Service Learning integrates community needs, intentional learning objectives, and offers a positive rewarding and meaningful experience for youth and adults involved. With that concept in mind, Pendleton County 4-H reached out to the North Central Camp Ground with ideas on service projects that could be completed by youth and volunteers attending the camp with the 2018 District 4-H Middle School Retreat. The camp director suggested replacing the worn and faded window and door curtains for each of the 22 total cabins.

4-H Agent Shelley Meyer worked with Program Assistant Kaye Johnting in spearheading the project. Kaye pre-cut and surged all curtains so that the remaining steps could be completed more efficiently by 4-H members. Shelley worked with the North Central Camp Director to order and purchase the fabric and thread needed. A strategy was developed to determine how curtains should be created (color, size, and number). Camp was broken into four sections of cabins and each section was labeled with a different color. The amount of fabric needed for each section included:

Yellow: 177 yards

Blue: 89 yards

Orange: 164 yards

Purple: 133 yards

This service project served as a class rotation that each participant rotated through at some point during their retreat. By the end of the District 4-H Middle School Retreat, the purple section of curtains were finished, which was nearly one-fourth of the entire project! Next, the District 3 4-H Teen Council used this project to oblige the Serving Learning component at the February 2019 meeting and was able to complete 30 orange curtains.  Two sewing work days with 10 Pendleton County Extension sewing ladies led to the completion of the remaining curtains which further completed the project!  

The scope of this project spans over multiple levels!  On a county level, sewing ladies, were able to dedicate time to something they thoroughly enjoy.  On a district level, 4-H Middle School participants from multiple counties were able to give back to the facility that hosted their retreat.  Additionally, the District 3 4-H Teen Council members were able to participate in service learning, which is a component incorporated in each council meeting.  On a state level, collaborations were made with the North Central Camp Director and Kentucky 4-H Camping State Specialist in initiating some of the first steps.  Furthermore, campers, counselors, agents, and outside groups from all over the state of Kentucky will enjoy the new bright, vibrant, and updated look that the curtains bring the cabins.  A diverse group of individuals participated in this service project consisting of males and females, whites and blacks, and ages 11-82.     

Several Facebook posts were made on behalf of North Central 4-H and Pendleton County 4-H which were further shared by Kentucky 4-H Facebook reaching over 6500 people with multiple shares and comments.  

North Central 4-H Camp March 6 at 4:44 PM ·

All the guest cabins at North Central 4-H Camp have new window curtains!!! A great BIG THANKS to Shelley Wade Meyer for her vision in making our guest cabins more warm and inviting.

Shelley led this service project with the help of Pendleton 4-H volunteers and the participants, agents, and volunteers at the District 1 & 3 Middle School Retreat held at camp in December.

It took many hours of measuring, cutting, ironing, and sewing to make the project happen. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED!!! What's YOUR favorite color?

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North Central 4-H Camp

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