BlMjncatMr Fanning, Saturday, March 13 1993
UNIVERSITY PARK (Cenne
Co.) What do popcorn magnate
Orville Redenbacher, singer Reba
McEntire, baseball star Johnny
Bench, Ford Motor Company
chairman Harold Poling, and Vice
President Albert Gore, Jr., have in
common?
All of these leaders were 4-H
members.
During Pennsylvania 4-H
Week, March 15-21, kids and
parents can learn more about the
range of opportunities available
through 4-H programs.
Youth in 4-H leam and grow by
completing projects in activities
they’re interested in, ranging from
archery to woodworking. “Along
with practical skills, 4-H’ers
acquire good work habits, respon
sibility, business skills, coopera
tion and sportsmanship,” says Dr.
Robert Lewis, professor of 4-H
and youth development in Penn
State’s College of Agricultural
Sciences.
Volunteers
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) Millie Love of Blair
County has made working with
youngsters a way of life. She has
been a 4-H volunteer for more
than 39 years.
“I enjoy working with people,
especially young ones,” says
Love. ‘They’re eager to learn, and
they’re always entertaining to be
around. To be at it as long as I
have, you have to like it!”
Love is one of more than half a
million adult volunteer leaders
who work with 4-H youth nation
ally. These volunteers take young
sters on hikes, shuttle them to
events, and share their interests.
They teach kids how to run small
businesses, raise animals and
organize neighborhood cleanup
projects.
“4-H clubs rely on adult volun
teers for expertise, supervision
and guidance,” says Dr. Robert
Lewis, professor of 4-H and youth
development and state volunteer
leadership coordinator in Penn
4-H Shooting Sports Teach
Safety, Sportsmanship
UNIVERSITY PARK (Center
Co.) With an estimated 200
million firearms in homes in the
United States, it’s more important
than ever to teach youth about gun
safely, says Earle Robbins, Tioga
County extension agent and state
shooting sports coordinator for
Penn State Cooperative
Extension.
“many shooting deaths are acci
dental,” says Robbins. “Teaching
youth about gun and archery safe
ty can save lives. This is the prim
ary emphasis in all 4-H shooting
sports programs.”
About 100,000 youth in 33
states are enrolled in 4-H archery,
air pistol, air rifle, .22 rifle, black
powder rifle and shotgun sports.
In Pennsylvania, about 1,715 boys
and 496 girls participate in 4-H
shooting activities.
Robbins works with 4-H’ers
ages 8 through 19 in the shooting
sports program. He also is a Pen
nsylvania Game Commission
hunter-trapper education instruc
tor and a National Rifle Associa
tion training counselor, certifying
instructors in shooting spor s.
“Youngsters in the p’ogram
leant to always be aware r j people
around them when they're shoot
ing and to treat every gun as
though it is loaded," says Robbins.
Builds Leadership
4-H
“By setting goals and making
plans to teach them, 4-H’ers leam
to make decisions and use time
efficiently. In the course of each
activity, they gain experience in
public speaking by demonstrating
their new skills and giving oral
reports to their clubs.
“4-H not only helps youth grow
personally, but also prepares them
to help lead their communities,”
Lewis says, “It’s hard for young
people to develop leadership skills
if they never get to lead. 4-H pro
vides opportunities for them to
practice being leaders in a variety
of situations.”
Each 4-H club elects officers
who run meetings. These officers
gain experience in public speak
ing, planning, conducting par
liamentary procedures and other
aspects of leadership. Seeing older
youth taking the lead inspires
younger 4-H members to become
officers themselves. As activities
and events are planned, younger
members can practice leading by
Build 4-H Organization
State’s College of Agricultural
Sciences. “Without them, 4-H
wouldn’t be able to offer such a
wide range of youth programs.
‘The estimated value of volun
teer time and out-of-pocket
expenses is about $l.l billion.
Volunteers donate many hours
each year to teach and prepare for
club meetings. They drive an aver
age of 300 to 400 miles for 4-H in
their own cars and spend $4O to
$6O annually on teaching
materials.”
Most volunteers are either
parents of 4-H’ers or former 4-H
members. Others just enjoy work
ing with kids. “These volunteers
are essential, not only because
they help us make the most of
scarce resources, but also because
they are great role models for
4-H’ers,” says Lewis. "They teach
youth to get involved by being
involved themselves.”
