After many years of a successful community Boyd County Cloverbud Club; it was clear that another club for those Cloverbud graduates was desperately needed.  Boyd County 4-H finally could offer an in person Community Clovers Club.  Covid-19 restrictions had postponed the club for almost two years.  

4-H Youth Development programs are designed to develop youth into confident, competent, and caring citizens.  The overall goal is to promote healthy development in children by advancing life skills. Involving children at a young age in positive learning experiences helps them build a foundation for a strong sense of self, optimism for the future, and mastery (Seligman, 1995).

Boyd County 4-H planned the club, promoted the club with flyers to schools, Facebook posts and newspaper advertisements.  There was collaboration with the Mayor of Catlettsburg and the director the Catlettsburg Senior Center.  The Community Clovers would be “adopting” the Catlettsburg Senior Center to “Do Good”.  Each month the club will perform some community service project. These club members, ages 9-14, are some of our first Cloverbuds. 

One particular family has participated in Boyd County 4-H for nine years and joined the Community Clover Club.  The father of the family was in 4-H as a child and wanted his children to experience 4-H.   This brother and sister were quoted in the local Ashland Daily Independent newspaper article that featured the new 4-H Community Clovers Club.  Their mother said that the 4-H club gave her children a sense of pride, instilled the importance of community, and “Eli felt so good about himself after decorating the Senior Center!” 

Not only did the club members feel good about themselves; their work and decorations impacted the senior citizens who attend the center.  The center director messaged the Boyd County 4-H Agent to let her know that the seniors “loved the decorations!”  One lady told the director that she just “couldn’t believe that someone thought of them.”  The director reported that all the seniors were happier and smiled so much more since the club had decorated their center.

Whether age 5 or 95, 4-H has positive impact through our clubs and community service projects that reach across the generations.