Friday, March 21, 2014

Newton County 4-H alumni group forming

(From University of Missouri Extension)

A group of 4-H supports from the Newton County area will be meeting to create a Newton County 4-H Alumni group at 7 p.m. on March 25 at the Newton County Extension Center in Smith Hall at Crowder College, Neosho.
 
During the meeting the group will decide on the goal of the organization and how to make the group valuable to the current 4-H program. Due to the lack of records it is requested that anyone interested in sharing their 4-H story attend the meeting. 
 
“Past and current club leaders and club officers would be valuable in recreating 4-H history in Newton County. Although, the group is focused on Newton County it is open to anyone who has ever been in 4-H anywhere or who has wanted to be involved in 4-H,” said Jeremy Elliot-Engel, a 4-H youth development specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

Doug Hunt, a former Cedar Creek 4-H Club member, has been working with Elliot-Engel to make this 4-H alumni group a reality.
 
“4-H has meant so much in my life that I want to find a way to give back and share my story,” said Hunt. “We are not sure how many Newton County 4-H alumni there are but there have been hundreds of 4-H members annually.”  

This year marks the 100th anniversary of cooperative extension programs nationally.  4-H is the youth program of University of Missouri Extension. 
 
“It is a historic year for Extension and 4-H, which is 112 this year. It is exciting that we are trying to track down our own history this year,” said Elliott-Engel. 
 
According to records found in the Newton County MU Extension office, the Extension office opened in August 1914 at the County Courthouse, where the office remained for over 80 years.  

“We don’t have records of the many 4-H clubs and especially club leaders that have worked in our many communities.  We have records of clubs that currently exist and of recent history, but we don’t have records of clubs that thrived and then disbanded,  which is a natural progression, as families grow up or project interests change,” said Elliott-Engel.  

For more information you may contact the Newton County MU Extension Center, Smith Hall, Crowder College atnewtonco@missouri.edu or (417) 455-9500. 

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