People with limited time don’t
have to lead a club themselves to
“They learn to always point guns
and archery equipment in a safe
direction and to be sure of their
targets and backstops before
releasing the arrow or pulling the
trigger.”
In addition, participants leant
about wildlife habitats and natural
resource conservation. “Some of
our 4-H’ers get involved in hunt
serving on committees.
As they master new skills, club
members between the ages of 13
and 19 can become teen leaders,
helping younger 4-H’ers with pro
jects and activities, giving demon
strations and one-on-one assis
tance where necessary.
“4-H also prepares youth for
leadership by helping them under
stand how government works,”
says Lewis. “Members can take
projects that explore government
and politics at the local, regional,
state and national levels. Many
counties also have 4-H councils,
made up of youth representatives
that offer advice and guidance to
adult 4-H leaders.”
Since the late 19705, Pennsyl
vania 4-H Week has marked the
start of the new 4-H program year.
In early March, local 4-H clubs
enroll new members and prepare
for the rest of the year. 4-H Week
gives members a chance to cele
brate and let others know what
4-H has to offer.
support 4-H. Some adult leaders
have meetings in their homes or
provide transportation to meetings
and events. Others help select and
carry out activities and talk to peo
ple in the community about 4-H.
“The primary qualification is
that they enjoy working with
young people,” says Lewis. “The
relationship the kids develop with
their adult leader is more impor
tant than the expertise they gain.”
Pennsylvania 4-H week takes
place March 15-21 this year. 4-H
in Pennsylvania is coordinated by
Penn State Cooperative Extension
through the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. It is open to all
youths between the ages of 8 and
19, regardless of race, color, relig-
ion, sex, national origin or disabil
ity. If you are interested in enroll
ing your child in 4-H or becoming
and adult 4-H volunteer, contact
your county cooperative extension
office.
ing, so we emphasize ethical hunt
ing practices and respect for
nature,” says Robbins.
4-H’ers in the shooting sports
program also can participate in
county, regional and state compet
itions. After graduating from the
program, they can become one of
the nation’s 10,000 adult volun
teer instructors.
See your nearest
!\EW HOLLAND
Dealer for Dependable
Equipment and
Dependable Service:
PENNSYLVANIA
Annville, PA
BHM Farm
Equipment, Inc.
RDI, Rte. 934
717-867-2211
Carlisle, PA
R&W Equipment Co.
35 East Willow Street
717-243-2686
Davldsburg, PA
George N. Gross, Inc.
R.D. 2, Dover, PA
717-292-1673
Elizabethtown, PA
Messick Farm
Equipment, Inc.
Rt. 283 - Rheem's Exit
717-367-1319
Gettysburg, PA
Yingling Implements,
Inc.
3291 Taneytown Rd.
717-359-4848
Halifax, PA
Sweigard Bros.
R.D. 3, Box 13
717-896-3414
Honey Brook, PA
Dependable Motor Co.
East Main Street
215-273-3131
215-273-3737
Honey Grove, PA
Norman D. Clark
& Son, Inc.
Honey Grove, PA
717-734-3682
Loysville, PA
717-789-3117
MARYLAND
Frederick, MD
Ceresville
Ford New Holland, Inc.
Rt. 26 East
301-662-4197
Outside MD,
800-331-9122
NEW JERSEY
Bridgeton, N.J.
Leslie G. Fogg, Inc.
Canton & Stow Creek
Landing Rd.
609-451-2727
609-935-5145
Woodstown, NJ
Owen Supply Co.
Broad Street & >
East Avenue
609-769-0308
Hughesville, PA
Farnsworth Farm
Supplies, Inc.
103 Cemetery Street
717-584-2106
New Holland, PA
A.B.C. Groff, Inc.
110 South Railroad
717-354-4191
Oley, PA
C.J. Wonsidler Bros.
R.D. 2
215-987-6257
Pitman, PA
Schreffler Equipment
Pitman, PA
717-648-1120
Quakertown, PA
C.J. Wonsidler Bros.
R.D. 1
215-536-1935
Tamaqua, PA
Charles S. Snyder, Inc.
R.D. 3
717-386-5945
West Grove. PA
S.G. Lewis & Son, Inc.
R.D. 2, Box 66
215-869-2214
Washington, NJ
Smith Tractor &
Equip., Inc.
15 Hillcrest Ave.
201-689-7900