July 9, 2002

4-H Centennial Celebrations at the North Dakota State Fair

North Dakota 4-H members will celebrate a century of 4-H throughout the 2002 North Dakota State Fair in Minot July 19-27. 4-H members exhibiting at the fair will receive special 4-H centennial ribbons and the street of flags will feature a 4-H flag from each county.

A 4-H exhibit booth will be located in the lobby of the State Fair Center throughout the fair. The booth will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The booth will feature information on 4-H and the North Dakota 4-H Foundation. Volunteers will have the opportunity to register and be recognized for their service to 4-H youth.

State fair goers will be able to add their pledges for hours of community service to the "Power of Youth" campaign. To mark its 100^th anniversary, 4-H members and volunteers have pledged to get involved in their communities through service work..

A celebration complete with a birthday cake will be held at the 4-H exhibit booth from 2-4 on Monday July 22. North Dakota State University President Joseph Chapman will participate in the celebration. 4-H will be recognized at the youth exhibitor picnic and a youth dance will be held that evening in the State Fair Center Theater.

4-H is the youth development program of the NDSU Extension Service. Over 50,300 North Dakota youth participated in the program last year. In addition, 5,300 volunteers help make the 4-H program possible in each county in North Dakota.

4-H uses a four-leaf clover, with an H on each leaf, as its emblem. The H’s stand for head, heart, hands and health.

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Source: Linda Crow, (701) 231-7252, lcrow@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, rmattern@ndsuext.nodak.edu