How to Join a Thurston County 4-H Club:
Each 4-H year runs October 1 – September 30. Joining early in the year offers more 4-H club choices as clubs can fill to capacity quickly. Please follow these steps to join a Thurston County 4-H Club:
Thurston County 4-H is open to all youth who have reached their 5th birthday on or before October 1st of the current 4-H year through those who have not reached their 19th birthday on or before October 1st of the current 4-H year.
*Please review the details below about 4-H Cloverbud age youth if you have a child aged 5 to 7.
**Please review the statement below for Special Education youth aged 19 and older.
Most 4-H clubs in Thurston County focus on specific 4-H project interest areas when they gather as a club. For example, a youth wanting to care for and train a dog would join a 4-H club that offers the 4-H dog project. A self-determined project is one the 4-H member learns about and works on independently. Check out the 4-H Project List. The opportunities are endless!
Look for a group that offers the 4-H project interest areas your child or children are interested in learning about. Submit a 4-H Interest Form or contact the Thurston County 4-H Office at 360-867-2157 or tc4h@co.thurston.wa.us if you would like help finding a club that best fits your school-age child’s/children’s interests and needs.
Each 4-H club is different, and you may find it helpful to ask questions before joining. Consider asking how often the club meets and where they meet, what 4-H projects they cover as a club, and which 4-H projects youth are working on independently (self-determined 4-H projects). You may also want to inquire if the club has youth members the same age as your child or children. Please note: some clubs do not offer 4-H Cloverbud age activities.
Use the 4-H Online Family Guidebook and video for help with using 4-H Online. 4-H youth members must be enrolled in a 4-H Club via 4-H Online by April 15 to be eligible for Thurston County Fair 4-H entry/exhibit. Please note: the 4-H Online enrollment system is closed to new members August 1 – September 30 each year.
All In 4-H Club, Thurston County Fairgronds
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Natalee Andrews, drnatalee17@gmail.com; Rose Cecil, diamondsdog4h@gmail.com
4-H Projects: Main projects: Dog, poultry, cat. Self-determined projects: Creative arts, photography, baking, gardening, sewing, fiber arts, knitting, crochet, beef breeding. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
Black Sheep 4-H Club, Tenino
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Cassie Tafoya, (360) 790- 0194 (text preferred), cassieo729@yahoo.com
4-H Projects:
Sheep, market lamb, market swine, goats, poultry. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
Blazing Saddles 4-H Club, Olympia/South Bay
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Cherie Andreassen, larsandcherie@yahoo.com
4-H Projects: Main projects: Horsemanship, equine science, horseless horse. Self-determined projects: Creative arts, sewing, photography.
Cloverbud age youth for horseless horse project.
Cosmic Coders 4-H Club
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Lucas Swearingen, swearluc82@gmail.com
4-H Projects: Robotics, STEM. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
Flying Hoofs 4-H Club, Southeast Olympia
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Kara Whitsell, kb10579@hotmail.com
4-H Projects: Horsemanship, equine science, veterinary science, horseless horse. Cloverbud age youth for horseless horse project.
Freedom Riders 4-H Club, Tumwater/South Union
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: JR Oakes, 6oakes@gmail.com
4-H Projects: Horsemanship, equine science, horseless horse. Cloverbud age youth for horseless horse project.
Jr. 12’s 4-H Club, Yelm
FULL – At Capacity/Closed to New Members
Contact: Nicole Hernandez, (360) 451-5092 (text preferred), nhernandez2612@gmail.com
4-H Projects: Livestock. No Cloverbud age youth.
Kolts and Kitties 4-H Club Thurston, Yelm
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Connie Medeiros, mythicalmeadows@gmail.com
4-H Projects: Cat, horse, horseless horse, performing arts. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
Legacy 4-H Club, Tenino
FULL – At Capacity/Closed to New Members
Contact: Jacob Gilbreath, jacobdgilbreath@gmail.com
4-H Projects: All animal projects except dogs and horses. Homesteading operations, wood and metal working, still life projects (static exhibits). No Cloverbud age youth.
