Activity: Food drive for Faith Lutheran Church Community Food Pantry
Club: Clarks Mills Good Sports 4-H Club — Manitowoc County
Date of Activity: April 8, 2014
Number of people who worked on project: 34 youth; 3 adults
Number of hours: 2 hour per person
Club members collect 147 non-perishable food items to donate to the Faith Lutheran Church Community Food Pantry that serves approximately 30 families in our local community. Box meals were a major need and over half of our donations were box meals. Other donations included canned goods and cleaning and paper products.
The families served by the Faith Lutheran Church Community Food Pantry depend on these donations to feed their family. The food pantry gets many donations over the holidays, but after the holidays donations decline considerably. By having a food drive in the spring, we help replenish the food pantry after its supplies have been depleted so that families continue to receive the food they need so their children do not go hungry at night.
4-H members learn to be sensitive to the needs in our local community and that everyone donating a small amount can add up to a big impact. This project was selected by the 4-H club members. They were able to identify a need in our community, work with another organization to meet a common goal, and contribute as a group to meet their goal of “100 food items for 100 years”.
Activity: Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin boxed lunch auction
Club: Clarks Mills Good Sports 4-H Club — Manitowoc County
Date of Activity: February 11, 2014
Number of people who worked on project: 33 youth
Number of hours: 1 hour per person
Their story:
“Club members hosted a box lunch auction with all the proceeds going to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in honor of Cody Otto-Stahl, a brother to club members Brett and Brad Otto-Stahl. Cody has had multiple visits and surgeries at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Club members packed a lunch that included at minimum a sandwich, chips, dessert, and drink. Club members packed the lunches in decorated boxes or bags and then auctioned them off to each other without disclosing the exact contents of the lunch.
Donations to Children’s Hospital are critical to helping serve every child and family, and has the potential to impact countless lives. This support helps fund hospital programs, from research and critical care for the sickest kids and babies, to community initiatives designed to keep kids healthy. Achieving the vision of Wisconsin’s children being the healthiest in the nation is not possible without the generosity of the local community. The family of Cody Otto-Stahl was also appreciative of the club recognizing them and making the donation in honor of Cody.
4-H club members responded with concern, empathy, and a desire to help when they became aware of Cody’s multiple visits to Children’s Hospital and his ongoing medical issues. Having a box lunch auction was a fun way for club members to raise money for a great cause that was close to each of them. 4-H members discovered that everyone working together and donating a small amount can add up to a big impact. This project was selected by the 4-H club members because of their interest in helping families like the Otto-Stahls that have a child that requires special medical attention or continued medical support. 4-Hers learned how children and families directly benefit from their donations and helped raised their awareness of those that have more advanced medical needs.”
Activity: American Red Cross Blood Drive
Club: Clarks Mills Good Sports 4-H Club — Manitowoc County
Date of Activity: June 11, 2013
Number of people who worked on project: 31 youth; 22 adults
Number of hours: 10 hours
Clarks Mills Good Sports 4-H Club hosted a blood drive through the American Red Cross. Youth could earn prizes by recruiting donors since most club members were too young to donate blood. A total of 20 pints of blood were donated. Club members were involved in the following areas of the blood drive:
- Recruit donors before the event
- Wear blood drop costumes and recruit donors day of event
- Unload Red Cross truck
- Help set up for blood drive
- Make snacks for donors
- Run canteen during blood drive
- Provide babysitting for donors
- Help with registration
- Make sure donors are comfortable and get them snacks while they wait
- Help Load Red Cross truck at end of blood drive
Each pint of blood donated has the potential to save up to three lives, therefore, 60 lives could be saved by the blood donations collected at the Clarks Mills Good Sports 4-H Club Blood Drive.
Kristen Eben, a mom to three of our club members, has had her life saved two different times thanks to blood donations. Club members learned first-hand how important blood donation is and that people we know have benefited from it. Our club felt the hosting a blood drive was a way to support our community, be a part of something where everybody wins, feel good about helping others, and SAVE LIVES.
