On the eve of 4-H week in White County, the Carmi Kiwanians got a glimpse of some of the talented 4-Hers’ accomplishments at the club’s noon meeting on Thursday, July 6.
Pictured above are the local 4-H members who spoke to the Carmi Kiwanis Club on Thursday, July 6. Left to right, first row, are Grace McCarty, Annsley Healy, Jax Jordan and Ian Mosier; second row, Lane Buchanan, Josie Harrison, Cal York, Joseph Gates and Program Coordinator Amy McCarty.
Eight local 4-H members were the special guests, along with Kiwanis member, and 4-H and Youth Development Program Coordinator Amy McCarty, who spoke about the thriving program’s presence in the county.
“Ninety-six years ago, in 1921, 4-H came into existence in White County with projects such as cooking, sewing and livestock,” said McCarty. “I’m proud to say today those projects are still relevant to our county program, but we are also reaching beyond the traditional, as well. We’re enjoying high enrollment numbers, our clubs are active in community service and continue to make an impact, whether it’s cleaning out flower beds at the local nursing home, placing flags at veterans’ graves in honor of our fallen soldiers on Memorial Day, preparing a sweet treat for seniors around Valentine’s Day or writing cards and letters to soldiers overseas, our members are making a positive impact in our communities.
“We currently have six active clubs in our county: the Grayville Go-Getters, the Crossville Prizewinners, the Centerville Ripsnorters, the Madhatters, Enfield Blue Ribbon and the 76 Clovers of Norris City. We also have a very active shooting sports SPIN (Special Interest) club, Hippology SPIN club and now a White County 4-H Gift Garden SPIN club.”
The 4-H show runs through July 12. Over 150 4-H members are enrolled in over 820 exhibits. Members have worked throughout the year on various projects ranging from cooking to livestock. All exhibits are judged in conference style judging, a method that is becoming foreign to some 4-H members. In conference judging, the members display their projects, are interviewed by a judge and receive a rating on the overall quality of the project and interview.
The ultimate goal for every 4-H member is to be selected Best of Show, State Fair Delegate or Grand Champion.
Jax Jordan, Ian Mosier and Joseph Gates represented the Crossville Prizewinners at the meeting, while Grace McCarty was there from the Grayville Go-Getters, Lane Buchanan from the Centerville Ripsnorters, Cal York and Josie Harrison from the Madhatters, and Annsley Healy from the Enfield Blue Ribbon club.
Mosier wowed the Kiwanians with the recitation of a speech that won him a blue ribbon, a Best of Show award and the right to compete at the state fair. His speech recounted the story of his great, great-grandfather, Norman Hubele, and his near-death experience in the Tri-State tornado of 1925. The speech was told from Norman’s point of view.
The tornado, which ripped through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana on Mar. 18, 1925, killed 695 people and injured 2,027 more, making it the single deadliest tornado in U.S. history. It traveled at approximately 72 miles per hour (comparable to the speed of a train), had wind speeds of over 300 mph, traveled a path of 235 miles and was on the ground for 3 1/2 hours.
Norman was at his parents’ house when he heard the dinner bell ring, an indication of trouble. He rushed to look for his wife, Esther, and two sons, Leroy and Bob, but they were nowhere to be found. As he attempted to run inside his house, wind ripped the door out of his hands, and the next thing Norman knew, he was lying in the middle of a field with rain pelting him in the face.
He looked around and both his home and his parents’ home were gone. Esther woke up in a different field with Leroy and Bob in her arms. Norman had lost his home and his dad had been hit and nearly scalped, but the Hubeles realized they were lucky to still have each other.
Jordan read the PSA he had recorded for WROY/WRUL.
Gates promoted the livestock show and auction, which will feature goats, swine, sheep and cattle. He will show three sheep, two ewes and a wether. Rabbits and chickens will also be auctioned off. He also mentioned the small pet show, horse show, and poultry and rabbit show.
G. McCarty showed a leather wallet that she had made over Christmas break. She is also planning to show goats and a dog, and will have entries in hobbies and collections, sewing and cooking.
Buchanan has a 5-month-old baby calf that he is anxious to show. It’s a black and white Angus heifer and bucket calf. He’ll also be showing projects for sport fishing, sewing, cooking, photography and a vegetable plate.
York showed the Kiwanians a poster he had made about the proper dog food to feed to your furry friends. He will have a presentation on dog obedience featuring his yellow lab. York will also have projects in sport fishing and woodworking.
An intricate knot tie blanket was displayed by Healy, the youngest of all the presenters.
Harrison will be displaying a vegetable plate, along with other projects in cooking and creative writing. She recently participated in the Illini Summer Academy, where 300 students went to the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana and took classes for three days. Harrison learned about communications, microbiology, entymology, plant science, chemistry and physics. Students came from all over Illinois and there were also some from Florida.
Carmi Mayor Jeff Pollard also addressed the Kiwanians prior to the 4-Hers’ presentations. He and newly elected City Clerk Cynthia Attebury were guests of Kiwanian Rickie Pollard, the mayor’s wife.
The mayor updated the civic club on some construction projects that started this week on Main Street. According to Pollard, new street lights will be installed soon. They had originally been purchased for Carmi’s bicentennial celebration, but hadn’t been put up yet because the city had to wait on permits from the Illinois Dept. of Transportation. There will eventually be three streetlights on each side of the street from Church to Main Cross.
Pollard also had some welcome news for the Kiwanians regarding power. The city will soon have electrical plug-ins on both the north and south sides of the street, which will allow more flexibility in where vendors can plug in during Corn Days.
The mayor said he appreciated everyone’s patience as the work progresses.
