Iron County Extension office aims for active summer

HURLEY - During the summer, the calendar quickly fills up with vacations, activities and social gatherings because of warmer weather. Some people plan a camping vacation, host a party or travel during the summer months.

The Iron County University of Wisconsin-Extension office is no different, preparing for a camping trip and a big birthday party.

This summer the office will celebrate the 100th birthday of 4-H, as well as prepare for the annual Iron County Summer Youth Camp in July.

Since the beginning of the year, 4-H organizations across the country have been planning their own celebrations in honor the club's centennial. Neil Klemme, youth development agent at the Iron County office, traveled to the Wisconsin state capitol building March 19 to celebrate the centennial at a statewide level.

According to Klemme, 850 people filled the capitol's rotunda performing the 4-H pledge, as well as singing camp songs and visiting local legislators.

Klemme was able to visit Gov. Scott Walker's office and met with the education policy advisor.

"We spoke about how 4-H has impacted our lives, and the advisor was actually unaware of what 4-H is," Klemme said. "He admitted he was a kid from suburban Milwaukee and thought 4-H was only for kids in rural places. I told him 4-H is more than just cows and plows."

To help celebrate at the local level, Klemme and the local 4-H clubs in Iron County are planning a birthday party during the Iron County Fair, Aug. 1-3. After the local fair, Klemme is hoping to take some students to a 4-H event during the Wisconsin State Fair in Milwaukee Aug. 5.

"I'm on a planning committee for that event, and we've been given the entire state fair mall to host this event," Klemme said. "It's for the centennial and will feature 4-H alumni talking about their experiences, videos, projects, displays, a selfie center and it's all for the centennial. We'll have the building for the whole day and it will allow alumni to connect, or reconnect, to see where we all have gone after 4-H."

Iron County Summer Youth Camp

If the centennial year wasn't busy enough, Klemme and other staff in the UW-Extension office are busy getting ready for the annual summer camp. The camp is July 8-11 at the North Lakeland Discovery Center in Manitowish Waters.

The camp is open to students in Iron County or members of Iron County 4-H groups in third through sixth grades.

"Enrollment is for students how are in third grade this year, heading into fourth grade," Klemme said. "Right now, we have 57 students enrolled and we have openings for 75-80 kids. We're also looking for parent volunteers. People can volunteer for a day, or for the whole week. Any help is appreciated."

This is the 14th year the camp will take place.

"It's always a really fun event and the kids look forward to it all year," Klemme said. "It's a blast."

For more information on the 4-H centennial, Iron County Summer Youth Camp or other events, call the Iron County UW-Extension office at 715-561-2695 or visit iron.uwex.edu.