by Heather Kent | Apr 15, 2016
Today is our final post for this year’s National Volunteer Week Celebration. We’ve heard from several different types of volunteers- project club leaders, school volunteers, gardening volunteers and SPIN club volunteers. Today we will hear from Mrs. Linda Jones, a Gadsden County 4-H Community Club Volunteer. After retiring from a career of teaching, Mrs. Jones stopped by her local county extension office to ask some questions about her small farm. During her visit, the former county extension director, Dr. Henry Grant, told her about the 4-H program and asked if she would like to get involved as a volunteer. Mrs. Jones was sold! Since then, her club has been involved in multiple service projects that support local community members such as Second Harvest Food Bank and Relay for Life. Her club also participates in the North Florida Fair. In addition to being a community club leader, Mrs. Jones is also a certified overnight chaperone and chaperones youth every summer at 4-H Camp Cherry Lake. When asked what she enjoys most about her volunteer role with 4-H, Mrs. Jones shared:
“I taught school for 30 years, so I have a love of learning. I love that 4-H has so many different curricula and that almost everything in 4-H is a learning opportunity. I am just a kid at heart, and 4-H is a playground for learning.”
Mrs. Jones shared that another thing she appreciates about 4-H is their focus on safety. Paperwork and safety trainings are not her favorite aspect of 4-H, but Mrs. Jones admits that she sees the value in it and appreciates the protection it provides to both her and the kids in her club. “As a teacher, I am more focused on the learning part, but 4-H has trained me to keep safety a priority. For example, I wanted to take the kids horseback riding, and my agent pointed out that for 4-H activities, youth must wear a helmet while riding horses. I wouldn’t have thought of that on my own, but 4-H has my back. The legal ramifications can be challenging, but as a mother and grandmother, I see the value.”
In addition to being a community club leader, Mrs. Jones is also a certified overnight chaperone and chaperones youth every summer at 4-H Camp Cherry Lake. For years, she has taken her grandchildren to camp, who have acted reluctant to go. Recently, she learned that her grandkids may need to move for her daughter’s new job. She was shocked to learn that their first reaction to the news was dismay that they would have to miss Camp Cherry Lake! Mrs. Jones chaperoned 4-H University for the first time this past year, and she recalls a favorite memory of this 1st time experience. “Two of the youth that I took to 4-H University were graduating seniors and would soon be leaving for college. One of the most important things they took away from that experience was a real feeling of independence. One of the youth shared that having her own dorm room key made her feel grown up and mature. That is not what I would have expected, and it seems like a simple thing, but it is important.”
If you are thinking about becoming a community club volunteer, Mrs. Jones offers a word of advice, “Don’t get discouraged by the rules, regulations and policies- they will become your best friend and are in place to protect both you and the young people you are impacting.” If you would like to make a difference in your community the way that Mrs. Jones has, think about sharing your talents with us! You can fuel the extraordinary efforts of our youth by joining us as a volunteer. To find out more, contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org/volunteers. Happy National Volunteer Appreciation Week- we hope you have enjoyed this year’s series with a peek inside some of the roles our volunteers serve!
by Whitney Cherry | Apr 13, 2016
Jerry is a retiree and currently volunteers in the 4-H learning gardens in Calhoun County, working as he is available. He also answers my many gardening questions and offers advice. I’m grateful for his commitment to the Calhoun County 4-H program, and am glad to share his 4-H story with you today in his own words. Jerry says:
“I became involved in 4-H at age nine so that I could go to camp. My older sister and brother were going, and I didn’t want to be left out. At camp, I caught the 4-H “bug” and it has never let me go.
As a member of 4-H, I always found new and interesting challenges to do such as learning to swim at camp, collecting insects, growing a garden, raising and showing calves and pigs, farm judging at North Florida Fair, judging beef cattle at Tampa, Florida and dairy cows at Waterloo, Iowa, and attending 4-H Congress at Gainesville. All provided experiences and knowledge that were not available to me elsewhere.
Youth enjoying the Calhoun County 4-H Learning Gardens which Mr. Wyrick helps to maintain.
Now in a volunteer capacity, I enjoy watching members grow and enjoy new and novel experiences which are available through 4-H Club programs and knowing that I am helping young people grow to be positive examples for their peers. “I continue to volunteer with 4-H because of the payback of having previous 4-H members relate to me what 4-H meant to them and how it helped them to achieve their personal accomplishments. If young people are expected to be positive influences on society, they must be provided examples and knowledge of meaningful lives. They must be exposed to new ideas and experiences so that they know choices are available to them. If the next generation is to be different – is to be a positive generation – they must be taught as young people. There are no better teaching methods than those available through 4-H Club programs.”
If you are not already a volunteer, think about sharing your talents with us! You can fuel the extraordinary efforts of our youth by joining us as a volunteer. To find out more, contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org/volunteers. Happy National Volunteer Appreciation Week!
by Heather Kent | Apr 8, 2016
Our volunteers help make clubs, camps, and other educational programs possible so that we can Grow 4-H in Florida! Photo credit: National 4-H Council
Sunday, April 10th, marks the beginning of National Volunteer Week. A recent study found that volunteers are directly responsible for teaching as much as 50% of the life skills a youth learns through the 4-H program (Fogarty et al). Volunteers are essential to the delivery of the 4-H program, and starting on Sunday, we want to share some of their stories with you.
