Washakie County 4-H Week begins with pancake breakfast Saturday

WORLAND — The Washakie County 4-H Week begins this Saturday with the annual community pancake breakfast.

Washakie County Extension and 4-H Youth Educator Amber Armajo said last year the breakfast and 4-H week coincided with the Wyoming State Champion Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and Pumpkin Drop at Big Horn Cooperative so they decided to plan their celebration accordingly this year.

The free pancake breakfast, that also includes sausage and a drink, runs from 9-11 a.m. at Big Horn Cooperative in Worland.

In addition to the food, there will also be information on 4-H with sign-ups beginning on Tuesday, and hands-on project exploration stations for youth to do during the breakfast and while people wait for the pumpkin drop.

“The breakfast is two-fold. We want to say thank you to the community for their support and to let people know what 4-H is about,” Armajo said.

Washakie County 4-H Week runs through Oct. 5 with different events each day.

Monday, which is also the first day of homecoming week for Worland High School, is 4-H spirit day, where people in Washakie County are asked to show their 4-H pride by wearing 4-H clover apparel and posting on Facebook or Instagram with the #washakiecounty4h to be entered in a drawing.

Tuesday is the first day for youth ages 8-18 to sign up for 4-H for the 2019-2020 year. The first three people to sign up at 4HOnline will receive a fun gift, Armajo said.

County youth participating in the daily activities are also entered to win prizes at the end of the week.

Wednesday is science day during 4-H week with “4-H Game Changer.”

Youth will have hands-on opportunity to explore computer science in Worland at the Worland Youth Learning Center. They will be at the Ten Sleep Library the following week on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 3:30 p.m. and at the Sonshine Academy on Oct. 9 at 2 p.m.

Thursday is trivia day with trivia questions to be answered on Facebook or Instagram.

Friday 4-H joins with the schools in celebrating homecoming with a float in the homecoming parade Friday afternoon. Youth riding in the float will be entered in the prize drawing.

There are four clubs in Washakie County with 140 members enrolled last year, Armajo said.

The are always looking for new 4-H members and new 4-H leaders or volunteers.

“It’s the volunteers that make our wheels go ‘round. We need volunteers to help teach and inspire our youth,” she said.

While Washakie County celebrates 4-H all next week, the National 4-H Week runs Oct. 6-12 with the theme this year, “Inspire Kids to Do.”

4-H has its history dating back to 1902 when A. B. Graham started a youth program in Clark County, Ohio. T.A. Erickson of Douglas County, Minnesota, started local agricultural after-school clubs and fairs that same year. Jessie Field Shambaugh developed the clover pin with an H on each leaf in 1910, and by 1912 they were called 4H clubs, according to the 4-H website.

The passage of the Smith-Lever Act in 1914 created the Cooperative Extension System at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and nationalized 4H. By 1924, 4H clubs were formed and the clover emblem was adopted, according to the website.