Soup Supper is coming up on Saturday

Editor’s note: The Del Norte 4-H column will appear every four weeks.

Hi, my name is Christine Jones. I and other 4-H members and leaders will be submitting an article every month about what is going on in 4-H.

The first part of this month’s article is kind of a rundown of what 4-H is. The last part deals with Saturday’s annual Soup Supper and Country Auction, the organization’s only countywide fundraiser of the year.

‘Learning by doing’

4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization.  There are more than 6 million 4-H youth in urban neighborhoods, suburban schoolyards and rural farming communities. The organization helps youth to meet the diverse challenges of today’s society and brings together youth and adults to design programs that will teach skills for living.

4-H upholds the theme of “learning by doing.” It reaches people in their own neighborhoods with delivery methods suitable to their needs.

The 4-H program is a voluntary, non-formal, educational program offered to all boys and girls regardless of race, color, national origin, place of residence, or handicap. The California 4-H program is conducted by University of California.

Young people in 4-H learn about citizenship, leadership, cooking, arts and crafts, mechanics and technology, horticulture, agriculture and other subjects. To teach young people about these subjects, the 4-H program uses the learn-by-doing method of instruction.

The 4-H project that each member selects according to interest and ability is the program’s cornerstone. A 4-H project is a practical, but challenging, planned course of activity. Projects involve setting goals and evaluating progress. The skills and knowledge learned in 4-H project work help members become more productive individuals and citizens.

4-H members participate in regular meetings with their local clubs. Most 4-H clubs take part in county fairs each year. Because of the educational concepts and methods developed by pioneers, the 4-H program has thrived for more than 100 years.

WHY Conference

Recently nine sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade 4-H’ers and two 4-H leaders attended the 4-H WHY Conference in Mineral, Calif.  WHY stands for Why Help Youth, and is held annually in Northern California.

After arriving at camp all the 4-H members made visual resumes, ate dinner and checked into their cabins. The next day the 4-H’ers attended various workshops, including duck tape wallets, wind powered energy, paper airplanes and online record books.

All who attended participated in a community service project making birdhouse ornaments for the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C.

Our 4-H’ers participated in campfire skits and various activities. Saturday night ended with a dance.  

Soup supper and auction

4-H Soup Supper and Country Auction is held annually on the first Saturday in November.  Various soups are donated by local restaurants and made by 4-H volunteers.

This year’s soups include: clam chowder, chicken noodle, cream of broccoli, lentil, goat stew and chili. Along with soup we also serve vegetables, bread and butter and a wide variety of desserts.

This year’s soup supper will be Saturday at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds. Soup will be served from 5 to 7 p.m.  A silent auction starts at 5 p.m. and the live auction at 6:30 pm.  

For more information call 464-4711.