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Calm before the judging - The judge's tables and books are ready to go! |
Today, I'll be at the Stafford County Fairgrounds for the 4-H foods judging. It will be like coming full circle.
In July 1994, a little pony-tailed, solemn-faced girl sat down for her first 4-H foods judging. For the record, Jill was never that solemn or silent in subsequent years. But neither she or I knew what we were doing. I look at the photo of the judge evaluating her microwave cake and think we should have left it at home. Yes, a microwave food product was a 4-H foods class at the time - believe it or not.
The building was hot, and the microwave cake was not her finest moment in the foods competition. But, honestly, I think that's what 4-H is all about anyway. It's all about learning and growth. (For the record, parents learn a whole bunch, too!)
By the time she was veteran 4-Her, she was teaching others, and she,
too, was leading foods meetings and also serving as a foods superintendent at the county fair.
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The old Quonset hut building on the Stafford County Fairgrounds |
I started Kim's County Line in 2010. In my July 14 post that year, I said I would be volunteering in the hot old building at the Stafford County Fairgrounds that day. Both my 4-Hers had already aged out. So I wrote about my "why" for still putting "sweat equity" into the county 4-H program. Here's some of what I wrote:
So why do I – or the multitude of other
volunteers – continue to show up year after year – some of us after our
4-Hers have left the nest? For me, the answer is easy. And I suspect it’s the same for most
people who volunteer at their county fair – whether it’s in Stafford,
Cloud, Harper, Rice, Finney, Haskell or any other fair in Kansas. It’s
because we believe in the 4-H program.
I have evidence of the 4-H programs’ power. I grew up as a Pratt County 4-Her. My husband continues to volunteer in Stafford County
where he was a 4-Her longer ago than he likes to admit. ... I think 4-H helped shape us into the people we are today - people who care about and work for their community.
Both our children benefited from 4-H – with everything from project
knowledge, leadership skills, goal setting and completion, record
keeping and social networking long before there was anything like
Facebook or Twitter. Our daughter’s career choice as a dietitian is
directly related to her long-time participation in the 4-H foods and
nutrition project. Our son’s choice as a college public relations major
came – in part – because of tours he took while a delegate at the 4-H
Global Conference in Kansas City.
I witnessed my children's growth from the time they were 7-year-old,
first-year 4-Hers to the time they were confident, committed 4-H
veterans.
Here we are 30 years later. And I'll be at the Stafford County Fairgrounds today. Though I wasn't the foods superintendent for 4-H foods Jill's first year, it wasn't long after that I became one of the department's superintendents and have been ever since.
I was at the fairgrounds yesterday afternoon, setting up the area for foods judging today. And hallelujah, this year the judging will be in the brand new, air-conditioned building. (In reality, if they hadn't moved judging for several years to the Church of Christ basement and the Stafford Recreation Commission, I'm not sure I would still be doing it. I need air-conditioning in my old age!)
The brand-spanking new facility is a wonderful addition to our county. But the reasons for doing the job are the same as back when we were in that stifling-hot old Quonset hut. It's all about the kids and the 4-H program.
Ironically, Sunday afternoon I was getting photos via text and offering suggestions for 4-H baking for the Shawnee County Fair. Last evening, I got photos of decorated cookies from Kinley, who's entering that category in her upcoming fair.
The pony-tailed little girl from 1994 has now taken on the role of 4-H mama. We'll be heading to Topeka for Kinley's and Brooke's 4-H fair next week. We are equal opportunity 4-H supporters.
Young people in 4-H are three times more likely to contribute to their communities than youth not participating in 4-H. 4-Hers all across the nation are empowered to take on the leading issues of their towns, counties and states and make a lasting difference. ... 4-H youth get the hands-on, real-world experience they need to become leaders and to make positive differences in their communities.
"The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development"from Tufts University
Good luck to Stafford County 4-Hers this week ... and to other 4-Hers across the state who are sharing their hard work with the public this week. Come eat at the concession stand in air-conditioned comfort:
A lovely positive read of how life can be lived in your part of the world, Pratt County. Busy weekends ahead. I hope it isn't too hot.
ReplyDeleteUsually the fair is HOT. But this year, we lucked out. Tuesday was really hot, but we went back to the fairgrounds Wednesday evening and it was really pleasant. We'll be back for the beef show this evening and the 4-H auction on Friday night. Small town American life!
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