Where would the 4-H program be without volunteers?  It would not be as  successful.  As we look at our 4-H program and discuss it with the Review and Release Committee, we then realize how important volunteers are.  For instance, 4-H agents cannot be an expert in all of the seven areas of our program; thus, the need for seamstresses, electricians, photographers, artists, shooting sports skills, fishing, cooking, quilting, horticulturists, camp counselors and I can go on and on.  Carroll County citizens are so giving of their time to the youth of Carroll County and are always willing to teach at other places, such as the Kentucky Volunteer Forum.  I am going to highlight volunteers that are essential to us offering two important programs:  Truth and Consequences and It's Reality". 

With the Truth and Consequences program actual professional people  give up their time to come and role  play what the consequence would be if the students had made the mistake in the scenario  that the student selected. The Sheriff, the Judge, the County Attorney, the RSO, the Health Department, the Coroner, the Funeral Home Director, and so many other agencies are a part of this activity.  Words cannot express the influence this program had  to the seventh grade students of Carroll County Middle School.  The students answered the question after they had participated on how they would tell  their parents and how did  their mistake influence their future.  Some of the quotes from the students was "I was so embarrassed to call my parents and tell them to come to the jail to pick me up.  I learned that just one mistake could change my life  forever,"  I was in the room with the parent whose  3 children  had abused illegal drugs and how it  influenced the entire family, how  the family's life changed.  The mother had to lock all of  the medicines in her car and also household cleaning supplies where the boys could not find  them. Her best nights  of sleep when she knew her sons  were incarcerated because she knew they were safe.   The parents  spent enough money for rehab that each of the 3 teens could have  a nice home and a nice car to drive but that money  was gone and now their family is struggling.  One of the boys learned a lesson and became a meat cutter and is providing for his family.  Well, the other two have children that the grandparents are raising."  Out of 150 students, the survey showed that 95% took the program seriously and learned  from it.  This would not have been possible  without these volunteers.

It's Reality was held with the eighth  grade students at Carroll County Middle School.  Twenty  two stations were set up and manned by volunteers. The students received a job using  their GPA and after taxes had a monthly budget to live on.  They  had completed their education and was working in a job that met their skill set.  The students had to pay housing, transportation, child care (if they had children),  insurance (health, house, transportation), buy groceries, and other basic needs as well as their wants such as a cell phone and other entertainment.  They learned quickly that money does not grow on trees.  A great learning experience with lots of great comments. "I can't wait to go home and tell  my parents how much I appreciate them,  I had no idea what they spent in a month", " I had to go and get week end jobs to take care of my family", "Why is childcare so expensive?".  "You mean it's a law that I have to have car insurance?"  So many great questions, so much learned.  Only one student did not take this program seriously so 99.9% successful.

I will add that the Extension agents also do a lot of volunteering for our community.  First Friday, Back to School Bash, Harry Potter Halloween, Winter Wonderland, are some that we have done since September this year.

I have 108 volunteers going to the Kentucky Volunteer Forum in February.  I assign them one workshop that I expect them to go and bring back the information, then they come to the office  on their own time and bring their workshop material and we discuss if it is something that we need to add to our Extension program.  My program grows after the Forum with new ideas.  Oh how I love my volunteers.