Spencer County 4-H Council had the task of creating an outside the box banquet for 2019-2020 program year.  Even though 2020 was quite the different year, Spencer County 4-H shined on the local, area, district, and state levels.  As a group, we did not want those youth not be recognized due to the world wide pandemic.   Therefore the Council’s Banquet Committee came up with the plan of a virtual banquet.

All five of the 2019-2020 4-H club leaders and three teens, along with the agent, recorded segments with the dedication and in-kind services of GreenHill Productions, GHP, at their studio.   GHP also put the video of the virtual banquet together, by editing, adding in pictures and graphics.  The in-kind donation would have been around $4,000 to produce, so Spencer County 4-H is grateful for their service and the Virtual Banquet would not have been possible without them.

Over 150 youth and volunteers were recognized throughout the Virtual Banquet and each received the normal banquet awards as in years past.  This year though all members and volunteers received 4-H masks.  A volunteer stuffed award bags with individual awards, labeled individuals sealed bags, and included a program in each of them.   This process took her two days to complete, but without her this portion of the banquet would not have been achieved.   

The 2019-2020 Virtual Banquet was released on YouTube through the newly created Spencer County Extension Office Chanel on the first Friday in February 2021.  Yes it was later than normal, but better late than never quickly became the 4-H Council’s Banquet Committees Theme.   According to YouTube the video had over 134 views with 100% peopling liking the video.   Many families watched the banquet together and even shared pictures with the Agent and Volunteers.

The following Monday, the Banquet Committee along with the Agent and Program Assistant hosted a banquet awards drive thru where families picked up their awards.  One family even brought enough hot chocolate for the group as a thank you to everyone for putting all of this together and being in the cold elements. There were a few awards that were not picked up that evening and they were mailed to the members.  

Even though the 2019-2020 Virtual Spencer County 4-H Banquet was different than any other in the past, yet members and volunteers were still recognized for their outstanding work and accomplishments for this program year.  This banquet took a lot more hours to plan, finalize, and implement than an in person banquet, but seeing the youth and volunteers smile with their awards made it totally worth it.