Trouble joining 4-H (South West WA)

[vicki2x2]

Wow, it should not be that hard! I called my extension office, told them how old my kids were and what they were interested in. They gave me the names of a few clubs that were taking new members in the area and had leaders in some of those areas. I called them up. One didn't take cloverbuds, the other did, so we joined. End of story.

 

[L&Schickens]

Quote:
We went to a youth fair last year and that is how I found out about 4-H to begin with. Loren was all excited to join then, but they said to wait till October. So we did. We are still waiting.....

 

[Jamsoundsgood]

Let's just form our own club.

Emily

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Sadly, that's what some of us Moms out here are doing...

 

[melissastraka]

I am sorry to say it is next to impossible to get in. I am in Grays Harbor and have been trying to get in for 2 years. They are right. You have to be someone or have connections or they just dont let you participate. They will continue to give you the run around and they honestly dont care how many times you call. I had one lady tell me that the delete button on her messages works good for my voice mails!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go to any fairs this year and talk and talk and talk. It will not happen this year but maybe you can make enough connections to get him started this winter. It sucks that you basically have to be farm high society to be part of 4-H....its not rocket science, its kids wanting to learn and be proud of what they have but most dont think of it that way. Its just plain sad anymore!

 

[L&Schickens]

Quote:
If I knew the first thing about starting one I would! I have seriously thought about it espicaly since I was told the 4-H clubs here have no poultry club. We need a poultry club for kids here.
If someone leads me in the right direction, I would love to start a new club!!!!

 

[vicki2x2]

Wow! I am shocked and saddened to hear all of these stories! I think I would go above your local counties and go right to the state level and see if you get results that way. This is NOT what 4-H is all about!! In fact, it is the EXACT OPPOSITE!! Yep, I would be on the phone with the offices and start chatting with anyone who will listen about anyone I have talked to and why is it I can't get my kid in 4-H? Why won't they call me back? Why do they tell me they will mail stuff and I never receive it? Over and over again? Why do they come right out and tell me they delete my voice mails? I thought 4-H was for everyone??????

 

[gamebirdsonly]

I just got my boys into and I had no problems here in Utah. Good Luck

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:
That's what I would do, too. Work your way up the chain of command. "The squeaky wheel gets the grease," so to speak.

 

[saddina]

Same way out here, the meetings are a secret, they won't do poultry, even though I offered to lead it (they said they needed an adult to lead it, so I offered). Way I see it, my kids don't need to be around that sort of snobbery, so we got the chickens but forgot the 4H.

Here it's not farm high society as much as if you are not a stay at home mom with acres and lived in this valley your entire life.... My heels, convertable, and silk dress seemed to bug the tar out of them (I had a work meeting, and they started at 5:30). Funny thing was when about halfway thru one woman asked why I looked so familiar, soon as I gave her my maiden name and she KNEW who my family was, the fools were suddenly very accepting.