4-Hers Making a Difference

4-Hers Making a Difference

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report.

When several Washington King County Horse 4-H youth saw a need in their community -- they took the initiative to help. The second annual Christmas at the Farm last December allowed 65 homeless children and their mothers, an opportunity to spend a day on the farm. The children rode horses, worked on arts and crafts and even had their pictures taken with Santa.
 
The program included a coat drive and a dinner and King County 4-Hers and leaders were instrumental in making it happen. Jim Luty, President of the King County 4-H Horse Program and Adult Leader, shares for the 4-Hers involved it is about making a difference in their community.

Luty: “It’s great. We had 15 youth 4-H volunteers last year and were up to 30 this year plus adults. So it gets bigger and bigger -- the excitement the kids have, it’s so amazing. We try to get away from 4-H always being the thought of kids just working with their horses. It is actually a lot of youth development and kids giving back. And they’ve really loved this part of it.”

For this special community service, the King County 4-H Horse Program was recently awarded one of the 2012 Chevron Community Pride National Awards. This award recognizes youth who have taken positive measures to benefit their community, either regionally, or on a state or national level.

Luty: “All these kids went home with a smile on their faces and all our 4-H kids went home feeling like they accomplished something with a smile on their faces too.”?

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.