82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, NoVembei 1 23, 1996
Kids Put Caring Into Action By Helping Kids In Need
These Kids Share The
Thanksgiving Spirit Year-Round
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
ANNVILLE (Lebanon Co.)
Kids with cancer, kids with mus
cular dystrophy ... these words
generally draw sympathetic sighs
and feelings of frustration and
helplessness from adults, but little
action.
In Lebanon County, kids are
putting their caring into action by
helping kids who face health prob
lems. They call themselves 4-H
Kids 4 Kids and are part of the
North Mountain 4-H Community
Club.
The formation of the club hap
pened almost by chance when Dale
and Fran Bushong moved about
six miles from their dairy farm.
Both the Bushongs had been active
in 4-H since they were eight When
their three children were growing
up, the whole family got involved
in 4-H clubs, the parents as leaders
and the kids as members.
Although the six-mile move was
still in the county and they could
continue to attend the South Leba
non 4-H, it was far enough away
that several people suggested the
Bushongs start up a 4-H Club in
the area known as North Mountain
in Lebanon County. No active 4-H
club had existed there for 23 years.
The Bushongs decided to throw
a hayride to introduce kids to the
4-H program. About 110 kids
showed up.
One of the kids was 11-year-old
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Teresa LaPinto. Shortly after that
meeting, Teresa, or Ten, as she is
most commonly called, was diag
nosed with leukemia.
It was a scary time for the La
Pinto family. Ten was admitted to
the Hershey Medical Center,
where tests, IV’s, chemotherapy,
and radiation became part of her
three-month stay in the hospital.
When Ten returned home, she
still could not attend school
because she was weak and her
immune system “had been
knocked out”
The family heard that a compu
ter could really help Ten to make
up lost schooling. But the family
couldn’t afford to buy Ten one
because of the huge medical
expenses.
When 4-H members heard about
Teri needing a computer, they
decided they wanted to help. They
organized a gingerbread house
contest at the mall, held petting
zoos at local fairs, and carwashes.
They did not charge for these ser
vices, but accepted donations for
Teri’s fund. To their delight, the
kids raised $l,OOO to buy the com
puter. They also wrapped up little
gifts so that Teri had a new one to
open every day for a month. That
was two years ago, Teri is now
back in school and leading a nor
mal kid’s life, and the parents arc
so grateful to 4-H that they are now
4-H leaders.
The thrill of helping Teri has
LANCO
never been forgotten by her peers I
It was so rewarding that ever since
then 4-H kids have been helpin{
other kids in their community
They have raised money for du
Four-Diamonds Club, Musculai
Dystropy, Multiple Sclerosis, du
Ronald McDonald House, Living
Gift Fair, and other needs.
The Bushongs head the com
munity 4-H club, which, in addi-
LITVWORKMANSHIP
• Bunker Silos
• Slatted Floor Deep Pits
• Flatwork
Members work together at the car wash used to raise $l,OOO for kids in need.
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