 - The Fremont County Commission issued a proclamation Tuesday recognizing Oct. 5-11 as National 4-H Week in Fremont County.){kind=link}
(Lander, WY) – The Fremont County Commission issued a proclamation Tuesday recognizing Oct. 5-11 as National 4-H Week in Fremont County.
The celebration marks the beginning of the 4-H year, when both new and returning members are encouraged to enroll in the program.
More than 400 young people participated in Fremont County 4-H clubs last year, local 4-H Youth Development Educator Tanya Santee said this week – an increase compared to past enrollment totals.
“I’m really excited about that,” she told the Commission during Tuesday’s meeting.
Fremont County 4-H members also completed more static exhibits this year, Santee said, and there was an increase in the number of local adults serving as 4-H volunteers.
“We’ve had a really great year,” she said. “We did quite a few different activities at fair, (and) we’ve implemented a lot of new programs.”
To help the organization continue developing its program offerings, Santee invited local residents to fill out the new Fremont County 4-H Community Youth Needs Survey.
The survey asks residents to identify areas where “our youth need skills to be built,” Santee explained.
Fremont County 4-H will use the information to develop programs that “help meet some of those needs,” she said.
“I’m really excited (to) let that spur some new programming for our organization right here in Fremont County specifically,” Santee said.
4-H Week
Commission Chair Mike Jones read this week’s 4-H proclamation, which notes that 4-H is “one of the largest youth development organizations in Wyoming,” with nearly 8,000 youth members and more than 2,000 adult volunteers in the state.
The statewide totals include more than 450 local youth members and more than 95 adult volunteers in Fremont County, the proclamation states.
Tallying more than 7 million members nationwide, the proclamation says 4-H is also the largest youth development organization in the country.
“4-H youth across the nation are leading efforts to solve problems in communities and make a difference in their future,” Jones read. “Research continues to prove that young people that are involved in 4-H are twice as likely to plan to attend college, more likely to avoid risky behaviors, more likely to contribute to their communities, and more involved in leadership roles for their future than those not engaged in 4-H. …
“We urge the people of this community to take advantage of the opportunity to become more aware of this special program that enhances our young people’s interests and their futures.”
Area clubs will host various activities for their members to celebrate 4-H week, Santee said, and the 4-H flags will be posted along Main Street in Riverton.
Fremont County 4-H will also host a “Fall into 4-H” community event 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, in the Fremont Center at the Fremont County Fairgrounds in Riverton to “kick off the 4-H year,” help local youth enroll in the program, and “let people learn about 4-H and ask questions and talk to the different clubs,” Santee said.
The event features a Trunk or Treat (2-3 p.m.), 4-H booths (2-4 p.m.), bounce houses (2-5 p.m.), games, face painting, and food.
For more information, call Fremont County 4-H at (307) 857-3654 or email Tanya.Santee@uwyo.edu.