Using our hands for larger service is not only a part of the 4-H pledge but an action that Lyon County 4-Hers demonstrated during the 2023 can food drive. According to youth.gov two-thirds of adults that volunteer as an adult started volunteering when they were young. Having civic engagement opportunities is vital to the success of our youth. The 4-H Lyon County High School Teen Club took the call upon themselves to decide, plan, and organize a community service project before the holiday season. The members of the Teen Club nominated different community service projects but ultimately decided on spearheading a can food drive for the local food pantry in Lyon County. The can food drive community service project was important to the Teen Club and the club wanted to involve all the students in Lyon County. Therefore, the can food drive project became a competition with Elementary, Middle and High School. The Teen Club decided to increase the number of donations by offering the winning grade in each school a prize. The members of the Teen Club started marketing the community service project with posters in the hallways, creating flyers, and posting on social media. To reach the most people during the hardest time of the year the club members decided to have the food drive the week before the Thanksgiving holiday. The HOPE Food Pantry serves over 150 local families and provides those families with food staples. During the time of can food drive the students at Lyon County Schools donated 1,500 canned food items for the local pantry. The can food drive was successful in more ways than one. During the community service project, the Teen Club members demonstrated loyalty and responsibility when counting the cans, loading cans, and delivering cans to the local food pantry. The Teen Club members also confirmed the importance of being a mentor when influencing the Elementary School 4-H Club officers to advocate for the community service project, they also showed the younger students the importance of hard work when counting the cans every day. The 4-H pledge is something that is stated at the beginning of every club meeting, but the pledge is also a way of life and the direction for members to follow to become valuable citizens. 

4-H Teen Club members deliver donations to local food pantry.