Community makes Pierce County 4

Members of the B's and G's 4-H Club paint stained glass acrylic artwork at a May workshop at Nebraska Extension in Pierce County.

"…for my club, my community, my country and my world."

Each piece of the above portion of the 4-H pledge holds special meaning to the Pierce County 4-H program. Members of Pierce County 4-H are learning what it means "to make the best better" within their clubs, the larger community and beyond.

Pierce County has eight 4-H clubs. Every year, approximately 200 4-H youth members enroll. This includes more than 30 cloverbuds, youth members between the ages of 5 to 7 years old.

Terri Polt, center, instructs Pierce County 4-H members how to sew.

Ann Fenton, extension educator of food and nutrition and health at Nebraska Extension in Pierce County, said that new families are joining Pierce County 4-H all the time, including multiple fourth-generation 4-H families.

"An incredible part is that alumni are coming back with their kids," Fenton said. Moreover, some of these alumni live at other states and are choosing to participate in 4-H in Pierce County.

Summer intern and 4-H member Sara Thomsen teaches a 4-H member how to sew a bag at a workshop at Nebraska Extension in Pierce County.

The staff at Nebraska Extension in Pierce County works together to ensure successful programming. This includes Fenton; Julie Schultz, 4-H educator for both Pierce and Wayne Counties; Terri Polt, office manager; and Brittany Koperski, 4-H assistant.

Koperski began her position in October 2022. She remarked how Pierce rallies behind its 4-H program.

"Since starting, I have really noticed the community helping out," said Koperski.

Pierce County collaborates with surrounding county extension offices for school programs and 4-H workshops. This summer, Wayne and Pierce Counties will host joint rocketry and wood burning workshops. Madison County extension educator Wayne Ohnesorg will teach entomology and bee hotel workshops for Pierce and other counties, as well.

"We have a huge base of knowledge because of all the people we work with," Fenton said.

Quilts of Valor is a special project for Pierce County 4-H members. Veterans Gene Buss, far left, and Bill Stonacek, far right, received quilts from Emily and Natalie Endorf in 2022.

The larger community is also instrumental in the success of the 4-H program at Pierce County. During the county fair, which will be July 26-30, Farm Credit Services treats 4-H’ers to root beer floats. Farmers Pride and Michael Foods each provide a breakfast. Local businesses also contribute towards the trophies and other prizes to recognize the 4-H members’ achievements. The FFA instructors are all helping out at the fair, as well.

"Truthfully, that's the highlight of my county—we have such great community support," said Fenton.

Because of the community, Pierce County 4-H can do "amazing things." Liquidation Popup, a consignment business in Pierce, has offered supplies for multiple projects throughout the years. This year's fairy garden workshop will include décor from Liquidation Popup and potting soil from Magdanz Hardware, all at the lowest price possible.

Last year, about 125 pillows with raven fabric covers became a multi-county project. The fabric was sewn into quilts by the mother of a Pierce County 4-H Council member and then donated to an Indian reservation in South Dakota. The pillow forms were used by surrounding counties for Sewing for Fun projects. Some of the counties then donated finished pillows as a community service project.

Fenton thanked Tim and Kim Lohrberg and Pam Flesner of Liquidation Popup for their significant support of the 4-H program, adding, "We have been so lucky."

At an upcoming workshop in June, 4-H’ers will assemble jean blankets from denim jeans cut by Marian Wieman, Fenton's mother. She cut two boxes of jeans into quilt squares during the COVID shutdown. They are hoping to make 10 jean blankets.

The 4-H members have taken this spirit of giving and contributed back to their community. They honor those who have served their country by making Quilts of Valor. Adult volunteers help the youth construct the quilts. Twenty-one quilts have been given to local veterans.

The final piece of the 4-H Pledge challenges youth to make an impact on a global scale. Pierce County 4-H is looking at the world from a little different aspect this summer at the Pancakes around the World Workshop. Youth will learn how different cultures make pancakes, including crepes, blitzes and Welsh pancakes.

"Basically, they are the same except the grains change," Fenton said. Ingredients such as bran, rice, corn or potatoes are substituted for the flour used in "regular" American pancakes.

Youth will also learn different techniques to cook pancakes and conduct an experiment to see what happens if ingredients are incorrect. Fenton said that a pancake is simply batter over heat of some sort. For example, a Dutch baby is baked in an oven instead of on a stovetop.

The 4-H members in Pierce County are gaining experience in their clubs, supported by their community, serving their country and learning about their world. None of this would be possible without the generous people of Pierce County.

"Amazing people support this program in whatever way they can," said Fenton.

Reporter Kristen Sindelar has loved agriculture her entire life, coming from a diversified farm with three generations working side-by-side in northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at [email protected].

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Agriculture Reporter

Reporter Kristen Sindelar has loved agriculture her entire life, coming from a diversified farm with three generations working side-by-side in northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at [email protected].

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