LEWISTOWN, Ill. - Fulton County 4-H clubs will be organizing soon for the 2020-2021 4-H year. 4-H is the youth education outreach of University of Illinois Extension.  Most clubs have their first meeting of the new year in September or October. This year may be a little different, with COVID-19 concerns, but 4-H clubs will go on, one way or another, via Zoom meetings or in-person meetings with masks and social distancing. 

Kids who like having fun, meeting new people, developing new skills, and getting involved in community projects will want to join 4-H. 4-H welcomes every young person in Fulton County.  Those who are at least eight years old by September 1, 2020, and not yet 19, can join a 4-H club in their community.

A 4-H club has five or more members and one or more volunteer leaders.  Club members elect their own officers, plan club programs, and conduct six or more meetings and other events during the 4-H year.  Each member enrolls in at least one 4-H project. Some clubs also participate in group activities or community service projects.

For those who like traveling, 4-H offers camps, conferences, trips, the Illini 4-H Summer Academies at the U of I, and more. Countywide and multi-county events such as 4-H workshops, recreational outings, and the many summer county 4-H shows offer plenty of ways for kids to keep busy. This year many of those events were held virtually, making all of us think outside the box to get this accomplished.

While 4-H is very proud of its agricultural background, it's much more than that now. There are dozens of projects from which to choose, covering virtually every subject imaginable. 

There are currently seventeen 4-H clubs in Fulton County, located in every part of the county. There is a 4-H Program fee, but no one is denied membership because of inability to pay. 

The Fulton County 4-H program is open to all youth, regardless of place of residence, race, creed, national origin, gender, physical or mental disability, or marital status.

Contact Janis Blout, Extension Program Coordinator Fulton County 4-H, at 547-3711, in Lewistown, email jblout@illinois.edu . She will put you in contact with a local community club leader in your area. 

Adults who would be interested in starting a new 4-H club are also encouraged to call 547-3711 to find out more about being a 4-H leader. 

Source - Janis Blout, Fulton County 4-H Program Coordinator