This week is National Volunteer Week!

April 7-13, 2019 is National Volunteer Week!  Be sure to reach out to your 4-H Community Leaders and thank them for all that they do - we could not accomplish any of our programs without them!!

Each year, thousands of 4-H volunteers donate their time and energy to make their communities a better place to live. These volunteers will be among the millions across the country who will be spotlighted during the 43rd anniversary of National Volunteer Week, April 7-13, 2019.

Research conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that 25.3% of adult Americans (62.8 million) volunteered 7.9 billion hours of service worth $184 billion in 2014. In 2018, more than 27,000 adult and youth volunteers contributed countless hours in various capacities to the 4-H youth in their Texas communities. In Travis County, 133 volunteers, both youth and adult, will serve as club leaders, project leaders, committee members, and in advisory capacities for the 4-H Youth Development Program in 2019.

Travis County 4-H Agent, Mellanie Mickelson, states that "without Volunteers, we would not be able to accomplish half of what we do now, particularly in such an urban county as Travis County.  Volunteers are the key to reaching our kids and being everywhere that 4-H needs to be in our county so that our youth have as much support and guidance in setting and achieving their goals as possible." 

Volunteers spend numerous hours working on tasks, such as helping organize an event at the county fair, helping a child with a 4-H project, or leading a project to serve the community.

4-H Program volunteers are just one group of volunteers who are instrumental in carrying out the mission of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Volunteers are involved in every aspect of the Extension Service, including determining the needs of the local residents, planning and implementing programs to address these needs, securing resources, and evaluating programs. Thank you, to all 4-H volunteers for the impact you make on the youth around you.

Adapted by: Callie Henly, Texas 4-H Communications Specialist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 

Adapted from article written by: Mary Jo Williams, State 4-H Youth Development Specialist, University of Missouri