It is the Thought That Counts

Community Service Learning is a form of experiential learning in which youth apply the subject matter they are learning along with critical thinking skills to address genuine community needs. When youth are involved in selecting and planning such efforts, and have structured time to reflect, talk, and write about the actual service activity they are performing the youth learn more, they become more confident about what they have learned, they improve in problem-solving ability, their leadership and social abilities improve, they take more enjoyment in the overall learning experience, they retain the subject matter longer, and they are more likely to volunteer to serve the community in the future. These statements are based on decades of experience and research from the University of Utah.

Community Service is a very important aspect of the Barren County 4-H program. During the Pandamic many of the nursing home residents could not have visitors for over a year.  In December, the Barren County 4-H Program team up with the Barren County Homemakers for a Festival of Giving.  The program is always a success as over more than 300 items are donated to a state nursing facility.  Many of the residents have been at the facility for over 25 years and never received a visitor. Our organizations provide Holiday gifts so the residents will have something to open during the Holiday Season.  This year, we were told that the residents were overjoyed to receive a gift because due to Panademic mandates that had not been allowed out of their rooms since March.

 In honor of Valentine’s Day the 4-H Teen Club in conjunction with the Mammoth Cave Area 4-H Teen Program decided to add some cheer by giving homemade Valentine’s  to nursing home residents.  Since we were not allowed to meet for a workshop, the 4-H Teens had a Zoom meeting to work on their strategy to get as many cards made as possible. Information was delivered through newsletters, social media, posters, mass media, one-call and word of mouth.  In one week, the 4-H Teen club delivered 400 homemade Valentines to three nursing home facilities . The residents were so excited.  One Nurse commended on the many smiles and that she was only allowed to touch the cards to tape them up in the rooms where the residents could see them.  They are already making plans to include the other nursing facilities and Meals on Wheels for future card celebrations.  These 4-H’ers found out “it is the thought that counts!!!”