As hundreds of area children show off the results of their hard work this week at the Cass County 4-H Fair, we think it is important to recognize the individuals who make these opportunities possible for the participants, as well as the children who decide to participate.

While participants can earn money for each entry they submit in the fair, the lessons youth learn throughout the process is invaluable. These youth work year-round to take care of animals, create projects and prepare their showmanship skills. Instead of playing video games or lounging around throughout their weekends and summer vacations, they opt to spend time learning to create new crafts or prepare science projects, or they travel to area farms to take care of animals — many of which they will eventually sell at the fair.

To put it simply, these children continue to work hard when many others their age are taking advantage of a break.

Children who participate in the fair learn the values of commerce, the skills of various trades, countless lessons about agriculture and plenty of lessons about life in general, but they wouldn’t be able to reap these benefits without the help of a number of adults who work tirelessly to offer the opportunities.

From the board of directors who works year-round to improve the fair for 4-H participants and the general public alike, to the parents who help fund fair projects and transport children to 4-H meetings and family farms, there are plenty of people who deserve credit for this outstanding weekly event.

So many of the skills fair participants learn are translated into future careers — agriculture-related or not — and the children are lucky to have adults who are willing to invest in the memories they are making today to benefit their futures year from now.

We would like to thank the fair participants for investing in their futures, and the 4-H leaders, fair volunteers and parents for making that investment possible. We hope you know how worthwhile your hard work is, and how your time is well-spent.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.