New leader named for Brighton Clover Kids

BRIGHTON — With the departure of its previous club leader, some in town worried that the local Clover Kids program had seen its last meeting. Those fears were put to rest last month with the announcement of Christina Loeffler as the new head of the Brighton Lucky Clovers.

Loeffler said has one child in third grade and another in kindergarten, both participating in the program this year. She added that she was an FFA member in high school, but had never done 4-H herself, making her new leadership role something of a learning experience.

“It’s all new to me, too,” she said. “It’s definitely an eye-opener … I’m very nervous about it, by all means, but I think it’ll be a fun learning experience for me as my kids keep growing and going into an actual 4-H group.”

The 4-H Program that Iowa State University calls “specifically designed for children in kindergarten through third grade,” has clubs across Washington County.

The club’s continued existence in Brighton was up in the air until Loeffler stepped up, according to people familiar with the chapter’s operations.

With no registration fee this year and the next closest club already packed in Washington, 12 miles to the north, Loeffler said she felt it was important to keep Brighton’s group running.

“It’s a good opportunity for kids to come out and bond, or get to know people in Brighton or around the community,” she said. “And it helps them grow, it helps them realize how things work in the world.”

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The group will meet on Sunday nights, in another departure from its previous setup. Loeffler said she hoped it would be an open time for more family schedules. Membership growth is a top priority at the moment, with only a handful of kids consistently attending last year’s meetings.

Brighton had a 4-H chapter of its own at one time — The Good Luck 4-H Club — but it’s been inactive for years. Washington County 4-H and Youth Coordinator Amy Green said a successful Clover Kid group could potentially revive it, preparing members for success in 4-H after “graduating” at the end of third grade.

“That club is kind of stagnant right now, it’s in retirement, but could come out at any point with the right volunteers and the right kids who want to participate,” she said. “We have quite a few kids from the Brighton area who are members of some of our specialty clubs like Horse & Pony or Bows & Bullets, or might just belong to some of the Washington-based club.”

In any case, she said the Clover Kid club would prove beneficial to kids in the area.

“In this day and age, any time we can have kids connecting with positive experiences, positive and caring adults in the community, it’s a win-win,” she said. “This is an opportunity for our kids of that age group to have an additional caring person in their life, which I think is very positive.”

The Brighton Lucky Clovers will meet 4-5 p.m. at Brighton City Hall on Sunday nights, starting Oct. 15, according to a news release from Washington County 4-H.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com