Celebrating Generosity in Lake County 4-H

With the holiday season upon us, it’s the perfect time to highlight the generosity of Lake County 4-H members. Learning about generosity helps youth understand how to give back to their communities in meaningful ways.

In the 4-H pledge, members commit themselves to improving their club, community, country, and world. Generosity is a vital part of this commitment, teaching youth to be engaged not only locally, but also nationally and globally.

For more than a century, the 4-H youth development program has emphasized giving and service to others as a cornerstone of the 4-H experience. According to a Tufts University study, 4-H’ers are nearly four times more likely to make a positive contribution to their communities compared to their peers (4-H Impact – National 4-H Council).

Through generosity, youth practice servant leadership, connect with the world around them, and create positive, lasting change. Serving others provides 4-H members with valuable opportunities to grow, gain new experiences, and contribute to the betterment of their club, community, country, and world.

Lake County 4-H in Action

Since the start of the new 4-H year, Lake County clubs have participated in numerous community service projects:

• Turkey Donations: More than 200 turkeys and meals were donated through a partnership with the ELKS Lodge and Hillcrest Insurance. At the Oinkapalooza show, Bay Lake Beef and Swine members contributed nearly 60 bags to support this effort.
• Senior Thanksgiving Meal: Southside and Friends 4-H hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for over 30 seniors. Many residents expressed heartfelt gratitude, sharing how much it meant to receive a meal from 4-H youth.
• Blankets for Seniors: Altoona Eagles 4-H partnered with LovExtension, a local nonprofit, to provide lap blankets and fleece blankets for senior citizens.
• Hygiene Pantries: 4-H Ambassadors established five hygiene pantries in local schools and organized a glove/sock drive for Open Door.
• Operation Christmas Child: Lake County Explorers continued their annual tradition of creating boxes for children in need.
• Support for Foster Families: GRITS 4-H consistently assists foster families by providing essential items.
• Food & Toy Drives: Backwoods and Gracious Hearts organized drives to support local families.
• Environmental Stewardship: Goat Busters 4-H carried out invasive weed pulls at a local nature center.
• Fall Festival: Okahumpka 4-H brought animals to Lake Hills School’s Fall Festival, an event that drew heartfelt appreciation.

Looking ahead, more service projects are planned. One exciting initiative is Bits of Lake County’s “Honoring Heroes” project, a community scavenger hunt that will highlight agriculture, local heroes, and the influence of 4-H throughout the county.

The Heart of 4-H

These are just a few examples of how deeply involved Lake County 4-H is in serving others. Through generosity, service, and leadership, 4-H youth continue to make a lasting impact on their clubs, communities, country, and world.

Lake County 4-H accepts members year-round and is happy to connect youth with open clubs. For more information, contact Dallas Meringolo at hendersond@ufl.edu.

And remember, 4-H is always looking for new ways to benefit the community.

1