Several local children were a part of nearly 100 4-H’ers, Ambassadors and adult volunteers who were busy over MEA at a 4-H Holiday Art & Craft Workshop held Oct. 17 at Foley Intermediate School. 

There were 11 crafting stations. Local artist Amy Kleine was on hand and worked with five different groups of youth painting their own canvas. The youth were able to choose from three different themes for their canvas. The themes they could pick from were fall (featuring a spider), a snowman, or a group of gnomes. 

“My favorite part of the day was painting gnomes on the canvas with Amy”, said 4-H’er DJ Pennie, 6th grader from Becker. “It was difficult to paint but I was really glad that I did it. It looks good.”    

At each of the other stations, youth and adult volunteers taught participants how to make their own giant checker set out of tag board and wood pieces that 4-H volunteer Cindy Schneider was able to get donated, a cherry blossom painting using a water bottle on a canvas with paint, a pine cone animal, a puppy dog made with corks, a scrabble ornament for their holiday trees, a light up bug made from an egg, a floating cork sailboat, a jingle stix, a wooden pumpkin and Halloween wood crafts. The Holiday Workshop is a great example of the 4-H philosophy: adult volunteers providing youth opportunities to teach and lead other youth.

The lunchroom at the workshop was filled with smiling and excited faces.  The children were diligent workers. They used glue guns, paint brushes and even hair dryers to dry paint on their projects. “I love art and I love painting” said Ella Berger, 1st grader from Becker. Ella also shared (with a big grin and a little paint on her face): “That is why I am doing the crafts with painting first!” 

The Benton County 4-H Holiday Workshop is a day set aside for youth to get out of the house and spend a few hours making crafts from kits prepared by some of the 4-H groups in the area.  Participants finished not only with boxes filled with Holiday crafts, but with an increased understanding of art, how to recycle “trash” into treasure and the value of making thoughtful, homemade (rather than purchased) gifts. 

Many people and organizations worked hard behind the scenes to  make this annual event come together. Some of those involved include:  Benton County 4-H Clubs and volunteers, people who assembled craft kits, set up, taught and/or cleaned up. Several 4-H clubs, including 4-H Ambassadors, also helped prepare the crafts. Thank you to Ann Olson, extension educator in Benton County (and Becker resident) who shared information for this column.