Montanans challenged to pledge 1 million hours of service in honor of 4-H centennial

From MSU News Service

9/20/01

 BOZEMAN—Organizers of a community service drive hope to collect commitments of volunteer labor that would be worth $5 million to Montana.

Montana's youth and adults are being challenged to pledge 1 million hours of community service during the coming year as part of the nationwide 4-H Power of Youth pledge campaign. Pledges can range from raking leaves for an elderly neighbor to organizing events that benefit the survivors and victims of the tragic events in New York and Washington, and everything in between. All Montanans, not just 4-H'ers, are welcome to contribute.

The Power of Youth pledge campaign is in honor of 4-H's 100th anniversary. Designed to harnesses the energy, interests and geographic reach of youth and adults in all 3,067 counties in America, the campaign challenges everyone who cares about the future of young people to pledge themselves to volunteer community service efforts across the U.S. Pledges will continue through October 2002.

The Power of Youth Pledge Campaign is being undertaken in tandem with 4-H's National Conversation on Youth Development in the 21st Century. In an unprecedented effort, 4-H'ers and community residents will gather at the local level to discuss issues of importance to youth, then take those issues to state conversations, then finally on to the National Conversation in Washington, DC in February 2002. The purpose is to build a national youth development agenda by engaging as many voices across the United States as possible.  A final report will be presented to the President, leaders of Congress and cabinet secretaries next April.

Youth and adults will complete special pledge cards with the number of service hours they intend to contribute over the coming year. 4-H's 6.8 million members and 610,000 leaders alone could generate nearly 60 million hours of labor, valued at over $300 million at minimum wage. If each 4-H participant recruits one additional volunteer, the number would double to $600 million in civic engagement activities.  Everyone--not just 4-H participants--will be invited to enlist in this national community service effort.

For information on the schedules for conversations in your area or to receive a pledge card, contact your local MSU Extension office or the state 4-H office at MSU-Bozeman, 994-3501. The pledge card is available on the Web at www.montana.edu/www4h. For more information about 4-H's Centennial, visit www.4hcentennial.org

Please send  questions or comments (plus your name, location and the subject of the story you read) to Suzi Taylor and Carol Flaherty, MSU Communications Services, Bozeman, MT 59717 or email us at: carolf@montana.edu.

You are the 6702nd person to access this page.