4-Hers or other community service groups?

[Ladybug]

Did anyone else participate in 4-H growing up? I didn't have any animal projects (city girl ), but I had leadership, nutrition and public speaking projects. Truthfully, I didn't like 4-H growing up, but my Mom made us stick with it and both my sister and I received 10K in scholarship monies from 4-H. Hindsight is 20/20 and I realize now how much 4-H taught me about organization, public speaking, community service, etc., and I want to get my own children involved in 4-H. NYS has a respectable 4-H program through Cornell Univeristy, but it's sooooo different. There are lots of "clover bud" programs for families and children in elementary school. It's weird and more fractionated than it was when I was growing up. I'm thinking about starting my own clover bud program in the city. Does anyone else have experience with this? Are your kids in 4-H? Do they have clover bud programs too? Are you involved in one? What do you do? What are your favorite service projects for children in other community service groups?

Anyone, anyone? Bueler, bueler, bueler...

Nos to all your questions but I'll be interested to hear what you find out and about your experience. I talked someone about this a few months ago. Her child's friend is in a 4-H club and it sounds pretty neat. Her younger two were talking about joining but I'm not sure if they did. I'll try to remember to ask her. 10k scholarship? Holy cow! (farm animal reference intended )

[Ladybug]

They do have poultry projects, you know...

[GreyhoundsRUs]

The only thing I know about 4-H was that they supplied the chicken eggs for our school every year - nothing like being in 2nd grade and watching chicks hatch and playing with baby chicks!

[SuzySunshine]

I was in 4-H through high school but I lived in the country and had projects like Forestry and sheep. My sister had chickens. I agree that it was a great learning experience when it came to public speaking. I don't know that we'll do 4-H with A & #2 depending on where we end up but they'll do something like it either girls scouts, boy scouts or american heritage girl.

Annie - we were big 4H'ers and my mom was a leader. My nieces (live in Indiana and my BIL is a farmer ) have been involved for years. I would love to get my kids involved but haven't heard much about it where we live now. Please share what you find out - I think it is still a good organization.

[mommax3]

I did 4-H for about 4 years growing up and I lived in a college town. I did clothing, foods, and child development.....child development was by far my favorite. My boys aren't in 4-H and have never expressed an interest, but lots of their friends (especially now that we live in a rural community) participate and we make sure to go to both the county and state fairs each year to look for the projects by people we know. Here they have Mini-4-H for younger kids, which is what is was called when I was little, too.

[Sheherezade]

My daughter has done a little 4 H through her horse barn. They have a big club. It is horse based, of course. We haven't participated this year because the club is really geared to the older girls. The members are mostly high school kids - but they allow you to join at 9.

We don't have a group in our district. I considered starting one too but backed off because I'm already over-committed to other volunteer things. I got most of my information from the local county fairs. That is ground zero for 4H in Ohio. They have tents and booths with information. You could check out the websites for contact information and speak to someone local that runs a chapter.

[diggitydot]

Does anyone else have experience with this? Are your kids in 4-H? What are your favorite service projects for children in other community service groups?

I was in 4-H as a kid. We did primarily sewing, cooking, and general artsy/craftsy stuff. Meh, it was okay. Our leader was a bit of a tool, though.

Our kids aren't in 4-H, but they do other service projects here and there. Tutoring, helping out at the local food bank, helping raise funds for the local children's hospital. That kind of stuff.