It is highly encouraged for every 4-H Club to perform at least one community service project each year.
Many of the Wood County clubs are very dedicated to these projects.
The real winners are the people and organizations served by the efforts of these dedicated young people.

4-H members have been known to pull weeds, plant flowers, assist with projects, to name just a few.
Beyond the usual service projects, this year the Haskins Clover Crew 4-H Club chose its theme for the
year as "Haskins Clover Crew Lends a Helping Hand" as club members focused on assisting others
throughout the entire season.
Among the clubs which is growing in membership, this year’s membership lists the club with 24 members,
the most in club history. The young members were asked to come up with the ideas for community service
projects. And the club responded "in clovers."
"The club decided this year would be the time to give back to the community and beyond," said
Julie Wenig, one of the advisers.
Among the projects selected and completed this year, one of the biggest was collecting old eyeglasses for
the Lions Club.
Erica Tack came up with the eyeglass donation idea. The Lions take the old glasses and make them
available to those who need them, including to people in Third World countries, through its "Old
Glasses Give New Life" program.
The advisers asked each member to bring in at least two pairs of used old eyeglasses. Making it a contest
to see who could collect the most glasses, they set a goal to collect 75 pairs of glasses. Flyers were
made and hung up where members could try and collect more glasses. They not only hit their goal, they
made it look far too easy. The club collected a total of more than 250 pairs of glasses.
Three young ladies took the lead in the collection; Lindsey Pauff collected 61 pair; while twin sisters,
Alex and Mackenzie Wenig, jointly netted 150 pair.
Dick Moore, a representative from the Sylvania Lions came to the club’s July meeting and accepted the
glasses.
He gave a presentation to the club explaining about the Lions Club and the good they do for the
community.
The club will continue to collect glasses and will have a collection box at its 4-H booth at the Wood
County fair.
Another suggestion by Erica, was the idea of making "Thinking of You" cards for area children
in hospitals. Cards were made at home and also at one of the meetings. Some of the cards will be on
display at the club’s fair booth and after the fair the members will send all of them off to an area
hospital to be given to children when they are in the hospital.
Megan Ortiz chose the idea of volunteering at a local Metropark. And so they did, as members got up early
on a Saturday morning in June and met at Oak Openings Park. The club spent several hours pulling Hairy
Vetch, a non native plant that the park has been trying to get rid of.
Kelsey Ortiz thought of volunteering time for the Bowling Green Senior Center.
Members met in June and worked during the June Birthday Night at the Senior Center. They served drinks
and passed out the salad, lasagna dinner, ice-cream, and cake. They later cleared off the tables.
Members were also treated to dinner and a magic show by a 97-year-old woman who was part of the birthday
dinner celebration.
While they were there to work and assist the seniors, the club members found they also had a good time.

Madison Kregel suggested saving pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. All year members, along with
their families and friends, have been saving pop tabs. Again the club held a contest to see who could
collect the most and it was none other than the person who suggested the idea, Madison, who donated the
most by far.
Beyond just the tabs, members have also been collecting pop cans from family and friends. Instead of
paying dues the members wanted to help the environment by promoting recycling.
Members have been bringing their cans to the 4-H meetings. Madison and her grandfather, Allen Limes, then
take all the cans to the recycling center and turn the "trash into cash."
The money raised is then used by the club to sponsor 4-H trophies at the Wood County Fair.
The club members also donated their time by hanging up flyers in local businesses to support a fundraiser
for a local girl injured in an automobile accident.
Upcoming service projects include working at the 4-H Milkshake Barn during the fair and passing out the
programs at the parade during the fair.
"We have an exceptional group of members this year and we’re proud of their caring and enthusiastic
attitudes," Julie Wenig said.
The club has three advisers, Jeanne Ortiz of Whitehouse, and Julie and Phil Wenig. Most club meetings are
held at the Wenig farm in Haskins.