LEWISTOWN, Ill. - The month of November is typically associated with reflection and gratefulness. The youth of Fulton 4-H made an impact with several service projects during this month. The new 4-H year started September 1, and with the new year 4-H members invite new families to club meetings, host wiener roasts, elect club officers, and plan activities for the 4-H year. November kicks off the season of gratefulness and thanksgiving with service projects from many of Fulton County’s multi-project 4-H clubs.

The Fairview Huskies started November with a service project that engaged each member in the club. 4-H members cut fleece material and tied the fabric together to create warm blankets for the kids who reside at Renaissance Care Center Inc in Canton. Members had a great time putting together the blankets knowing that other kids would enjoy receiving them as gifts. A wide variety of colors and designs were assembled so each child would have a different blanket.

The Canton Luckettes brought canned food to their November meeting to donate to one of the local food pantries. Another club, the Pleasant Spacemakers of the Ipava area, collected and donated food to the community of Vermont to be used in Thanksgiving food baskets.

Another one of Fulton County’s 4-H clubs, Smithfield Up and Coming, voted at their October meeting to collect and donate Bingo and craft items to the Clayberg Nursing Center in Cuba. This skilled care facility utilizes donations such as word search books, hair clips, coin purses, hand lotion, and coloring books for prizes during their rousing Bingo games. 4-H members selected and donated craft supplies of card stock, acrylic paints, paint brushes, pom-pom balls, and glue sticks for the activity director and residents to use for future projects.

The Avondale 4-H club of Avon met the Sunday before Thanksgiving for their 13th annual “Giving Thanks Meal” meeting. During this special meeting in November, members bring food supplies to prepare a complete meal, from start to finish. The club leaders show the members how to make a complete meal which consists of chicken & noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, pie, and pumpkin bars. 4-H members learn how to peel, cook, and mash potatoes, make egg noodles and pie crust from scratch, cook, bake, and assemble meals for delivery to 45 community members. The 4-H members make and package the meals, and parents are recruited to assist youth delivering the meals.

The Fulton County 4-H program is open to all youth. Cloverbud clubs are open to youth ages 5-7 as of September 1, 2023. Multi-project 4-H clubs are open to youth aged 8 – 18 as of September 1. The 4-H program is one of many programs offered locally by University of Illinois Extension.

For more information on how you may join 4-H, visit our website at extension.illinois.edu/fmpt/4-h-fulton-county or contact Krista Gray or Rachel Van Cleve, Fulton County 4-H Program Coordinators, at 309-547-3711, email kristakg@illinois.edu  or rfv@illinois.edu .

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Thanksgiving Baskets Food pantry donation by Pleasant Spacemakers of Ipava – Photo Credit Cindy Chaffin