4-H members learn by doing, guided by hardworking volunteers

Published: 2020
By Jack Stivers

For more than 90 years, 4-H has been a presence in Lake County, educating young people and developing new generations of leaders and professionals, in all fields. First geared towards agriculture, the 4-H program continues to adapt to the times, giving kids throughout the county countless opportunities and experiences, and maintaining a strong dedication to young people’s critical needs that help them become successful. Lake County 4-H Program by numbers: 227 - enrolled youth ages 5-19 30 - enrolled volunteer leaders 76 - different educational projects youth participated in during 2020 12 - educational workshops offered to youth in 2020 3 - average number of projects completed by youth in 2020 Current Top Ten 4-H Projects in Lake County: Shooting Sports Market Swine Market Beef Breeding Beef Cloverbuds Sheep Sewing/Needleworking Woodworking Photography Visual Arts 4-H programs wouldn’t have nearly the reach or impact that they do without volunteer involvement. Thirty volunteers served as certified leaders for 4-H clubs and projects throughout Lake County and contributed more than 1,000 hours of time during 2020 despite Covid-19 restrictions. Volunteers helped organize and run club meetings, provided project instruction, as well as coordinating and contributing to events, fundraising for activities, record keeping, training and numerous other leadership opportunities. Most importantly, adult volunteers offer a caring adult in the lives of 4-H youth. Monetarily, the dollar value of the hours contributed by these adult volunteers, according to an Independent Sector wage estimator is more than $45,000.