Local 4-H club news
Area 4-H members were awarded with certificates of successful accomplishments for this year in Troy on Nov. 6. (Photo courtesy Svetlana Harper)
Editor’s note: Troy’s Kootenai Kids and Critters 4-H member Nick Harper will be writing a monthly column sharing news about 4-H clubs in southern Lincoln County, including Libby’s South 40 group.
How much do you know about 4-H? It’s a non-profit organization for youth that promotes positive youth development, a place to grow, a chance to try new things (animal or non-animal projects).
It’s also a great way to make new friends, an opportunity to learn life skills in a fun and safe environment.
It also provides the same for volunteers and parents who are involved plus teaching and sharing life skills and knowledge.
Getting involved in 4-H can help young people become leaders in their communities, make a positive impact and develop leadership skills.
The 4-H Motto is “To make the best better” and our pledge is: “My head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, my health to better living, for my club, my community and my country.”
The 4 Hs on a green clover leaf logo stands for “Head, Heart, Hands and Health” and green color represents nature and is emblematic of youth, life and growth.
“We would like to introduce 4-H from our local clubs in Troy “Kootenai Kids and Greeters” and Libby’s “South 40” through our leaders, volunteers, participants and all our events and fundraisers that will be happening this coming year,” Harper wrote.
Every year kids have opportunities to participate in county and state government, junior fair in Libby in July and county state in Eureka in August.
We also provide community services in any way possible as well as planning activities and fun events, too.
Every month we have club meetings where we work on the plan for meeting minutes or agenda, absorbing details on past events and upcoming, voting for things we could do as a club or individually.
Each kid can sign up for two projects and as many as they could handle. We have leaders and volunteers who are ready to share and teach the skills in market animal projects such as beef and beef breeding, swine and swine breeding, sheep and goat. Also for non-market animals as rabbits, poultry, pocket animals and dogs.
We are involved in many non-animal projects, such as cooking and baking, shooting, fishing, outdoor adventure, photography, craft and art, dance, leadership and many others.
Kids can learn about they choose to do at monthly meetings.
Our goal is to do our best to provide all upcoming events through the newspapers. For anyone who maybe interested in joining our clubs we recommend contacting our leaders, Guy and Jennifer Johnson in Troy (Jennee1977@gmail.com) and Kara Matthews in Libby (406-283-1224).
Enrollment and re-enrollment is due now.
Here’s a look at upcoming events in Troy for December:
- Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Troy Activity Center. Our 4-H members will help to unload and set up all the vendors on Friday night. We will have several great gift baskets raffles and pig tickets for fundraiser.
- The club’s monthly meeting is on the first Monday of the month, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Methodist Church in Troy. Livestock market project signups are due by Monday, Dec. 4.
- Dec. 9 is the beef weigh-in at Rocky Schauer’s place.
Here are some upcoming events in Libby for December:
- Libby Christmas tree lighting 5 p.m. Saturday. Santa and the Christmas Crew will be on the move in Libby at about 2 p.m. Santa’s Village vendors at 4 p.m. Bring the kids to Santa’s workshop for a toy.
Most of the project meetings will start in January 2024 with our monthly announcements. As always we are looking forward for great and safe holiday season and wishing the best to all.
Next month we will introduce you to more news about our 4-H clubs and will take interviews with local kids to find out what they learned and how they feel about 4-H, what they like to do most and what they are planning for this year.