Volunteers play an integral role in the county 4-H program by helping youth develop life skills and building positive relationships with adult role models.  Volunteers help to expand the reach of the Kentucky 4-H program by leading community and after school clubs.  Building relationships with adults who are caring, and that challenge youth's growth is part of the developmental context of the 4-H Thrive Model.  

This spring a parent of a summer camp participant reached out to be a camp counselor at West Kentucky 4-H Camp.  This parent ended up going to camp with Carlisle County and over the course of the next several months became increasingly involved in the county 4-H program.  This speaks volumes to the importance of summer camp as a tool for youth development and its outreach opportunities for the 4-H program as a whole.  

This particular volunteer chaperoned nine youth at camp, volunteered to co-lead fishing class during the day and was a genuinely caring adult role model.  After returning from camp this volunteer began attending county 4-H council as well as leading a community LEGO club where youth are challenged in Science, Engineering, and Technology.  This volunteer has served countless hours already in the time since summer camp and even portrayed Santa Clause at our annual Santa Breakfast 4-H fundraiser.  

Volunteers such as this increase the impact that 4-H agents can have on our communities by being an extra set of helpful hands and serving as leaders that youth admire.  This volunteer has easily impacted 150 or more youth through camp, 4-H outreach programs, and community clubs; not to mention valuable service on the 4-H Council.  I look forward to seeing the continued impact that volunteers will make in 4-H in the long term.