4-H Spring Clover Campaign Starts April 23

Submitted by Thurston County Extension 4-H

The National 4-H Council will launch its fourth annual Spring Paper Clover Campaign on Wednesday, April 23. The 4-H Paper Clover campaigns raise thousands of dollars for local 4-H programs in Thurston County and across the country.

Each year in the fall and spring, the National 4-H Council teams up with Tractor Supply Company and Del’s Feed and Farm Supply stores to raise money for local 4-H programs with the sale of paper clovers for a donation of $1 or more at checkout. In Thurston County, the Del’s Feed and Farm Supply stores in Olympia and Yelm will sell the paper clovers from April 23 through May 4, with 65 percent of the funds raised at the two stores going directly to fund 4-H programs in Thurston County. As in years past, 5 percent of Paper Clover proceeds raised in Thurston County will go to the statewide 4-H office in Pullman, and 30 percent will go to the National 4-H Council.

“We are so grateful for the support our friends at the Olympia Del’s store and the Yelm Del’s store,” said Thurston County 4-H Program Assistant Patt O’Neil. “We’ve partnered with them each year for our clover campaigns, and they are just so supportive of the kids and the 4-H programs. They have been instrumental in helping Thurston County 4-H be one of the top paper clover fundraisers in the country.”

This year, Thurston County Commissioners helped kick off the Spring Paper Clover Campaign by inviting local 4-Her Emily Hadley to show a video she made about her years in the Thurston County 4-H program. Emily created the video as part of her high school graduation project. Thurston County Commissioners were impressed by Emily’s film and editing skills, as well as her touching story of how her local 4-H programs have made a positive impact on her life and other young people in Thurston County.

“It’s quite clear that Emily is a rising star in our community. She showed such poise and leadership today with her presentation and with the video,” said Thurston County Commissioner Sandra Romero. “Emily is a perfect example of how much impact our 4-H programs can have on our kids and in our community.”

The Thurston County 4-H program is a partnership between the private, non-profit National 4-H Council, the Washington State University Extension program, and Thurston County government. What started as a handful of agricultural clubs for youth in the late 1800s and early 1900s has grown into a community of 442 members supporting 89 clubs in Thurston County, and 6 million young people across America learning about agricultural techniques, technology and research through practical “hands-on” learning.  The national 4-H organization is a unique partnership of the National 4-H Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than 100 land-grant universities across the country, and more than 3,000 county offices that form the land-grant university Cooperative Extension System.

To learn more about the Thurston County 4-H Fall Paper Clover Campaign, or to find out more about the WSU Thurston County Extension 4-H programs and membership, visit http://thurston.wsu.edu or call (360) 867-2151. WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination.