Vidalia Onions for Everyone!

Wednesday, April 28th, is the last day to buy onions for the Greenville 4-H Spring Fundraiser. The onions are being presold for $5.00 for 5lbs, and will be picked up from Metter, GA, on May 3rd. All profit from this fundraiser will go towards this year's Achievement & Awards Night celebration, regional and state event scholarships and club support. Orders can be placed at the Clemson Extension office: 301 University Ridge, Suite 4300, Greenville SC 29601. Support Greenville 4-H...and enjoy some delicious onions at the same time!

Spring is in the Air...

This Thursday, April 22nd, will mark yet another Earth Day. While Earth Day serves as a wonderful reminder of the impact simple things and small changes can have on the world around us, we don't have to wait until April of every year to start a new habit. Things we can all do to conserve resources (and save a few pennies in the long run) throughout the year:

• Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with new compact flourescent light bulbs - they use a fraction of the wattage, and last much longer.
• Unplug "vampire" electronics and appliances when not in use: phone chargers, power adapters, televisions, etc. These devices are constantly on stand-by, so they continually pull electricity. It may not seem like much, but it can add up in the long term!
• Recycle! So much of what we throw away could be used for another purpose. For rules and recycling locations in your area, check out http://www.greenvillecounty.org/solid_waste/recycling/what.asp.

Happy Earth Day everyone!

A Year At a Glance...

Fun Things Greenville County 4-H Participated in During 2008-09:

• Achievement Night
• Upstate Regional Junior Leadership Training
• Upstate Regional Presentations Contest
• Horse Bowl & Hippology Contest
• State 4-H Presentations Contest (including 2 of our 4-H'ers who were State Champions!!)
• Vidalia Onion spring County-Wide Fundraiser
• Poultry Project
• Campus Trips to Clemson University (including athletic sites tours and the planetarium)
• Teen Nutrition & Cooking Club Cook-Off Challenge
• State Horse Camp & the State 4-H Horse Show
• Photography 101 Workshop

4-H club members also participated in a variety of club activities and events. Greenville County welcomed several new clubs, and saw many 4-H'ers compete in regional and state events. We are very proud...and very excited about the upcoming year!

Photography Workshop Fun

This summer Greenville County 4-H held the first "Photography 101" workshop at the Extension office in County Square. Five 4-H'ers participated in the 3-hour workshop, learning the basics of camera operation and functions. Digital cameras were provided for each youth to use, and after a brief lesson covering tips for taking good pictures, they were turned loose in Falls Park for an impromptu photo session. They had a blast, learned a lot, and ended up taking some beautiful pictures of the park! Plans are in the works for more photography projects for the next year...including a Greenville County 4-H Photo Contest. Stay tuned for details!

Calling All Volunteers!

September 1st marks the start of a new 4-H year, and with that comes the possibility of new clubs and programming here in Greenville County. Have an interest or area of expertise that you'd like to teach to youth? Looking for a way to invest in and build the future leaders of our community? Contact Cyd Brown and the Greenville Extension office to find out how to start a club or get involved. The possibilities are endless, and we are always looking for new ideas and fresh faces!

Specific Volunteer Needs, as of 8/1/09:

• Leader for a Junior Beef Club
• Adult volunteers interested in being trained in shooting sports (archery)
• Leaders willing to take on new clubs at their children's elementary schools

Welcome to Greenville County 4-H!

Although Greenville 4-H has a page on the Greenville County Clemson Extension website I thought it might be nice to provide a more open forum to keep 4-H'ers, Volunteer Leaders, parents and any others interested in 4-H up-to-date on information, events and local 4-H happenings. Stay tuned, and don't forget to bookmark this page!