4-H celebrates centennial year
Millers to lead local group in variety or projects

This will be a memorable year for 4-H kids, not just for the experience but also being part of the 4-H Centennial Year.

Sept. 1, 1907 Tom Marks met with 12 young men in Jacksboro, Texas, to form the Corn Club and "teach young people new practices for raising corn that their fathers would not adopt," according to www.texas4hcentennial. tamu.edu.

That small beginning grew into the 4-H Clubs of today, and the 100th anniversary will be celebrated in every state and 80 countries around the world. The first week in October will be the kick-off for events all year long.

Dru and Jimmy Miller were selected as the new adult leaders of the Jasper Community 4-H Club. One of the projects this year, fittingly, is likely to be a soil science project dealing with growing corn, according to Miller.

The general 4-H group meets third Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at St. Michael's Catholic Church on U.S. Highway 190. The shooting sports group meets the fourth Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at a place to be determined.

The first meeting of the season, Sept. 18, the kids sign up for the projects they want to do, from a very large list that includes everything from agriculture and animal husbandry to fashion to parliamentary procedure.

President Dru Miller says there are two goals to be met this coming year:

"1. Provide a safe environment for members to learn and grow, and 2. have fun."

The Millers said they would not have taken on the 4-H responsibilities were it not for the commitment of adult volunteers.

Project leaders include Craig Blanchard and John Dickerson, shooting sports; Lisa Smith, steers; Joan Ferguson, hogs; Vern Kaylor and Jimmy Miller, goats; Jimmy and Tammy Hensarling, lambs; Paul Griffin and Vern Kaylor, chickens; Calvin and Mary Cooper, rabbits; Shonda Galvan, fashion; Charles and Sharon Kerr, photography; the Kerrs and Larry and Kathy Waltmon, plant and soil science; Bobby Stott, livestock judging and consumer decision making; Jimmy and Dru Miller, parliamentary procedures; Paul Griffin, scramble heifers; Bobby Stott, scramble goats.

The fund-raising committee consists of Paul Griffin, Charla James, Holley Caffey, and Joan Ferguson.