Benton County 4-H held their annual Holiday Art & Craft Workshop Oct. 15 during MEA at the Foley Intermediate School. 

“My kids look forward to this event every year,” said a mom of one of the participants, “We were thrilled to see this event still happening this year.”

The 4-H Holiday Arts & Craft Workshop was set up a little different this year in order to follow safety protocols due to COVID-19. The participants, adults and youth helpers were in pods of just 15. Each participant had a bag that included all of their needed supplies for all of their crafts.

“We had almost 50 people in attendance and you could feel the excitement as the youth worked on their crafts,” said Ann Olson, 4-H Extension Educator in Benton County.

“I was excited to still have our county host this event this year since so many look forward to it. We simply needed to make a few adjustments to our setup to ensure we had appropriate safety protocols in place.”

Amy Kleine, a 4-H volunteer and artist from Sauk Rapids, led canvas painting with each of the pods. The participants were able to paint a snowman scene, branch with holiday ball or a fall scene. Amy led them one step at a time for their masterpieces.

Other crafts participants made were a sock snowman, llama greeting cards, beaded corn cob, pinecone owl and a spool bunny. One of the crafts that created some serious excitement was the sock snowman. The participants were able to learn how to make a sock snowman with socks and rubber bands. They also learned patience and perseverance as they worked with small styrofoam balls that were creating serious static electricity.

One of the participants Brooke Schwartz, nine-years old from Foley, gave some advice to another pod that was just beginning their sock snowman. Brooke’s group had just finished theirs and had learned a few tips. She looked over and said confidently, “Just have fun and try it over and over again and don’t give up. Never give up!”

Simply spoken and words of wisdom to live by.

The 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 Benton County.  Participants finished not only with bags 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.

Olson would like to extend a huge thank to Benton County 4-H Clubs, ambassadors and volunteers, as well as everyone who assembled craft kits, set up, taught and/or cleaned up and the clubs that helped prepare the crafts. Thanks to North Benton, Central MN Llama Club, Mayhew Lakers, Shooting Stars, Pioneers and Elk River Critters. Ann also wishes to send out a big thank you to the participants that keep attending the annual holiday workshop year after year.