Kitsap County 4-H Teaches Generosity through Community Service
As part of the 4-H pledge, 4-H youth commit their “hands to larger service.” Throughout the year, individual clubs give back to their communities in many ways, including animal rescue, charitable donations, environmental improvement, and moral support. 4-H has historically given back to the community by encouraging young people and adults to volunteer. In 4-H, service is commonly defined as the voluntary action of an individual or a group of individuals without pay. Service to the community – through food drives, raking the yard of an elderly neighbor, adopt-a-highway programs, teens teaching younger youth, teens mentoring children, or youth determining community needs and helping solve community problems – helps young people learn caring, leadership and citizenship.
“Every year millions of Americans volunteer at more than one million non-profit organizations throughout the United States.”
(Volunteering: 101 Ways You Can Improve the World and Your Life, by Douglas M. Lawson. Alti Publishing, 1998)
You can make a difference in your community. Being a part of 4-H will give you many opportunities to give to those in need, assist in bettering your environment or sharing your skills with others. You are powerful in your ability to make the world a better place.
“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” ~ Margaret Mead
