The Belle Plaine 4-H Club started with a lot of members in 1973, and it continues to be one of the bigger clubs in Shawano County with 49 city and country kids.
Four co-leaders — Nancy Schauer, Nancy Netzel, and Doug and Mary Clark — make sure the club runs smoothly.
“We get comments from people who are visiting saying it’s well organized and we keep the meeting rolling,” Netzel said.
Each member gets the agenda ahead of time.
“Emails work really well,“ Mary Clark said.
Each leader leads the club for four months at a time. Most of the leaders are past 4-H members.
Doug and Mary Clark lead from January through April. Doug is involved in shooting sports, where he teaches adults how to teach kids. They cover archery, rifles, shotgun and safety. Doug is on the state training team, which teaches kids how to shoot, and he is the vice president of the 4-H Executive Board.
Mary is involved in shooting sports and aerospace. She also teaches kids about wildlife, including tracking, survival and how to use a compass. She believes in 4-H.
“For me, it’s the leadership and the confidence,” Mary Clark said. “They start so shy, and by the end their confidence is huge and they accept responsibility to be the leader.”
Schauer, who takes care of May through August, helps get the projects ready for the fair and hands out the fair tags. She makes sure members are signed up to help in the 4-H Food Stand at the fair and when they have their turn at the flea market. She is also the treasurer of the 4-H Executive Board.
“I think it helps to create a well-rounded child,” Schauer said about 4-H.
Netzel’s months are September through December. But throughout the year she takes care of the Youth In Action scrapbook, which covers the year’s activities. She also coordinates the Halloween party in October, the rabies clinic and the achievement program in November, and the Christmas party in December.
“I think it teaches kids important life skills, such as helping others through community service, sportsmanship with judging and socialization skills,” Netzel said. “It gives kids a lot of opportunities and experiences.”
The leaders try to limit the club meetings to 45 minutes, which might include speeches or demonstrations. The meetings are ended with members taking turns at bringing a snack.
The club has by-laws that require the members to attend a minimum of four meetings per year, participate in two community service projects, take part in two club activities, work in the 4-H Food Stand, exhibit at least one project and turn in a Record Book.
“I believe in the program big time,” Doug Clark said. “It can help kids build self-esteem. It gives them life goals and you can see personal growth year to year.”
On Nov. 2, the club will sponsor a rabies clinic at the Belle Plaine Town Hall.
“We get lots of people,” Schauer said about the clinic.
Dr. Al Prudom from We Care Animal Hospital is there from 9 a.m. to noon. The club members help prepare the shots, and some handle the money. There is no office call charge and the shots are given at a discount.
“It’s all kid-run as much as we can,” said Mary Clark.
Later in November, there is a food drive, and as the year starts over the club has a box social in February.
Club officers are Jenna Schauer, president; Casey Clark, vice president; Heather Long, treasurer; Aubrey Netzel, secretary; Adriana Pavc, reporter; and Kaitlyn Durkey, sergeant at arms.
The club meets at 7 p.m. the third Sunday from May to August and the third Monday the other months. They meet at the Belle Plaine Town Hall except for the summer months when they meet at St. Martin ball park.
For more information about the club, call Schauer at 715-524-2856, Netzel at 715-823-2798, or the Clarks at 715-524-2860.
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