La Plata County 4-H is seeking livestock project interview judges for the county fair in August.
Interview judging is based on a set of criteria and questions that will be asked of each project member. This means, you do not need to be knowledgeable about the specific livestock project or 4-H program.
4-H youth members enroll in a variety of different livestock projects. It is mandatory for each member to turn in a project record book and have an interview for their project to be considered complete. Project interviews usually last 10 minutes.
Interview judging is a great way to volunteer and engage with young people in our community. We want to provide 4-H members opportunities to build confidence in job interviewing skills and public speaking.
4-H livestock interviews will take place Aug. 5 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. We will have a dinner, refreshments and any needed assistance available for interviewers. If you are interested, call me or the La Plata County Extension Office at 375-6465.
On the Saturday of the county fair weekend, the 4-H program hosts its biggest fundraiser of the year. The 4-H Community BBQ is seeking cooking teams for this popular event.
Each year, more than 1,000 ticket-holders are served some of the best barbecue of the summer. The event is also where we crown the winner of the “Sizzling Cup” for top combined barbecue beef and pork. 4-H will supply the meat, and cooking teams compete for the trophy.
Overall, everyone wins by contributing to our positive youth development program and raising money for the next generation of responsible, caring adults in our community.
Barbecue cooking teams face a challenge because of the amount of people they serve. If you are interested, contact me about the logistics for this undertaking. I don’t want to scare anyone away, but I want to be clear about what being on a team entails.
This year’s 4-H Community BBQ will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 10.
Lastly, we are always looking for new judges for our 4-H general projects. These projects include: cooking, cake decorating, woodworking, leather crafting, robotics and many more. For these projects, it is helpful to have some knowledge about the activity.
4-H members are separated into three divisions: juniors range from 8 to 10 years old, intermediates from 11 to 13 years old and seniors from 14 to 18. Ribbons and awards will be given based on the division and unit of the project.
Giving out all the ribbons and awards can be confusing. Therefore, we have expert superintendents who have been doing this for many years who can assist.
The county fair and the greater 4-H community are a great way to learn about the history of La Plata County. I encourage new residents to seek out these volunteer opportunities. As we look to broaden the audiences we serve, your participation is a great way for the local 4-H program and Extension Office to understand how we can best serve our changing community.
Greg Felsen is the La Plata County 4-H youth development agent. Reach him at gregory.felsen@co.laplata.co.us or 382-6463.
Greg Felsen
