4-H Clubs!

How can I get a 4-H club/group organized?

Your local 4-H staff will work with you to help organize a new 4-H club. Host a meeting with the young people who are interested and the adults who are willing to help. Publicize it through the school or any place young people and their parents can be reached. Often, your 4-H office will have 4-H promotion materials available.

What do we do at the first meeting?

Get acquainted and have fun with a group mixer and refreshments. Talk about and demonstrate projects the group might like or be interested in learning. Give this part some thought beforehand, and talk with the 4-H agent or an experienced 4-H leader. You might also involve some 4-H'ers to talk about what they do. Also discuss when, where, and how often the group will meet.

What about officers?

A 4-H Club is an organization that young people belong to where they have fun and learn together. Clubs may have officers and whatever committees they need to run the business and activities of the club. 4-H has materials available for presidents, vice-presidents, secretaries, treasurers, news reporters, recreation leaders, health and safety chairpersons and song leaders. The club may have more or fewer officers, depending on its own needs. It is a good idea to wait for several meetings to elect officers so members know each other.

Who names a club?

The members of the club do, with the help of their leader.

How often do 4-H clubs meet?

Some clubs meet every week and some meet once or twice a month all year long. It depends on the group and what it wants to do. 4-H clubs may organize at any time of the year. Sometimes members have to be enrolled in a project by a certain time to be eligible for a specific activity, like a fair. Check this with the county Extension office.

Should 4-H clubs have dues?

Lincoln County charges a $10.00 fee per 4-H member. This covers the cost of state dues and insurance. However, members should never be excluded from 4-H because they are unable to pay dues. If money is a problem, visit with your Extension Office about options. All books and other related materials are charges separately from the $10.00 fee.

Where do 4-H clubs meet?

Any place that is large enough and is convenient for the members of the group. Some clubs meet at leader's or member's homes. Some meet in a central place such as a school, church or community room.

How big should a club be?

This depends on the age of members, the places they have to meet, and the leadership available. The ideal club is big enough to have fun together, but small enough for everyone to feel a part of the group. The average club is typically 10-20 members, with two or three leaders.

What do 4-H'ers do at meetings?

Programs for meetings focus on business, educational, social, and service activities. At club meetings 4-H'ers usually do four kinds of things: project work, business meeting, recreation or social activities, and special-interest programs.

Do they do all those things at one meeting?

Sometimes, after a short business meeting, members work on their projects or have an educational activity, then play a game or two. Other times, the meeting will be devoted entirely to one thing: everyone may bring a dog and practice obedience training; help elect officers and plan the club programs; visit a local historic site, or plant flowers at a local public building.

Who plans the program for the club?

Members of the club. If the club is small, the whole group may make the plans at a meeting. If the club is large, ideas may come from anyone in the club at a meeting. Then a committee puts a program together. It is good to involve parents in these program planning activities of the club or group.

When do clubs meet and how long do meetings last?

This depends on the group. Many clubs meet for an hour or two after school, in the evening, or on Saturdays. The most important thing is to have a regular meeting time, one that members and their families can remember.

What do leaders do at meetings?

Leaders should be in the background at meetings to advise and provide support for members as they conduct their activities. It is important for leaders to work with club officers ahead of time, so that they and the members (not the leaders) are "front and center" during the meetings.