COVID-19 could have an impact on the upcoming 4-H Season
Megan Hanefeldt
Extension Educator in Knox County
CENTER — With the uncertainty and new ways of interacting, Knox County 4H leaders are reaching out to share their hopes for the upcoming 4-H season.
As many of you know things are changing rapidly. It is our hope that summer events will be able to carry on as normal.
We would encourage you to practice all recommended guidelines outlined by the CDC at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
Additionally, as you are making decisions about specific projects we would ask you to consider: What are you in this for? What do you hope to gain? Are your children in 4-H so that they can:
· Feel a sense of belonging, mastery, independence and generosity.
· Develop leadership skills.
· Become a better citizen and learn about goal setting.
· Learn resilience, determination and never giving up (even in the middle of a pandemic).
· Learn about the effort that goes into raising livestock.
We encourage everyone to proceed with 4H projects as usual. We often get caught up in awards, premiums, and numbers of projects, etc. We would encourage you to step back and really think through what it is that allows your children to take an interest in something new or learn a new skill that they will never forget! As staff, we are engaged and committed to 4-H and we will do everything we can to showcase your work; but the future is uncertain right now and even if that looks a lot different than what we traditionally see, this summer’s projects are still providing value and enrichment to our kids.
We will work alongside with you as we figure out what the summer looks like and support you all in every way we can. Please have an open mind and be patient with us as we navigate the summer together! Finally, enjoy the time with your family. Our children are watching us now probably more than ever! It’s important that we show kindness, compassion, love, and help our children find the positives in our current circumstances. Be well!!!
Please take note of the following COVID-19 Updates & Reminders:
· The Knox County Courthouse is locked, but the offices are staffed. The Extension Office has staff both in the office and working remotely, so you may contact the office by phone or email. Correspondence can be emailed, mailed, or put in the drop box on the south side of the Annex 1 building.
· From now until May 9, Nebraska 4-H programming will be in virtual format. There will be no face-to-face programs. This also includes no face-to-face club meetings until after May 9.
· Summer Plans – at this time we are moving forward with plans for summer and the fair. The University and Nebraska Extension will decide 30 days before an event if it needs to be cancelled.
· Resources – The University of Nebraska-Lincoln takes the health and safety of our campus community very seriously. As the United States global health officials continue to address the spread of novel coronavirus and COVID-19 infection, health and emergency preparedness officials at UNL are monitoring the situation in collaboration with our university and governmental partners. Any official updates regarding UNL’s response will be found on this site https://covid19.unl.edu. Additionally, https://4h.unl.edu/covid-19 will be updated as needed with 4-H event information.
· Knox County 4-H information is available on our website at https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/knox/.
