Holmes County 4-H Open House provides options for youngsters

When it comes to county 4-H programs, many people would put Holmes County’s up against anyone other. Filled with great leadership, two dozen clubs from which kids can choose to join, hundreds of project possibilities and loads of fun things to do, 4-H has built a reputation as being a great place for young people to have work ethic, teamwork, responsibility and much more ingrained in them.

However, for those who don’t know much about 4-H, taking that first step into joining 4-H can be a bit of an intimidating step to get started in a 4-H career.

Knowing that, the Holmes County Ohio State Extension Office and Holmes County 4-H banded together two years ago to create the Holmes County 4-H Open House. This year’s event takes place Feb. 22 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Harvest Ridge at the Holmes County Fairgrounds in the Harvest Ridge Expo Building.

Youngsters not involved in 4-H can come and visit a wide array of booths, 4-H Clubs, learn about 4-H Life Skills and project opportunities, and much more.

“It’s an introduction to the life of 4-H for kids who haven’t been around it before,” said Janessa Hill, Holmes County OSU extension educator. “We understand that joining 4-H can be a daunting task for some kids who haven’t been around it, so we created this event to show them how much fun 4-H can be.”

While last year’s event was wiped away by COVID-19, the open house returns this year with plenty of activities. According to Hill, 4-H club members will be present to talk to youngsters and their parents about their clubs. There will be oodles of project books and Life Skills booklets available to check out, tour guides from 4-H volunteers, livestock projects, and more materials to peruse.

“We want kids to understand that 4-H isn’t just about cows and chickens,” Hill said. “We want kids to come in and talk to our 4-H kids about what they enjoy about 4-H. We know our 4-H kids can showcase 4-H and share their passion for it.”

Hill said the undertaking is a huge one that requires a great deal of work to create, but it is well worth it knowing that many youth in the county don’t really understand everything that 4-H represents and does. They posted a video and sent flyers out to children in each school in the county, targeting those who haven’t gotten involved in 4-H yet.

Whether it is taking an interest in one of the specialty 4-H clubs like shooting sports, one of the four horse clubs, two dairy clubs or any number of clubs that provide a balanced option to explore many different club functions, 4-H offers something for everyone.

“This night is all about creating an awareness for everything 4-H offers,” Hill said. “By coming to the event and talking to our many clubs and 4-H volunteers, our hope is that we can find each youngster a place where they feel comfortable and can grow.”

She added that they may even recognize friends or classmates they didn’t know were involved in 4-H and find a connection there.

Hill went on to say that not only is this event good for the incoming 4-H youth, it also sets up a golden opportunity for current 4-Hers to learn how to speak in public, make connections and develop their own leadership skills.

“It gives our 4-H kids a chance to showcase the many projects they have poured themselves into over the years and it gives new kids coming into 4-H a chance to better understand everything that waits them,” Hill said.

Any family stopping in to visit can take look over the many options at their own pace, discovering their own interests, or they can take one of the tours offered by volunteer leaders. They can chat with advisors or 4-H’ers, or simply thumb through the many pamphlets and brochures that give kids a better idea about what 4-H is and represents.

Hill gave kudos to the many people in the community who chose to step in and be a part of this event, because they understand the value 4-H provides to the county’s youth.

She said volunteers like Sara Sponseller-Uhl, who created the 4-H video, Lisa Lang who does much of the behind the scenes work for the event, and many others do a lot of the preparation work that sets up the night.

After that, it is all about people making connections and kids finding a 4-H place they can call home.

“We’ve got some really amazing people that make this event a reality, and it is all for the kids, to create a place where they can take that initial step into enjoying life in 4-H,” Hill said.

With two dozen 4-H clubs located all around the county, a fun and inviting club is certain to be open to welcoming each youngster into its fold.

The event is free to the public and could well be the first step to an exciting world of opportunities for youngsters looking for a challenge or who simply want to enjoy spending time with their peers in a setting that is designed to create growth and leadership.