Ohio 4-H supporters showed up in a big way at the 2024 Ohio 4-H Celebration of Youth event as they raised more than $128,000 to benefit the Ohio 4-H Youth Development program. With nearly 300 guests in attendance at Leeds Farm, the 4-H community demonstrated its support for Ohio 4-H by bidding on auction items and pledging donations towards programming opportunities that inspire curiosity, fuel adventure, and build lifelong skills to grow tomorrow’s leaders today.
In between games of cornhole and bucket ball, guests enjoyed appetizers and coffee courtesy of Hudson’s Edge, Patterson Fruit Farm, Cheryl’s Cookies, and Rural Beans Roastery. A special 4-H-themed “Clovers and Cream” soda created by Jen and John Lynch served as another fun refreshment for guests throughout the evening. They also had the opportunity to listen to the musical stylings of Katie Pritchard, a Cincinnati-based singer-songwriter, while sitting down for a delicious dinner catered by City Barbeque.
The evening’s program featured remarks from Dr. Tracy Kitchel, CFAES senior associate dean and director of faculty and staff affairs, and Kristen Rost, vice president and senior director for corporate citizenship at the Nationwide Foundation.
Kameron Rinehart, a proud Fayette County 4-H alumnus and the current grants chair for the Ohio 4-H Foundation Board, served as the alumni speaker for the evening. Rinehart currently works as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech University, where he is pursuing his Ph.D. in agricultural leadership, and spoke about the impact 4-H had had on his life.
To close out the evening, guests were invited to pledge their support for the Ohio 4-H Leadership Experiences Support Fund. These donations will provide youth the opportunity to attend life-changing state and national 4-H leadership opportunities such as National 4-H Conference, Spark EXPO, True Leaders in Equity Institute, Citizenship Washington Focus, and Ignite by 4-H.
“We were thrilled to see so many 4-H donors, alumni, volunteers, and friends at Celebration of Youth this year,” said Ohio 4-H Foundation director Crystal Ott. “The support we receive from our community partners is so important to furthering the reach and impact of Ohio 4-H. It is thanks to your generosity that our 4-H professionals are able to continue creating innovative programming opportunities that inspire curiosity and creativity in our youth.”
Did you miss out on donating to Ohio 4-H at Celebration of Youth this year? Make a gift today!