In the spirit of being thankful, I thought I would highlight the Foundation’s top 10 things to be thankful for this year. From all of us at the Foundation, “Happy Thanksgiving!”
- Over 100 years of Kentucky 4-H and its outstanding youth development have prepared thousands Kentucky youth to lead meaningful, successful, and productive lives. Kentucky 4-H makes the Commonwealth a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
- 4-H is offered in all 120 counties in Kentucky through multiple delivery methods such as community and organized clubs, special interest and short-term programs, school-based and after-school opportunities, and camp settings. County 4-H councils, volunteers, 4-H agents, and many others work with us to support over 230,000 4-H members.
- 4-H believes that all young people should have the opportunity to reach their full potential, and supporters through the 4-H Foundation are willing to help make it happen.
- 4-H is a proven, researched-based program promoting the full development of young people while instilling strong values and morals. Fostering life skills, positive self-esteem, citizenship, and leadership skills in “learn-by-doing” experiences, 4-H helps participants become contributing, productive, self-directed members of society.
- 4-H offers great camps with tremendous camping programs; donors like Farm Credit Mid-America and many others have worked with the Foundation to launch Phase II of the Camp Improvement Campaign to make major improvements to the facilities and the campers’ experience.
- 4-H offers hands-on educational programs in areas like science, engineering, and technology, with opportunities in aerospace, biotechnology, energy-electronics, and robotics thanks to great national sponsors through the Foundation like Toyota, JCPenney, and the National 4-H Council.
- This year, the Foundation provided opportunities for 4-H members to compete at the Kentucky State Fair with over 5,000 entries thanks to the support we have from State Fair Board and KY Department of Agriculture. We offer special thanks to Harold Workman, President and CEO of the State Fair Board, for all of his support and efforts on behalf of Kentucky’s youth.
- 4-H continues to focus on citizenship and leadership to develop outstanding youth leaders like our State 4-H officers and State Teen Council. We are grateful for the support of the Kentucky Farm Bureau and passionate 4-H alumni.
- We have raised $121,708.64 for Kentucky 4-H through the Farm License Plate – Voluntary Donation program, a new funding opportunity supporting Kentucky 4-H at all levels. We give special thanks to Commissioner James Comer and all who donated.
- Above all, the Foundation remains most thankful for great donors who believe in the 4-H mission and today’s youth, who truly want to Make the Best Better!
