Saturday morning was cold and rainy for the fifth annual 4-H Day at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds,” but the indoor arena at the was filled with warm enthusiasm.
Kids and adult leaders from four local 4-H clubs came together to hold an “open house” introducing the community to 4-H and encouraging families to sign up. They brought some of their animals and previous years’ projects to show, and offered horseback rides, cookie decorating and other activities for children. 4-H enrollment will remain open through December.
Agents from Montezuma County’s Colorado State University Extension Office came to 4-H Day to answer questions about the program and help interested visitors sign up. Tom Hooten, the extension’s 4-H coordinator, said he was a bit disappointed in the low turnout at the event – which he attributed to bad weather – but still expects many families to join clubs this year.
“We had about 235 members last year, and we had eight clubs scattered all throughout the county in different areas,” he said.
This year, the county is down to seven clubs, but even though not many new families signed up on Saturday, several of the leaders who were there weren’t too worried, saying their clubs are always full.
Each club offered different activities and displays to visitors. Kids could ride horses around the arena courtesy of the Hoofbeats club, look at quilts and scrapbooks made by the Kalvin’s Kids club at their table and make friendship bracelets at the Roundup club’s table. The Barnyard Critters lived up to their name by bringing rabbits and a goat to meet visitors at their club table. But club leader DJ Moores said 4-H is about much more than raising bunnies or even horses and cows.
“People always think you have to have an animal,” she said. “But there’s so much more to do in 4-H. We’ve got cake decorating, rocketry, computer programming, singing, fine arts, you name it ... but cake decorating’s always pretty darn popular.”
Hooten and the extension’s administrative assistant, Kathy Harris, handed out materials at the door that listed more than 40 categories of state fair projects open to Montezuma County’s 4-H students. But for some students, even those projects aren’t the main reason for participating in a club.
“It teaches kids how to take responsibility for their animals, and just responsibility in general,” said 11-year-old Willa Rice, of the Hoofbeats club. “When you have something that has feelings and needs to be nurtured, then you have to be responsible for it.”
She brought her horse, Annie, to 4-H Day to give rides to the younger kids. Like many other 4-H members, Willa performs in horse shows and gymkhanas throughout the state all year.
