The First Week in October is National 4-H week. 4-H is an organization that assists youth in developing leadership skills and community involvement. We enjoy 4-H because it gives us a good chance to get to know and serve people better in our community. 4-H also helps to prepare us for future jobs or possible scholarships. The SunShine Snippers 4-H club would not be much without the wonderful leaders who volunteer all their time and talent to help us complete our projects and learn so much thought out the year. Mary Ophus and Kristie Rutledge are our organizational leader, they do a super job to keep this busy club organized along with the other leaders who help out in so many ways throughout the year: Misty and Scott LeFurgey, Melissa Han, Russ and Nicole Allderdice, and Amber Terry. When fair time comes along even more people help out and assist in our learning by supporting us in our various animal projects: Dave Crowder volunteers as the beef superintendent, Jonna Bogart supports the swine kids, Tara Rowland helps keep the sheep projects in line, Elizabeth Ayers helps us stay up on our horse projects and finally Leah Johnson helps us keep the chicken and rabbit kids where they need to be. Our 4-H club would not function without all these people and many more unmentioned who volunteer their time to guide us throughout the year and we are so thankful for them. We also need to thank our local extension agents who support our county’s 4-H program. They work in many ways to keep all of us on track and provide us with the resources we need to complete our projects. Extension Agent Janell Barber drove several of our club kids up to Beaver Creek Park in June so they could attend the 4-H camp. Extension Agent Tyler Lane is always willing to answer the questions we have – even when they are about nasty looking bugs (google wind spider) and Deb Evans (a.k.a. the paper clip lady) does lots of the background work that keeps everything rolling. We are very thankful for all the work and time these three put in to make our 4-H years successful.

In closing we are just thankful – thankful for the volunteers, the leaders and all of you. Whether you come out to view our fair projects, purchase our animals at the fair or simply support your local 4-H group by having a meal at the chuck-wagon this fair season. We are grateful and hope our next 4-H year will be full of some of the same amazing people.

Kelsi Hartley

Big Sandy, MT