To the editor:

Island County Fair 2010 is now over. And thanks to all of those who supported our program over the past year — Skagit Farmers Supply in Oak Harbor and Freeland, Bayview Farm and Garden, Del Fox Meats, Ace Hardware in Freeland, Island County Farm Bureau, Dr. David Parent, DVM, Dr. Ken Leisher, DVM, Dr. Robert Moody, DVM, Dr. Kent Freer, DVM, Whidbey’s Perennial Favorites, Coupeville Garden Cub, Order of the Eagles Aerie No. 3418, Mailliard’s Landing Nursery in Oak Harbor, Sullivan Contracting, Beach Farm Properties, 3 Sisters Cattle Company, John & Vickie McCreless, and Pete DeBruin — it was another great experience!

Our 4-H’ers, leaders, superintendents, families and project animals are back home catching up on a much-needed rest. However, that rest period will be short-lived, with many of our 4-H’ers gearing up for the state fair in Puyallup during September.

Each October, 4-H’ers and leaders begin with an election of officers and formulate plans for their individual projects for the upcoming months. Besides their projects, they begin record-keeping, public presentations and fundraising within their individual clubs to carry them through the year, all the while fostering life skills to give back to their communities and envision possible career fields. It is the county fair that gives them all an opportunity to show off their hard work to an interested audience. Thus you, the fairgoers, become a part of their 4-H experience.

While still riding on the adrenaline of a wonderful event, we must already begin telling our new story. WSU Extension 4-H has been supporting healthy youth development in Island County for more than 85 years. But due to the failure of Proposition 1, county funding for the 4-H program will be eliminated as of Dec. 31. So unless we quickly establish a successful fundraising drive, there will not be a 4-H presence at next year’s fair. In fact, only the most minimal 4-H program will be offered at all.

How can you help? In order to keep our program alive in Island County, we need to raise $25,000 for this coming year alone, and to maintain fundraising efforts beyond, until the county is once again able to fund this worthwhile program.

For further information, please contact WSU Extension/Island County 4-H at 360-679-7328.

Jackie Vannice

WSU Extension/Island County 4-H Program & Education Outreach Coordinator