Kane County 4-H gives back before the holidays

Kane County 4-H families gathered for an afternoon of service, collecting toys and supplies for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and writing thank you letters to veterans.

“A foundational part of 4-H is that we ‘pledge our hands to larger service for our club, our community, our country, and our world,’” said 4-H program coordinator Lydia Nickels. “Events like this give our members and their families an opportunity to live out that pledge, as well as spend time with their fellow 4-H’ers.”

More than 100 individual items were collected for youth, age 2 to 18, including board games, books, puzzles, toys, art supplies, baby items, and hygiene items.

Kane County 4-H was one of more than 100 donors who contributed to 1,200 gifts to CASA’s program that reaches more than 650 local children in the foster system.

As part of the day, 4-H’ers also decorated cookies, made paper stars, wrote letters to their future selves, and created mini-winter hat ornaments. The group also created 20 cards for veterans.

To learn more about 4-H in DuPage, Kane, or Kendall counties, visit go.illinois.edu/info4Hdkk.

ABOUT ILLINOIS 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension and administered through the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. 4-H grows true leaders, youth who are empowered for life today and prepared for a career tomorrow. The hands-on approach in 4-H gives young people guidance, tools and encouragement, and then puts them in the driver’s seat to make great things happen. Independent research confirms the unparalleled impact of the 4-H experience, demonstrating that young people are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.