4-H members recognized for efforts

FARMINGTON – Club members from around the County came together on Friday, Nov. 17 to celebrate the efforts of their Club members. This is the annual 4-H Awards Ceremony where the members are recognized for their outstanding efforts in project areas and in the community. Tara Marble was welcomed to Franklin County as the newest member of the 4-H team; Tara is the new 4-H Professional for Franklin County. Volunteers were also recognized; Lois King and Teresa Hardy received the 4-H Alumni Award, Lily Bagley received the Rookie Leader of the Year Award, and Judy Smith thanked all of the Club Leaders for their hard work and time spent investing in the youth enrolled in the Program.

Two of Franklin County’s Senior Members, Faith and Andrew Dexter, gave a presentation on their experience as part of the Maine 4-H Delegation for Citizenship Washington Focus, a week spent in Washington, D.C. learning about our government, attending workshops, meeting with their Representatives and touring our national monuments and museums.

4-H stands for Head, Heart, Health and Hands. The 4-H Pledge encourages members to pledge their hands “…to larger service…” and in recognition of their efforts in serving their community, the Doe-C-Doe Dairy Goat Club was awarded the Community Service Award for the 2016-2017 Program Year.

Seven of the County Clubs chose members to receive the Clover Pride Award. These members are chosen based on their efforts to “Make the Best Better” within themselves and others thus proving that they can make a difference.

Among the many project pins and Blue Ribbon awards that night, Franklin County also awarded National Medals. These Medals are the Achievement Medal, Agriculture Medal, Citizenship Medal, and the Leadership Medal. These Medals are earned by members who show outstanding efforts in three or more project areas over the course of the Program Year. This year’s recipients were:

National Achievement Medal – Samantha Davis, Andrew Dexter, Caleb Mulcahy, Mason Rowe
National Agriculture Medal – Jason Bagley, Samantha Davis, Faith Dexter, Amberleigh Smith
National Citizenship Medal – Gryphin Bragg, Faith Dexter, Hannah Mulcahy, Amberleigh Smith
National Leadership Medal – Andrew Dexter, Faith Dexter, Alexis Meisner, Noah Mulcahy

Franklin County has such an amazing group of young people enrolled in the 4-H Program. If you are interested in Robotics, Forestry, Arts/Crafts, Shooting Sports, Livestock or anything in between…we would love to have you be part of this empowering Youth Development Program. All youth between the ages of 5 to 18 are encouraged to enroll. Contact the County Extension Office at 800-287-1478 or stop in at 138 Pleasant Street, Suite 1 in Farmington, Maine for more information.