals (rabbit & poultry) project areas. New 4-H leaders are provided project materials and training; this year new 4-H leader orientation will be held on November 7, 6:30-9 pm at the OSU Extension Office in Tillamook.
The 4-H Cloverbud program for youth in grades K through 3 continues to increase in popularity. 4-H Cloverbuds focus on short-term projects in a variety of project areas that include cooperative learning and are non-competitive. The majority of 4-H Cloverbud members are reached through day camp and after school programs. The 4-H program is looking for volunteers who are interested in establishing 4-H Cloverbud clubs.
People interested in learning more about 4-H or how to start a 4-H group are invited to visit the OSU Extension Office at 4506 Third Street, Tillamook, or call Nancy Kershaw or Joy Jones at 842-3433.
A common question of many people is what the four H’s stand for. The Four H’s stand for Head, Heart, Hands and Health. They symbolize the development of the head to think, plan and reason; the heart to be concerned with the welfare of others, accept the responsibilities of citizenship, and develop positive attitudes; the hands to be useful and skillful; and health to practice healthful living, enjoy life, and use leisure time productively.
The 4-H Motto is “To Make the Best Better,” ever striving to better oneself. Green and white are the 4-H colors. Green is emblematic of springtime, life, and youth, while white symbolizes high ideas. And many Tillamook County residents are familiar with the pledge which states: “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.
About OSU Extension: The Oregon State University Extension Service shares research-based knowledge with people and communities in Oregon’s 36 counties. OSU Extension addresses issues that matter to urban and rural Oregonians. OSU Extension’s partnerships and programs contribute to a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future for Oregon.