Our volunteers come to us with a variety of expertise. Some volunteer a little, some volunteer a lot, but every single one of them makes a difference. And they all have one thing in common: to ignite that spark in the next generation by sharing their passion, knowledge and skills. 4-H is delivered in several different ways; our most traditional way is through community clubs. We also have clubs that are centered around a particular project or subject such as robotics, fishing, sewing, etc. Some clubs event meet during or after school. There are also short-term programs that are delivered through the schools such as embryology, 4-H/Tropicana Public Speaking, gardening, and agricultural awareness. Another popular way we deliver 4-H is through our residential and day camping programs. 4-H volunteers help make all of this possible under the leadership and direction of their local 4-H Extension Agent.
Each day, we will highlight a different type of 4-H volunteer to give you an overview of the different roles our volunteers serve. We hope this series will not only inspire you, but create more awareness of our volunteer programs. Most importantly, we want to recognize the wonderful contributions that each of these volunteers is making. If you are not already a volunteer, think about sharing your talents with us! You can fuel the extraordinary efforts of our youth by joining us as a volunteer. To find out more, contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org/volunteers. Happy National Volunteer Appreciation Week- we hope you will enjoy our series as much as we enjoy working with our incredible volunteers!
by ewestbrook | Nov 13, 2015
For more than 33 years, Priscilla Weaver has been teaching youth about animal science through the 4-H club program.
This time of the year you can find her at the North Florida Fairgrounds in the livestock buildings. As the North Florida Fair’s Livestock Director she’ll be busy putting on a great livestock show and competition for youth and adults. Priscilla Weaver is passionate about growing the 4-H animal science program. For more than two generations (33 years) Priscilla has been teaching youth about animal sciences and animal husbandry as the Kapra Kids Dairy Goat 4-H Club Leader in Wakulla County, Florida.
Priscilla started the club when she saw a need for her children and their friends to have an opportunity to participate in 4-H. “Youth need things like 4-H in their lives to grow up well,” says Priscilla. When asked why she thinks youth need 4-H Priscilla replied, “4-H teaches young people so many things, things like responsibility, caring and the ability to see a project through to its end.”
Priscilla has raised dairy goats her whole life, so when she started her club she worked with her club members in that project area. Her club has had as many as 16 members before and has won uncounted number of awards and ribbons showing their goats and their dairy by-products like cheese and soap at the Florida State Fair in Tampa, Florida
. Priscilla feels strongly about teaching today’s youth about animal husbandry saying,
“It teaches them so many things; math and science, recordkeeping, planning and responsibility. Participating in a 4-H animal project also teaches caring and empathy by having responsibility for an animal,” says Priscilla.
Empathy and caring are two traits Priscilla has in abundance. When not volunteering for 4-H, she spends her free time working at the fair, caring for her own livestock, or volunteering with the senior group at her local church. These traits also display in the activities of Priscilla’s 4-H club as they participate in many community service projects and also in her leadership of multi-club service projects at places like the local senior center.
When asked what has kept her going as a 4-H volunteer for so many years Priscilla will tell you that it’s because, “she loves working with the youth.” Because of volunteers like Pricilla, 4-H is able to help youth grow resilience, empathy, and responsibility through animal science programs. These are life skills that will help youth be successful no matter what career path they choose. If you want help empower young people to be the best they can be by sharing your passions in a meaningful way Like Priscilla has, consider becoming a 4-H volunteer. The Florida 4-H Program offers a wide variety of volunteer roles to fit your schedule, interests and skills. Contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office or visit http://florida 4h.org/volunteer for more information on how to volunteer today.
by Heather Kent | Jul 30, 2015
4-H University will be streaming live for your viewing pleasure at http://florida4h.org/live/:
Tune in to see the impact UF IFAS Extension 4-H has on Florida’s youth. Don’t miss the awards banquet tonight at 6PM Eastern/5PM Central. During tonight’s program, you can see 4-Hers accept scholarships, watch the newly elected state officers inducted, and also see distinguished 4-H volunteers and stakeholders inducted into the Florida 4-H Hall of Fame! Two volunteers from the Florida Panhandle will be inducted tonight- Barry Hoffman from Leon County 4-H and Terry Stout from Okaloosa County 4-H. Both men have been volunteers at the club, county, district and state levels. They serve on both the Area A Horse Advisory Committee and the State 4-H Horse Advisory Committee and have supported the Florida 4-H Program for more than 20 years!
by Julie Pigott Dillard | Jun 19, 2015
Camp would not be possible without volunteer Terre Arnold.
From scrapes and sunburns to headaches and homesickness, Terre Arnold is filling a critical role at 4-H Camp Timpoochee by keeping campers safe and healthy. During the school year, Terre works as a school health aid and a bus driver so she is a natural fit to serve as the 4-H Camp Timpoochee nurse. Terre has served as camp nurse for the Holmes/Washington/Okaloosa Counties week of 4-H residential camp for the past five years. With her warm smile, infectious laugh, caring heart and love of fun, Terre easily soothes what ails the campers, makes them comfortable and sends them on their way to have fun.
Terre describes her camping experience as a joy from year to year. With each year bringing new experiences, she loves meeting new campers and seeing returning campers grow from year to year. From the youngest camper to veteran counselors, Terre has a way with kids that makes the overall camp experience better for them. She’s also a great camp recruiter and never misses a chance to tell young kids what a great experience 4-H Camp is and how exciting and fun the week will be.
The 4-H camping program depends on volunteers like Terre. Every county is required to have a camp nurse during their week at 4-H Camp Timpoochee or Camp Cherry Lake. Typical responsibilities include curing occasional homesickness or tummy aches, or administering any prescription medications that campers may need during the week. If you have an interest in serving as a camp nurse and would like to volunteer for your local 4-H program, contact your UF IFAS County Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org/volunteers.