Mutz-K-Teers 4-H Club, Thurston County Fairgrounds
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: April Stanke, muttzkteers@gmail.com
4-H Projects: Main Project: Dog. Self-determined projects: Photography, art, needle arts, animal science. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
Prairie Wranglers 4-H Club, Rainier
FULL – At Capacity/Closed to New Members
Contact: Cass McElroy, cass9112@yahoo.com
4-H Projects: Main project: Livestock. Self-determined projects: sewing. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
T90 Herdsmen 4-H Club, Tenino
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Jessy Platter, platterjessy@gmail.com
4-H Projects: Main projects: Sheep, rabbit and poultry. Self-determined projects: Photography. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
The Spokes 4-H Club, Tenino
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Tammy Caskey, jtcaskey2014@yahoo.com
4-H Projects: Main projects: Goat, rabbit, poultry. Self-determined projects: Non-animal/still life projects, cattle. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
Thurston County 4-H Shooting Sports Club, Archery World in Lacey; Evergreen Sportsmen’s Club in Littlerock
OPEN — Accepting new members (Note: Enrollment will close on November 15)
Contact: Mark Fleischer, tcssmark@icloud.com
4-H Projects: Archery, shotgun, hunting skills. No Cloverbud age youth.,
Unlimited Hopes 4-H Club, Tumwater
FULL – At capacity/closed to new members
Contact: Michele Drochak, 4HTumwater@gmail.com
4-H Projects: Small animals (cat, rabbit, cavy, poultry, and pocket pets), STEM/Robotics, and non-animal/still life projects such as creative arts, photography, and gardening; Self-determined projects: Various. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
Yelm Nerd Herd 4-H Club, Yelm
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Justin Wikoff, justin.wikoff@gmail.com
4-H Projects: Poultry, rabbit, goat, crafts, gardening, cavy, pocket pet, textiles. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
24 Carrots 4-H Club, Tumwater (Hybrid 4-H Club: In-person and virtual)
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Jenny Taylor, jenny4h@ymail.com
4-H Projects: Rabbit, cavy, cat, poultry, pocket pets, pack goats, dogs, creative arts. Self-determined projects: photography, baking, and sewing. Yes, Cloverbud age youth.
24 Carrots Cattle 4-H Club, Tumwater
OPEN — Accepting new members
Contact: Brooke Hicks, cowdogs3@yahoo.com
4-H Projects: Beef, Market Beef. No Cloverbud age youth.
Don’t see a club that fits your family? Consider starting a new 4-H Club! Contact the 4-H Office at tc4h@co.thurston.wa.us
- Cloverbuds: 5 to 7 years of age
- Junior: 8 to 10 years of age
- Intermediate: 11 to 13 years of age
- Senior: 14 to 18 years of age
Enrolled 4-H Youth Members must have reached their 8th birthday on or before October 1st of the current 4-H year to be eligible for:
- Competitive situations, including livestock shows or sales
- Enrollment in large animal projects including Beef, Dairy, Goat, Horse, Sheep, Alpaca/Llama, and Swine
- Enrollment in shooting sports projects
*Cloverbuds may participate in age-appropriate activities and projects. Projects recommended for Cloverbuds youth may include: Dog, Cat, Poultry, Rabbit, Pygmy or Novelty Goat (a novelty goat is defined as a small goat that is purebred or cross-bred lineage; is up to 23 inches in height and weighs no more than 65 pounds), Horseless Horse, Cavy, Exploring the World of Small Animals, Exploring Farm Animals, Discovery, Creative Arts, Performing Arts, Aerospace, Bicycle, Computer, Photography, Clothing, Just Outside the Door, and Exploring 4-H.
Cloverbuds may not participate in competitive activities.
Cloverbuds should demonstrate competence in exhibiting and caring for animal projects prior to exhibiting at fairs, shows, or similar events.
**Special Education youth who have reached their 19th birthday (on or before October 1st of the current 4-H year) through those who have not reached their 22nd birthday (on or before October 1st of the current 4-H year), may enroll with the approval of the WSU Extension 4-H faculty.