In the winter of 2023, Licking County 4-H member Kinsey Duzan was searching for a way to give back to the 4-H community that has given so much to her over the years. With the holidays quickly approaching and the feeling of festive cheer in the air, Duzan and her mom noticed the demand for Christmas trees and decorations, sparking the idea to host a Christmas Tree Fundraiser in support of the Licking County 4-H program.
Duzan and her parents contacted their county Extension office and quickly got to work putting their plan into action. Over the next couple of months, they purchased three artificial Christmas trees, as well as themed ornaments and decorations to go with each tree. Then, marketing and promotion for the event began.
“Finding the trees and décor ended up being the easy part,” said Duzan, but with help from her family, 4-H advisors, and community supporters, the project quickly came to life
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“My mom helped me write and mail letters to members of our community promoting the event, my dad assisted with a lot of the advertising, and a family friend created the promotional flyer,” she said. “The Licking County Extension staff, particularly Lisa McCutcheon and Adrienne Anderson, also helped to make sure everything went smoothly. I certainly would not have been able to do this without everyone’s help.”
“When Kinsey approached me with this idea to raise money for the Licking County 4-H Program, I realized that she had set some big goals for herself—but I also knew without a doubt that she would put in the effort and time to make it happen,” said Lisa McCutcheon, Extension educator for 4-H in Licking County. “We are beyond thankful for the support that Kinsey has provided to the 4-H program in Licking County.”
Duzan was also excited to receive encouragement from local schools and businesses. “Our teachers, administrators, and principals allowed us to promote the fundraiser at school events, and companies like Tractor Supply and Ace Hardware let us promote the fundraiser outside their stores. The most difficult part was doing so outside in 30-degree weather. It was chilly but it was worth it!”
The event culminated with three winners being selected at the 2024 Licking County 4-H 
Banquet in November and a grand total of $9,580 raised to benefit the Licking County 4-H program.
“4-H has opened so many doors for me over the years, and I’m excited that this money will be used to help future 4-H’ers have the same experiences I’ve had,” said Duzan. “Without 4-H, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to attend National 4-H Congress or develop important leadership and public speaking skills and would never have met half the friends I have today.”
Duzan is particularly excited to know that some of the proceeds from her Christmas Tree Fundraiser will be going towards the Licking County 4-H shooting sports program. She began taking shooting sports projects four years ago and has gone on to compete at state, national, and international shooting sports competitions, including the USA Shooting National Championship & Olympic Trials where she placed eleventh in the junior women division.
“I didn’t really mind what the money from the event was used for as long as it benefitted 4-H, but I hoped some would go towards shooting sports programming because I’m so passionate about it,” she said. “The first time I shot a gun was at 4-H camp, so I was thrilled when Lisa told me the funds would indeed be helping shooting sports in Licking County.”
“Kinsey is an outstanding young lady, who is just as gifted in the area of shooting sports as she is in kindness!” said McCutcheon. “When you meet her, it is quickly apparent that Kinsey has a heart of gold and is always searching for ways to help those around her.”