Since May 30, Samantha Payne has served as the interim 4-H Extension Educator for Fillmore County, working at her office in the Fillmore County office building on Houston Street. As of September 26, the word “interim” has been removed from her title, and she says she’s eager to work in this role for a good, long time.
In describing her background, Samantha stated, “I grew up on a corn and soybean farm in western Minnesota. I was active in helping my dad and uncle in the operation of the farm.” Later, she attended college at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, graduating with a double major of Ag Business and Ag Engineering Technology, and a minor in Crop Science. As if that weren’t enough to keep her busy during college, she also was active in a number of service organizations, as well as tutoring and working as a teacher’s aide. During her final semester, she worked as a substitute paraprofessional for a school district. Now, she brings that high-energy approach to Fillmore County 4-H.
In describing the transition from an “interim” position to her permanent role, Samantha said, “As the interim educator, I was basically just keeping the ship afloat.” She said that she doesn’t have any plans for drastic changes now that she’s in her permanent role, but she hopes to help grow Fillmore County’s 4-H program, and help the county’s citizens understand what 4-H does.
According to Samantha, Fillmore County 4-H currently has about 350 kids participating, and roughly 160 adults, so just over 500 in total participation. Youth in kindergarten through one year past high school are eligible to participate in 4-H, either for short-term programs, or ongoing involvement. She added, “4-H isn’t meant just for kids who live on farms. We have plenty of opportunities for those that live in town as well. We have projects ranging from Home Economics to Crafts to Food Science, as well as we have a Lease program that allows kids to lease from those families that do have farms, and keep their animals there but still learn how to care for them.”
There are 10 local 4-H clubs within the county, in Chatfield, Harmony, Lanesboro, Mabel, Peterson, Preston, Racine, Rushford, Spring Valley, and Wykoff. “But all that’s required in order to start a new local 4-H club is a minimum of three families and five kids,” so if anyone lives where there isn’t a 4-H club, she encourages them to enquire about starting one. Samantha also pointed out, “4-H isn’t just a growing opportunity for the youth. It’s also a growing opportunity for adults, and we’re always welcoming new volunteers. They don’t have to be parents.
According to Samantha, 4-H funding is largely through fundraisers and donations. She explained, “Our largest fundraiser is the Gold Card fundraiser which the kids do in the spring. It is a card that has discounts for businesses around the county.” The next biggest funding source for the county chapter, she said, is direct donations from individuals and organizations throughout the county.
October will be a busy and exciting month for 4-H, as Samantha shared that October 6-12 is National 4-H Week, with this year’s theme being, “Inspire Kids to Do.” Other events this month include Annual Federation Meeting/Family Fun Night, October 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fillmore County Fairgrounds. This event will include a potluck meal, movie, bonfire, and officer elections. 4-H also encourages any new members to join before October 31, although new members are welcomed anytime. There is no fee for joining 4-H, although certain optional adventures and clinics may have a small fee to cover the cost of supplies.
Most people associate 4-H with showing animals at county and state fairs, and that is a part of 4-H. But some additional 4-H programs and projects that are perhaps lesser-known include Expressive Arts & Communication, Shooting Sports & Wildlife, Photography, Wood & Metal Shop, Flower Gardening, and many more. A national study by Tufts University found that 4-H participants have better grades, are more engaged with school, are more likely to see themselves going to college, and are less likely to engage in risky behaviors. Samantha encourages anyone interested to contact her at (507) 765-3896 or payne278@umn.edu.
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