By Janet Rodekohr
University of Georgia
If you bleed 4-H green, you won’t want to miss the 4-H Centennial
Gala at the Westin Buckhead Hotel Aug. 14 in Atlanta.
Alumni, donors and friends of 4-H will celebrate 100 years of
Georgia 4-H with a special evening of entertainment, a silent
auction and fine dining. The 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award will
be presented, too.
Georgia 4-H traces its roots to Boys’ Corn Clubs in Newton County
in 1904. County school superintendent G.C. Adams organized the
club for 151 members in Covington, Ga. At the same time, a black
teacher, P.D. Johnson, planted demonstration corn plots to teach
the sons of black farmers.
Girls soon became part of garden clubs, tomato clubs and canning
clubs. The 4-H name, emblem, pledge and motto all evolved from
similar youth education programs nationwide over the next 10
years.
4-H became the youth program of the Cooperative Extension Service
when it was begun under the Smith-Lever Act in 1914.
Big changes
“I think both Mr. Adams and Mr. Johnson would be proud of today’s
4-H program. But they probably wouldn’t recognize it,” said Bo
Ryles, state 4-H program leader with the University of Georgia
Extension Service.
“4-H started out teaching farm kids how to raise crops and
livestock and prepare nutritious meals. Today, Georgia’s 180,000
4-H’ers come from all areas of Georgia, urban and rural,” Ryles
said.
“They concentrate on building life skills such as leadership,
character and citizenship,” he said. “Today’s 4-H’ers are helping
the 4-H staff, county agents and volunteers design a dynamic
youth program for the second century of 4-H.”
Big celebration
The Centennial Gala will feature Clovers & Co., a nationally
acclaimed performing group of about 40 Georgia 4-H’ers. They will
show off their musical talents singing the praises of 4-H.
Walter Reeves, Georgia gardening guru and a former 4-H’er and
county extension agent, will host the special evening.
Tickets are $100. Corporate sponsors can reserve a table at the
gold, silver or bronze levels. Tickets are available through the
Georgia 4-H Foundation at (706) 542-8914. Or buy them on-line at
Big goal
Silent-auction items include guitars autographed by professional
musicians, original artwork vacation packages and many others.
The goal is to raise $100,000 to support 4-H scholarships,
facilities and programs. Check out silent-auction items on the
4-H Foundation Web site.
To learn more about the gala or 4-H in Georgia or your county,
visit the Georgia 4-H Web site at
(Janet Rodekohr is a news editor and marketing specialist with
the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences.)
