Area youth celebrating 4-H Week with window displays and kindness

STEUBENVILLE -- The Jefferson County 4-H program is thriving despite social distancing regulations in place because of COVID-19, according to Angie Allison, Extension educator, 4-H youth development, and Leslie Aftanas, 4-H/agriculture and natural resource, program assistant.

This week, youth are celebrating Ohio 4-H Week through Saturday.

"The youth are spreading awareness about the good work of 4-H, through the design and implementation of a window display depicting the theme "4-H #pportunity 4AL@OSU Extension Jefferson County."

The 4-H window displays are throughout the county through Saturday with residents encouraged to take note of them.

The clubs and their window display locations are:

Country Roadrunners: Prodigal Daughter, 164 N. Fourth St., Steubenville; Wildwood Critters: Oklok-Criss, 168 N. Fourth St., Steubenville; Cross Creek Tomahawks: McDonald's, Steubenville; Liberty Guys and Gals: Crummet Vault Co., 131 Linduff Ave., Steubenville; Country Rangers: Touch of Elegance Bakery, 100 Mall Drive, Steubenville; Broken Fences: Arby's, Wintersville; Friends and Neighbors: Burger King, Winterville; Purple Circle: Richmond Post Office; Sunrise Lads N Lassies: former Wayne Elementary, 8526 county Road 22A, Bloomingdale; Golden Horseshoe: Smithfield Historical Society, Smithfield; Happy Hooves: Ogden Performance Auto, 8128 state Route 151, Rayland; Windy Ridge: Harrisville Firehall, U.S. Route 250; Warren Ridge: Hank's Place, Yorkville; 4-H Varieties: the Birds Nest, Yorkville; Town and Country: Tiltonsville Post Office, 218 Grandview Ave.; Free Spirits: Dairy Queen, 142 Warren St., Rayland; Country Shamrocks: US Bank, 901 Third St., Brilliant; and Appalachian 4H'ers: Toni Moreland State Farm, Toronto.

Every year each club encourages its youth members to complete at least two community service projects, the 4-H leaders explained.

Countywide club community service projects, combined with the current #SPREADKINDNESSmovement, has spearheaded a wave of generosity throughout the Ohio Valley. 4-H members put their "Hands to Larger Service" and fulfilled their 4-H pledge to spread cheer in recent weeks, they noted.

Some examples of the community service members have been completing were shared by Allison and Aftanas.

– Colte Sines from Country Roadrunners donated 200 eggs to a soup kitchen;

– Alayna and Karley Starr from Happy Hooves and Fancy Feathers delivered cupcakes to family and neighbors.

– Amanda Boring from the Free Spirits 4-H Club bought and donated toys for sick children in the hospital. She wrapped the toys and made get well cards to accompany the gifts.

– Caleb, Grace and Stella Miller from the Windy Ridge 4-H Club made thinking-of-you cards and refrigerator magnets and delivered muffins for members of their church.

– J.P. Wilson from the Cross Creek Tomahawks 4-H Club donated a portion of the proceeds from the sale of his pigs to St. Jude's Hospital.

– Madison and Brody Zeroski from the Windy Ridge 4-H Club delivered cookies, vegetable soup and crescent rolls to neighbors.

– McKenna Halicky from the Windy Ridge 4-H Club collected "gently loved" books to donate to young readers. Inside each, she wrote surprise words of encouragement to spread kindness and share her love of reading with others.

– Members of the Cross Creek Tomahawks 4-H Club delivered hoagies, cookies, drinks and other snacks to the Pottery Addition Volunteer Fire Department.

– Kaylee Moore of the Dirt Diggers 4-H Club donated her hair through Locks Of Love.

– Sydnee and Cooper Kirkpatrick of the Free Spirits delivered a basket of snacks to the Mingo Fire Department, thanking them for their service.

– Mason Marchbank of the Free Spirits 4-H Club delivered water, Capri sausage sandwiches and a basket of snacks to the Steubenville Fire Department Pleasant Heights station.

– Cameron, Lindsey and Connor Best of the Free Spirits 4-H Club delivered treats, water and pizza to the Brilliant Fire Department in appreciation of their service and dedication to the community.

– Julianna, Ryan and Molly King delivered Federico subs, chips, candy bars and water to the Steubenville Fire Department to thank them for their service to the community.

– The Wildwood Critters 4-H Club made Valentine's Day cards with treats to cheer up residents at Gables Care Center in Hopedale.

In addition to community service, in January, more than 225 youth participated in an at-home, personal fitness challenge in place of the annual overnighter activity, according to Aftnas and Allison, who explained that youth were challenged to complete an outdoor, physical activity while sporting 4-H attire.

"This challenge replaced the program's annual night of fun and physical activity at the Weirton Community Center," Aftanas noted. "Some youth members went sledding, built snowmen, cut firewood, went horseback riding, tried ice skating or went for walks in the woods, all in the name of fitness and 4-H."

In February, 4-H youth began completing Quality Assurance classes and club officer trainings. In each club, youth members hold positions such as president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, health, safety, news reporter, historian, recreation and scrapbook. Youth study parliamentary procedure to learn how to properly conduct a meeting.

4-H is open to youth from ages 5-18. There are more than 250 projects available from solar energy to sewing, horse management to guinea pigs, from swine to cats. Other project examples include scrapbooking, cooking, art, photography, first aid, fishing and fitness.

Many clubs are currently taking new members. For information, call (740) 264-2212 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or e-mail Angie Allison at Allison.325@osu.edu. The office is located at 500 Market St., Steubenville, Suite 512.