Tama County 4H County Council members pictured beside one of the trees planted at the Tama County Fairgrounds. County Council members include (l-r) Amber Myli, Eric Henry, Wyatt Jackson, Emilie Claussen, Adelyn Sienknecht, Kaylynn Murty, and Amaya Peterson. –Contributed photo

Each year, Iowa 4-H Club Community Involvement projects are sponsored by Pioneer and the Iowa 4-H Foundation in conjunction with Iowa 4-H and Youth Programs. Pioneer provides up to $5,000 to selected 4-H clubs in Iowa. Awards are made directly to the clubs through the Iowa 4-H Foundation. Grants range from a minimum of $50 to a maximum of $500.

To apply for this grant, clubs/groups create a project that will improve their community.

In 2021, Tama County 10-12th grade County Council developed a project to purchase trees to replace trees on the fairgrounds destroyed by the derecho. Through the help of the grant as well as contributions from Toledo Techs 4-H Club and Young Guns 4-H Club, six trees were purchased.

The 4-H members learned financial skills, including completing a budget, completing an application and submitting a final report. They also learned patience as finding trees following the derecho wasn’t easy. The council also wanted to purchase trees locally. Finally, this spring, the group was able to purchase trees from Norton’s Greenhouse. Thanks to 4-H volunteer Dale Whaley, the trees have been planted and we look forward to seeing them grow for years to come.

Tama County thanks those who supported them in this project.

To learn more about the Tama County 4-H program visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/tama/4h or call 641-484-2703.