Volunteers are the heart of 4-H

4-H is a youth development organization that utilizes volunteers to carry out the programs 4-H offers on a county, state, and national level. Throughout the year, 4-H relies on volunteers to lead and manage 4-H clubs, judge competitions and events, lead short term classes on a specific skill and to conduct community service projects. Volunteering for 4-H allows you the opportunity to work directly or indirectly with youth in our area. It provides an opportunity for you to impact a kid’s life in a constructive way. Many youth in our community lack a positive role model or a caring adult to talk to. Would you like to be that person for someone?

Volunteering not only enables you to help someone else, but by volunteering you are also helping yourself. Numerous studies have shown that volunteering actually provides benefits to the volunteer, in addition to the recipients of their efforts. Volunteers feel better about themselves, have higher self-esteem, express feelings of gratitude and feel more satisfied with their life. Those who volunteer experience less depression and improved physical health, such as lower blood pressure, compared to those who did not volunteer or volunteered less. While volunteering for 4-H allows you to share a skill you have with others, it can also help you learn new skills. Volunteering with 4-H will also expand your connections, allow you to meet new people, improve networks and form stronger friendships.

Are you ready to share your time and talents with youth in our area? Volunteering with 4-H is a great way to do just that! Becoming a 4-H volunteer is flexible and can be a monthly commitment or a one-time occurrence. Our county 4-H program can use volunteers in the areas of home economics, animal science, healthy living, electricity and robotics, archery, and gardening. Volunteers are also needed to judge presentations and competitions that occur through-out the year.

In 2020, Richmond County 4-H relied on the knowledge and help of over 175 volunteers that put in over 1,500 hours of service. I would personally like to thank each person that contributed to the success of our program. This has been a very different year but club leaders and volunteers alike have gone above the call of duty to navigate new and innovative ways to reach youth in this pandemic.

A local club re-opening training and volunteer training will be held on January 18 beginning at 6 pm via zoom. This training will welcome all new and prospective volunteers as well as provide training for all current leaders on re-opening face to face programs and navigating 2021. If you are interested in learning more about being a 4-H volunteer or if you are a volunteer already, please let me know if you want to attend and I will send the zoom link directly to you.

4-H Volunteers can also attend a state volunteer training on February 5-6. This event is normally held in Raleigh but will be virtual this year. This conference is a great opportunity to see what other volunteers across the state are doing, make new friends, and learn new skills/concepts that can be shared with youth in our county. For more details on this event, please visit our website at Richmond.ces.ncsu.edu. For inquiring about volunteering, please contact Catherine Shelley at 910-997-8255.