The 4-H pledge was written in 1927 and, with today's 4-Hers, it still stands true. It is recited at nearly every 4-H meeting.
"I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living for my club, my community, my country, and my world."
These keys words—head, heart, hands, and health—represent the four leaves in the 4-H clover.
In mid-June, over 50 teenagers from Southwest Missouri put into practice the third leaf, "my hands...to better living for my... community" when they opted to spend an extra day at 4-H Teen Camp to help spruce up three cabins at Camp Smokey which is located in Roaring River State Park near Cassville.
This volunteerism actually started in 2009 when 4-H campers decided to give an extra day to clean up the park. That year they picked up trash and debris at the park.
This year the kids helped spruce up the very cabins they stayed in at 4-H camp. Armed with paint and brushes, they painted three cabins, both inside and out.
Greg Vangunda, Seneca, helped paint the outside of Cabin #3. He said there were some more experienced painters who "cut in" around the windows and doors, but 4-H volunteers did the broad strokes of painting with brush and roller. Also on the work day, the kids also painted the bunk beds from inside the cabins.
Vangunda was attending 4-H Teen Camp for the fourth year, three as a regular and this year as a counselor.
Hannah Kuhn, also from Seneca, has attended the 4-H Teen Camp for several years. Just a sophomore in high school, she has been a counselor for the last three years.
Kuhn is happy to perform "community services." She explained that the Seneca Future Farmers of America(FFA) have a section of highway they keep free of debris. She helps with that and last year's trash pickup at Roaring River was an extension of her "my hands to larger service."
According to Kuhn, the 4-H group's painting and cleanup effort was just another way they can carry out their pledge. "We do it just to help out," she said.
The 4-H teen campers gave over 150 hours of service back to Camp Smokey and Roaring River State Park. They also gave up a day of their lives so they could truly give their "hands to larger service."
The donation of time and sweat was well worth the privilege of attending camp at Roaring River. This year's camp concentrated on water activities. The campers fished, hiked, swam in the pool, and learned to scuba dive along with their normal 4-H camp activities.
Eight 4-Hers from McDonald and Newton County volunteered their "hands" for this year's service project. From McDonald County were Annie DuMond, Taylor Helm, Emily Jones, and Emily Paul. Newton County 4-Hers who helped were Zack Ezell, Hannah Kuhn, Kimberly Parker, and Greg Vangunda.
