The Pennsylvania 4-H Program develops life skills in youth including leadership, responsibility, sportsmanship, teamwork, community service, and positive attitudes of self-worth.
There are lots of interests that are represented in 4-H. Most people typically recognize the program for its agricultural projects (livestock, horses, dairy, etc.) but 4-H includes a lot of great stuff, including environmental science, robotics, sewing, cooking, leadership, shooting sports, and the list goes on.
There are three basic types of 4-H Clubs in Lebanon County –
For youth age 8-18 as of January 1:
Single Project 4-H Clubs (most of these have an animal focus: horse, dairy, livestock, goat , rabbit, poultry, fiber arts)
Community 4-H Clubs (these clubs offer a wide variety of topics ex: foods & nutrition, sewing, woodworking, crafts, electricity, rocketry, forestry, wildlife and many more!). Not all clubs offer all projects depending on the adult volunteers which serve as group leaders.
For youth age 5 -7 as of January 1:
Cloverbud 4-H Club: age appropriate opportunities for younger kids to learn and explore in a non-competitive environment
One of the community clubs, the 4-H Friends Club is reorganizing for the new year. They invite any Lebanon County boy or girl, age 8 through 18 as of Jan. 1, 2016, to join them for their first meeting on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 9:30 a.m. at the Zion of Iona United Methodist Church on South 5th Avenue. Parents of new members are also encouraged to attend.
Each member of the club selects at least one project from a list that includes: Cooking, Photography, Sewing, and Leadership. You will also learn about nutrition.
The 4-H Friends club will also decorate the sanctuary for Harvest Home as a thank you to the church. In order for this to be possible, donations are needed. Each member will bring at least one non-perishable item and one fall decoration (such as a pumpkin, gourd, mum, or straw bale).
Members will be part of an active 4-H Club that exhibits and helps at the Lebanon Area Fair, does numerous community service projects, teaches leadership and public speaking, creates educational displays and a scrapbook, and uses parliamentary procedure.
New members should bring a parent, a pencil and a calendar to complete enrollment forms. There is a $25 fee for state and annual membership, plus the cost of the project you choose. Scholarships are available to help with membership.
If you'd like to join the 4-H Friends Club and can't attend the first meeting, contact Linda Siegel at 717-274-1197.
For information about other 4-H clubs in the county, please contact Martha Gregory, Extension 4-H Educator at 717-270-4391 or visit their website. Martha can also help if you'd like to start a 4-H Club in your area, which requires at least 5 interested youth and 2 adult volunteers.
