4-H has had a rich history in community service.  Part of the 4-H Pledges is that we “pledge our hands to larger service.”  Engaging youth in a variety of community service opportunities allows them to learn the value of helping other people, lets them build self-esteem from the positive results of service, develop as sense of responsibility and of community, and realized that effective leaders also serve others.

Russell County 4-H embarked on two community service projects this year.  4-H collaborated with the Russell County Schools in the 4^th and 5^th grade 4-H clubs and the Russell County Home School Association club to send holiday cards (1) to military service people stationed overseas through Operation Gratitude, (2) to local nursing home residents, and (3) to local police departments.  The other community service project was conducted in collaboration with the same youth as well as members of the Russell County 4-H Council, Russell Co. Extension District Board, and The Russell County Extension Council.   This project allowed youth to donate shelf-stable food items such as cereal, oatmeal, cereal bars, snack crackers, and snack cakes to cancer patients at Hope Lodge in Lexington, KY.  The adult councils donated paper towels, toilet paper, bottled water, and disinfecting wipes to the cause.  (The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge rents property from the University of Kentucky to allow rural Kentuckians to reside there while undergoing cancer treatments.)  

Over 550 youth and adults participated in the service projects.  Over 200 holiday cards traveled around the globe with Christmas care packages.  The product donation to the cancer patients totaled over $400 in value.  The engagement and generosity of the youth exceed the expectations.  Notes were received from Operation Gratitude acknowledging the outstanding effort by the 4-H members to send so many cards to the soldiers.  The local nursing home recreational director and police officers expressed their verbal appreciation for being remembered and thanked for their service.  Hope Lodge residents expressed their gratitude for the generosity of the young people to reach out to others.