With the holiday season upon us it’s time to sit down and think: What am I thankful for? What has this year brought me? What does being thankful mean to me? Here at Lackawanna County 4-H, we are asking ourselves those same questions.

What is Lackawanna County 4-H thankful for?

We are thankful for our community and our community partners. Lackawanna County 4-H might be a little different than your traditional 4-H programs. We are an urban county, so agriculture and farming aren’t our top clubs. With the support of our community, they are helping us to make our 4-H program thrive in other areas: like fishing, sewing, cooking and stem. This leads us to our community for support.

In our program, we team up with local organizations in our community to bring programming to our kids that will not only be educational but fun. We are always striving “to make the better best.” With the help of our community, we are reaching that goal.

Thankful for our community

Our community has supported us from the beginning. We are thankful for their support in clubs, programing, and camps. The community enrolls their kids in these programs and helps keep them active and moving forward. They have been volunteering and making sure our kids have a safe, fun learning environment. They have not only donated their time but also their money.

4-H could not be the program it is today without you, the community and all your continued support. So, give yourselves a round of applause.

Thankful for our community partners

We are more than thankful for our community partners. We believe that if we all work together toward one common goal, we will make our community a better place. We are making great strives to make Lackawanna County a fun and enriching place to live and spend time. By offering a wide variety of kids’ programs, we allow the kids to feel included and a part of something bigger than themselves.

Thankful for our 4-H parents

We are thankful for our 4-H parents. Without you all there would be no 4-H. By allowing your kids to be a part of 4-H you are giving them the opportunity to learn by doing. This gives our kids the confidence to head out into the real world with the life skills to be successful in any task they are greeted with.

Thankful for our 4-H members

Lastly, we are thankful for our kids. You kids show up at our club meetings, community outreach programs, camps, and special events. You make 4-H what it is today. You make my job easy by showing up, engaging, learning and teaching me about life. I could not be more grateful and proud.

What many of our members are thankful for

Maddie P.: “In 4-H, I’m thankful for the opportunities to try new things, like different crafts or growing new plants. I enjoy finding new hobbies from 4-H.”

Giada L.: “I am thankful for all of the plant related information and facts I have learned in plant club.”

Clara M.: “I am thankful for Plant Club.”

Colin L.: “I am thankful for the skills that I have learned at 4-H.”

Amelia L.: “I am thankful for the friends in 4-H.”

What am I, the educator, thankful for

I personally want to thank each and every one of you for making me thankful for being the 4-H educator in Lackawanna County. You all show up when I need someone, you all support my ideas and events, and lastly, you support me and Penn State Extension. 4-H is more than just a club; we are a family, which I am thankful for.

Kristin Armstrong is a Penn State Extension 4-H Educator in Lackawanna County.