This week, Farm Credit Mid-America stepped up to help make Kentucky’s 4-H camps better with a $50,000 grant from its Community Giving Program, plus an additional $25,000 for a matching gift program. Farm Credit Mid-America’s commitment will play a significant role in the launch of Phase II of the Foundation’s Camp Improvement Campaign. The goal in Phase II is to replace the cabins at all four 4-H Camps with attractive, redesigned, modern structures.
Click here to view Farm Credit Mid-America’s press release.
Farm Credit Mid-America has been an active leader in Kentucky and throughout agriculture for many years. The people of Farm Credit Mid-America made this happen, I think because of the passion they have for their work, community, and customers they serve. They are strongly committed to helping make their communities a better place to live, and 4-H has long been a beneficiary of this commitment.
The Foundation’s electronic records dating back to 1998 demonstrate Farm Credit Mid-America as a long-standing supporter of Kentucky 4-H. In the past five years, you have probably seen a significant increase in their support, including four college scholarships, sole sponsorship of the Kentucky delegates to the National 4-H Conference, becoming an Investor in the Foundation’s Leadership Circle, and much more.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Farm Credit Mid-America once again takes a major leadership role in the launch of Phase II of the Foundation’s Camp Improvement Campaign. We will be sharing more about Phase II in the coming weeks. As a preview, the first focus and the use of these Farm Credit Mid-America funds will be a new cabin, complete with a storm shelter, at the J. M. Feltner 4-H Camp near London.
The Feltner Camp
What is most interesting about the J.M. Feltner Camp renovation lies within a piece of history from the Feltner family. J. M. Feltner is believed to be one of the first to hold the title of District 4-H Club Agent; he was based out of Laurel County beginning in 1917 and covered parts of eastern Kentucky. It was he for whom the 4-H camp at London is named. His son, Conrad Feltner, for which many my age will remember became Assistant Extension Director for 4-H in 1970.
Feltner Expands 4-H Program through Strong Public Awareness
Early in Conrad’s tenure, 4-H became involved in an expansion program. Recognizing the need to make 4-H available to a larger audience, a committee composed of Extension agents, specialists, and leaders worked for nearly a year assessing needs and creating a plan to meet the needs. The program took on the name “Kentucky 4-H Expansion.”
T. Jefferson Wright Associates of Louisville donated their efforts to help plan a public awareness campaign. Radio and television stations, rock music groups, newspapers, outdoor advertising companies, and artists all became part of a team donating their time and talents to promote 4-H. Clever print pieces were prepared for use in newspapers and other publications.
The 4-H Expansion program paid off. The membership and number of volunteer leaders increased steadily during the decade, and by 1979, 254,000 young people participated in 325,000 4-H projects—making 4-H the largest youth organization in Kentucky.
Today’s Foundation Following the Feltner Example
This is why effective leaders with vision, passion, conscience, and discipline are needed throughout our Commonwealth. Without Farm Credit Mid-America, J.M. Feltner, Conrad Feltner and his team, who knows what 4-H in Kentucky would look like today. Because of their examples, we have excellent models to follow as we step into a new era of 4-H in Kentucky.
Like Conrad, our Foundation is following his model to create public awareness utilizing the most effective strategies in marketing, public relations, and the social media world. We have launched a new website, ramped up our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube channels, and designed high profile, creative public awareness strategy. As a result, we anticipate, like Conrad Feltner to meet the needs of our youth in Kentucky.
Your Participation is Welcomed
Take a look around the new website at www.kentucky4hfoundation.org, like us on Facebook, and follow our Twitter feed to be a part of today’s 4-H program.
