48 Hours of 4-H Weekend in Johnson County
Kansas 4-H celebrated its long-standing commitment to community service when members across the state participated in 48 Hours of 4-H, Oct. 7-8, 2023.
Beth Hinshaw, a 4-H youth development specialist in the southeast region, said the annual event wraps up National 4-H Week in the United States.
“4-H has a really long history of young people being involved in their community,” Hinshaw said. “Some of the research from several years ago tells us that 4-H'ers in grades 7 and up are nearly four times more likely to make contributions to their communities. And, those in grades 8-12 are two times more likely to be civically active.”
48 Hours of 4-H is a project that encourages clubs in the state to plan a community service project. “It’s not a 48 hour project,” Hinshaw said, “but rather a project that you do sometime during that 48 hour timeframe.”
In the past, Hinshaw said, groups have been very creative in how they have chosen to help their community, including such things as:
- Beautification of the community, such as painting equipment in parks, planting flower bulbs, picking up trash, and trimming landscapes.
- Collections, such as non-perishable foods and laundry supplies.
- Special events.
- Serving meals.
- Visiting nursing homes.
“It’s really about what the 4-H club or group wants to do to serve their community,” Hinshaw said.
“These are the young people that some day are going to grow up and be serving their community as adults, as well,” Hinshaw said. “I think we all know that’s the kind of communities we want to live in and enjoy some day… with people who want to make a difference.”
Service here in Johnson County
Our clubs in Johnson County absolutely made a difference over this weekend with the focus being on the betterment of each club’s local area.
Country Hearts
Country Hearts enhanced the outside of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, where the club holds their meetings, by cleaning up mulch in the playground area.
Happy Helpers
Happy Helpers Club scrubbed down the tables in all of the classrooms of the church where they host their club meetings.
Lucky Clover
Lucky Clover went shopping with money their club had raised to restock the De Soto Food Pantry.
Many clubs also participated on a county-wide effort to equip a local food pantry with meal “kits.” These kits will allow for individuals in our community to have shelf-stable ingredients ready to go to make a fall soup!
We are so proud of all clubs throughout the county in how they chose to serve over this weekend!
Learn more
Explore 4-H in Johnson County, including our clubs, projects and events, and volunteer opportunities.
