Club challenge raising money for fairgrounds project

Local 4-H Club members hope their green thumbs can help keep their clubs operating in the black and help a selected charitable cause, as well.

In an effort to raise money both for their clubs and for a 4-H related charitable cause, local 4-H clubs were issued the first annual Club Challenge. Club members were challenged to design and create a flower planter that is visually appealing to potential buyers. Members worked in teams, and there was no limit to the number of teams each 4-H club could have creating planters.

The planter could be made in a patio pot, a constructed item or a recycled item, but it had to be filled with flowers. Participating 4-H members were encouraged to be as creative possible while still producing a planter that was appropriate for public viewing, contained no chemicals or harmful substances and did not violate copyright laws.

Now complete, these planters have been numbered and placed around the fairgrounds where they will be displayed for the duration of the 2013 Greater Jefferson County Fair. They will help raise money in two ways. Jars featuring pictures of the individual planters will be displayed in the Jefferson County ISU Extension Office during the fair. Fairgoers can vote for their favorite planter by placing money in the appropriate jar. Additionally, there will be a silent auction sheet next to each jar. Patrons can silently bid to purchase the planters.

Voting and the silent auction will both end Sunday evening when the money in the jars will be counted. The jar with the most money in it will indicate the winning planter. However, the winner of the Club Challenge will be the team whose planter brought in the most money through the voting and silent auction proceeds combined.

The winner of the Club Challenge will win 10 percent of the total proceeds of the fundraiser. The remaining 90 percent has been designated to help fund the construction of a new replacement food booth near the grandstand on the fairgrounds. Ultimately, this will benefit the 4-H Youth Committee whose only fundraising dollars come from Food Booth sales. The new Food Booth will allow the Youth Committee to serve more people, work more events and bring in more money.

The Youth Committee helps fund Awards Night, 4-H membership enrollment fees and other activities critical to the success of the local 4-H program. It also presents scholarships to graduating high school seniors.