Service activities highlight State 4-H Congress, July 16-19

Media Contact: Dr. Marshall Stewart, 919.515.1682 or 919.215.8683, or visit the 4-H host and hostess table at the entrance to Jane S. McKimmon Center (1101 Gorman Street, Raleigh) during 4-H Congress week

During State 4-H Congress, held this week at North Carolina State University and around Raleigh, 4-H’ers will show compassion for their fellow North Carolinians by packing meals for the elderly, sewing teddy bears for chronically ill children and performing odd jobs at UNC-TV.

4-H Congress will be held July 16-19 at N.C. State’s McKimmon Center, Athens Drive High School and Dorton Arena on the N.C. State Fairgrounds. The annual event will attract more than 560 4-H club members, adult volunteers and 4-H agents with North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

On Wednesday, 4-H’ers will be at Dorton Arena beginning at 9:45 a.m. to pack meals for older adults, as part of a project for AARP.  In addition, 4-H’ers and chaperones will be on hand at UNC-TV (10 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park) to assist with a variety of tasks.

In addition, two groups of 4-H’ers will sew stuffed bears for campers at Victory Junction Camps in Randleman. Victory Junction Camps serve children and youth with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses. Each camper receives a handmade afghan and stuffed bear, but this year the camp hasn’t acquired enough bears for all campers. 4-H’ers will sew the bears at McKimmon Center and at the Wake County center of N.C. Cooperative Extension (4001-E Carya Dr., Raleigh).

News media are invited to cover any of the 4-H Congress events. For more information, contact Dr. Marshall Stewart at the numbers above.

During the four-day event, delegates also will participate in competitions, workshops, assemblies, officer elections, recreation, fellowship and more.  Highlights of 4-H Congress week are outlined below.

Monday, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Opening Assembly, McKimmon Center
The annual 4-H Honor Club tapping ceremony takes place by candlelight during the opening assembly. The top half of 1 percent of the state’s 4-H’ers are admitted to the Honor Club each year. 4-H’ers from across the state present their county flags in a festive opening march.

Tuesday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Presentation competitions, Athens Drive High School, 1420 Athens Drive, Raleigh
Delegates will participate in competitions designed to demonstrate their knowledge of subjects ranging from landscaping to sewing to wildlife. State winners, many of whom go on to compete in regional or national contests, will be named in more than 30 subject matter categories.  Outdoor cookery competitions will take place in the parking lot of McKimmon Center, 8:30 a.m. – 12 noon.

Wednesday, 9:45-11:30 a.m., Hands to Service
4-H’ers will participate in three Hands to Service projects, described above. For more information, visit the 4-H host and hostess table in McKimmon Center or call Harriet Edwards, 919.515.9548.
7-9 p.m., Farewell banquet at McKimmon Center
State officers will be elected late in the afternoon. The evening also will include a 9 p.m. farewell dance at McKimmon Center and a 10:45 p.m. candle lighting ceremony at Dorton Arena.

Thursday, Farewell luncheon, McKimmon
It’s hard to say goodbye, but delegates will leave campus Thursday afternoon following morning activities and a farewell luncheon.

The 4-H program is the youth education program of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, based at North Carolina State and North Carolina A&T State universities. More than 235,000 young people between the ages of 5 and 19 participate in North Carolina 4-H activities each year with the help of 21,500 adult and youth volunteers.

N.C. Cooperative Extension is a shared program, based in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at N.C. State University and at N.C. A&T State University. For more news from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, visit the CALS News Center:  www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center.

– Written by Natalie Hampton, 919.513.3128 or natalie_hampton@ncsu.edu