Gift of Compassion
This year we decided to do something to show our gratitude towards the person who makes all this possible, Marry Louise, our wonderful 4-H leader of leaders. Mary Louise is the kind of truly inspirational person that you only meet once in a lifetime. She enriches the lives of every 4-Her that she comes in contact with. When we first moved to Wyoming, and I was lonely and felt isolated, Mary Louise helped me to find a mentor to work with so that I could pursue my interest in geology. Recently, Mary Louise's husband fell gravely ill, yet she still gave us her time and invested in all of us as though our issues were more important than hers. Our club noticed how much travelling she had to do to go back and forth to the hospital to visit her husband, and we decided to try to make her life a little bit easier. We gave her a travel pack/organizer for her car to ease her journeys. The gift contained snacks, cleaning supplies, toiletry items, and a 4-H expandable organizer to go with it, some of which is pictured in the picture to the left.
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Buckets of Joy
Each year, our club tries to put together some kind of gift basket or treats for either the young or the elderly. This year, we made Easter buckets for kids who were spending the holiday in the hospital. Our club bought small games, craft items and coloring materials, and the members donated candy and made special cards to go in the buckets. We had a lot of fun and, hopefully, we brightened some kid's day.
Murdoch's BBQ Fundraiser
One of my favorite ways to volunteer for 4-H is to participate in the Murdoch's barbecues which happen a couple of times a year. Burgers and soda are only $.25 each, and the event is a nice way to provide the community with great food while making money that will enable 4-H to offer its great programs and learning opportunities. I volunteered twice this year, and we were fortunate enough to have great weather both times. I usually help assemble and wrap the burgers alongside my mom. The work is fast-paced and back-breaking, but it is also fun to be able to get the job done. And, of course, the best part of all is that Murdoch's gives 4-H all of the money from the cookout.
Growing a Love for Nature
For the last 5 years, I have been spending the summer in the Community Garden here in Laramie, first as a participant in the Kids' Gardening Club, and now as a a volunteer mentor and worker. My work in the garden helped me to fall in love with both teaching and growing things, and I love being able to impart my passion for nature, particularly plants, to others. Every year, just as I have grown, the garden has grown as well. The growing season is very short here, and this year the weather (late snows, hail, tons of thunder storms) has complicated matters even more. In addition to the Community Garden, Trish Penney of the Laramie Rivers Conservation District also maintains all of the gardens at the local schools and runs the education program. I enjoy helping her whenever and wherever she needs it. One of the most special things about volunteering this year is that my little sister is finally old enough to be a part of the garden club. It's been fun teaching her and watching her enjoy nature.
Labonte Park
Will You Be My Valentine?
For the first time since we've lived in Laramie, the homeschool group decided to have a Valentine's day shindig at the library. It was the first time that my sister had ever received a Valentine's Day card. In any case, while we were preparing for the party and I was basking in the anticipation of friendship, I thought that it would be very nice if we could share that same joy with others. So, we decided to call the senior center here and offered to make valentines for the people who were members of the Meals on Wheels program. The woman that we spoke to said she thought that there were only 30 or so participants, but when we called back to talk to the coordinator, we discovered that there were 88 people on the list! Thus began the card-o-rama. We spent the better part of a week thinking of corny puns about friendship and love, and making cards. The 4-H carnival was happening at the same time (see the 4-H section), so we were super busy. We never found out if the Meals on Wheels participants liked their cards, but I like to think we brightened many strangers' day.