October - EH

My Time as a 4-H Volunteer
by Elizabeth Holt

While being at home without a lot to do I said I should join some kind of volunteer work. There were VGW clubs and these extension homemakers clubs around Bedford. So, I joined the Bedford Extension Club - that was their club name. And then that’s where I heard about the 4-H Club in the schools and I took off to the extension office the next day and volunteered to be a volunteer. Oh, they put me to filling out papers and I started the next day. That and club meetings only once a month was good. Then from one school to another it was good and it kept me on schedule. I could get home and have dinner ready when the family got home from school and work. The main schools I worked at were Moneta and Body Camp but also Thaxton, Montvale, Sedalia, Otter River, Big Island, Forest, Stewartsville and New London. I helped slow students at Thaxton with their spelling and math and reading for two years. Then the schools changed things. We went to community clubs and that worked better.
Our club name was Citgo. We supported the school clubs and help whatever project they were working on. We helped get scholarships for 4-H camp. We had bake sales and were able to send at least 3 kids to camp each year. They tried to get me to go to camp as a leader but I wouldn’t go. That that did not stop them from asking me. Then they asked again and I gave in and I had a blast.
We did our club projects – the first project we came up with was hopping on giant balls across the field. It was fun. I won and shocked myself that I could do it that far. But then we won first prize at all the fairs. Then everyone graduated and went their separate ways. A lot of walking but I did it for 5 years. I had to quit due to health reasons.
By being a volunteer, I got to go on a study tour of the 4-H centers in different states. I went to the National 4-H center in Maryland which was awesome. I also went to Montgomery County, Md., New Jersey; New York; Lancaster, PA and Vermont and back to New York to 2 other 4-H offices to meet their 4-H leaders. Then went to see a ballgame between the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs lost and our boss was mad.
We had new ideas for our volunteers to work with. It helped our two that was trying to keep it going. But you cannot stop a kid from growing up and getting older. That’s life.
I love 4-H today. I miss the work that I did, it wasn’t hard. I loved it but I am older now and it’s time to let go. I am also an All Star, which is the highest you can go as a volunteer.
A young teenager joined our community club and was told that we had to make an electrical company electric server. I had seen them but had no way of trying to teach someone to build one. This teenager says ‘I know how.’ I think he was 14 or 15 – no name comes to me. I said ‘ok’ and told him he had 2 weeks to build it. The group had to meet in Richmond in 2 ½ weeks. He said he would have it made and in the office for us to okay it. It was just like an electric plant with all the wires and whatever. They were made out of toothpicks dipped in glue. It lasted all the way to Richmond and back and won first prize and the guy was so surprised and happy. He was from Big Island School, I think. That was our last electric program. That’s when electricity went sky high.
I think it started in 1967. I do not remember the names of the children that won awards from electric projects. I did have some photos of them but they have faded so much.

Elizabeth Holt was born and raised in Bedford County. She lived at Salem Court Apartments for many years where she was a loving friend to all. She loved to color mandelas. Liz passed away on September 17, 2024. She will be missed.

My Time as a 4-H Volunteerby Elizabeth Holt

My Time as a 4-H Volunteer
by Elizabeth Holt