According to an article in the Corporation for National and Community Service, volunteering provides the following 15 benefits to our lives:

1. Builds Community 

2. Ends Loneliness 

3. Increases Socializing 

4. Builds Bonds, Creates Friends 

5. Develops Emotional Stability 

6. Improves Self-Esteem 

7. Helps Those Most Affected By Mental Illness 

8. Promotes Longevity 

9. Reduces Risk of Alzheimer’s 

10. Leads to Graceful Aging 

11. Provides Exercise

12. Improves School and College Experience 

13. Provides Better Job Prospects 

14. Develops Corporate Communities 

15. Volunteering Adds Fun to Your Years 

Barren County 4-H is fortunate to have many wonderful volunteers to reap these benefits. A total of thirty Barren County 4-H volunteers received awards at the 2018 KY 4-H Volunteer Forum: Outstanding Certified Horse Volunteer, T.E.A.M Award Recipients, Outstanding Feltner Adult Award, Outstanding Feltner Teen Award and tweleve 10 Year 4-H Members (the highest number in the state)

At the 2018 Kentucky 4-H Volunteer Forum, one of the five State Conrad Feltner 4-H Outstanding Adult Leader Award recipients was from Barren County. The following information was stated in her application on the impact of 4-H on her life: ”Since my involvement began in the 4-H program, I have been privileged to meet and become good friends with dozens of wonderful adults and youth from all over Kentucky, United States and world. 4-H has assisted with my attitude toward change. Youth today look at things differently and I have learned to look and accept their views. My self-confidence has increased dramatically in front of a group of people. This new self-confidence can be seen in my career, as well as my non-4-H community activities. 

Through my 4-H experiences as a volunteer with various committees teaching and leadership responsibilities, I feel that I have become a better all around individual. The essential mission of a 4-H leader is to serve others. When we can take this message and apply it to our daily lives we naturally become a stronger individual. Being a 4-H leader helps me gain and practice the skills that other people spend years and money to obtain. I have become more involved with the people in my community, accepted more leadership roles, and spent more time with my children. A great satisfaction comes from giving back to the 4-H program and the community!"