Anza’s High Country 4-H Club will be hosting a potluck and officer installation event Friday, June 16 at Hurkey Creek Park in Mountain Center, starting at 4:30 p.m. The public is welcome and invited to bring a side dish to share with 4-H members, leaders and families.
The youngsters have completed a very busy and rewarding year.
Members Ariania and Racheal Madrid worked hard to move forward with their service learning project, a memorial wall under construction at Minor Park in Anza. The wall is a memorial to all those killed on local highways SR 371 and SR 79. The young ladies began this project two years ago and have had the help of the entire 4-H club. They have learned about design, construction, created a presentation about the project and contacted the California Highway Patrol and CalTrans to obtain information on the number of deaths in the local area. The wall stands partially completed at Minor Park as they determine the type of stone they want to use on the outside of the block.
The 4-H office board of directors completed a good year, running business meetings and learning their officer positions. Bladen Kinzenbaw, new to 4-H, took on the secretary position and became well educated on keeping complete minutes for the club records. Austin Butchart was the healthy living officer and he helped the members learn about the benefits of exercise, eating well and oral hygiene with many fun activities and games.
Daphne and Ronin Wentz took on the pie booth chairmanship for the Halloween Hobo event at the Lions arena last October and developed delicious six-inch pie recipes that the club sold at the event. The club also helped throughout the event and had a great time.
Robert Doran volunteered to be chairperson for the club Christmas party and developed one of the best club parties in years. He had a gingerbread house contest, cookie decorating activity and a Dress the Best Snowman contest. The whole club had a Christmas ornament making table at the Community Hall for the Anza Christmas Celebration and there was glitter everywhere.
The 4-H members participated in many fairs and shows. They showed animals they raised, which included rabbits, cavies, sheep and horses. They also exhibited their projects from sewing and fiber arts. Five members from the sewing project modeled their aprons that they made in the sewing project at Riverside County Home Arts Day that was held in Hemet this year.
Carter, Robert and Aleksander Doran all did well thought out presentations for the club about things that they like to do. They presented these at county presentation day in Riverside and received participation seals, with Carter receiving a gold seal.
Club members in the radio broadcasting project developed a play for the radio and recorded it for airplay, with guidance from Anza Community Broadcasting KOYT staff. These speaking skills will help the 4-H members in the future as they learn to communicate well.
According to leader Allison Rencke, the California 4-H program is a part of the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, a statewide network of the University of California. Led by research-driven programming from UC ANR, 4-H is a youth development program for youth ages 5-19 that promotes hands-on, experiential learning. Youth and adult volunteers from all backgrounds and locations in California are welcome.
The purpose of a 4-H club is to provide positive youth development opportunities that enable youth to reach their full potential as competent and confident leaders of character who contribute and are connected to their communities. They encourage leadership and responsibility and teach life skills and community involvement while the youth try new experiences.
For kids, 4-H is about making friends, having fun and trying new things. Youth and adult volunteers in Community Clubs meet regularly and have a planned program that is carried out through all or most of the year. 4-H clubs usually meet once a month in the evenings or on weekends for the club meeting. The youth run the club and decide how to spend club funds, what events the club will hold and take part in and what rules they will have or change. The group is all about belonging to the community and giving back to our community, so clubs participate in community service.
The projects available are limited to having adult volunteers willing to lead those projects. All adult volunteers have been fingerprinted and background checked and trained. They offer their time and experience to help members explore and learn new things.
As the 4-H year comes to a close, the 4-H members are excited about the new activities and projects they will tackle next year. But most of all they are excited about welcoming new members joining the club.
For more information about High Country 4-H or to RSVP for the potluck, please call or text Debbi Vesey at 951-764-4296. To learn more, visit www.facebook.com/Highcountry4H.
Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia.com.
