By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
EL RENO – This week has been reserved to recognize a program that develops responsible citizens and future community leaders across Canadian County.
“National 4-H Week” was officially declared Oct. 3-9 in Canadian County. October is “Canadian County 4-H Month.”
Canadian County 4-H teen officers accepted a proclamation at the Oct. 4th Canadian County Commissioners’ meeting.
“The overall mission of the Oklahoma 4-H program is to help our youth become healthy, happy, responsible adults,” according to the proclamation, read aloud by county ambassador Jake Vulgamore.
Other teen officers at the meeting were county ambassador Emma Fanning, county reporter Camryn Thompson, county ambassador Alexis Haynes, and county recreation leader Malachi Haynes.
Canadian County 4-H has 17 clubs with 277 members.
Canadian County 4-H programs have reached more than 7,500 families nationwide this year – virtually and in-person.
“4-H has been helping Oklahoma’s youth learn, grow and work together to generate a positive and successful future for all of us, for more than 100 years,” according to the Canadian County 4-H Week proclamation, signed by County Commissioners Jack Stewart, Dave Anderson and Marc Hader.
In Canadian County, 4-H volunteers support organizations like Yukon Mobile Meals, Blessing Baskets, Ronald McDonald House, Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
As the nation’s largest development organization, 4-H grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for a career tomorrow.
Canadian County’s 4-H extension educators are Todd Branson and Alexis Graham.
The 4-H emblem (the four-leaf clover) symbolizes a positive impact on today’s youth by intentionally focusing on:
- The head – to think, to plan, to reason clearly;
- The heart – to be kind, to be true, to be sympathetic;
- The hands – to be useful, to be helpful, to be skillful; and
- Overall health – to resist disease, to enjoy life, to make for efficiency.
JOIN 4-H
4-H is an innovator in leadership development. From working in a committee to serving as an officer, youth have opportunities to discover their leadership potential.
Some 4,500 volunteers serve more than 150,000 youth statewide through Oklahoma’s 4-H program. Oklahoma 4-H:
- Provides community based experiential training;
- Helps youth develop life skills;
- Fosters leadership and volunteerism; and
- Strengthens families and communities.
4-H members learn the importance of service learning and lending a helping hand to others.
Youth can grow in project areas like public speaking, horticulture, food science, shooting sports, photography, animal science, and childcare.
4-H provides a positive environment for youth to reach their fullest potential, meet new friends and create lasting memories.
Call (405) 262-0155 to learn more about Canadian County 4-H.
