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CASSOPOLIS — Cass County children will have the chance to expand their 4-H skills at an upcoming event.

Hailey Harman, Cass County 4-H Program Coordinator announced the annual 4-H Outdoor Experience will be taking place this year, but it will be taking place virtually, over Zoom.

“Even though it will be a little different than usual since it will have to be held virtually via Zoom, it is promising to be an exciting time for all who attend,” Harman said.

The event is hosted every year by the Cass County 4-H Leaders’ Association to provide special activities for youth aged 5 to 12. Normally hosted as a day camp for the youth at T.K. Lawless Park, the COVID-19 pandemic made that impossible for this year, officials said.

Nonetheless, the CCLA felt the importance of providing this experience in this year of uncertainty, especially for this particular age group, was extremely important, Harman said.

The individual kits will be mailed to the participants at a cost of $17.30, which covers the cost of shipping. Youth will then gather on Zoom to work on their projects together or they can request the videos to do the projects on their own time.

“This is a great opportunity for kids to ‘gather’ and work collaboratively on a project, individually,” Harman said. “Another upside is that these projects can be exhibited at the 2021 Cass County Fair.  Those projects will be awarded a special ribbon signifying their participation in the 4-H Outdoor Experience.”

Projects like sensory bottles and fishing lures will teach youth the importance of recycling. Other projects include dream catchers, painting and more.

Registration closes Sept. 11 with limited spots.  To register, go to events.anr.msu.edu/CCOutdoorExperience.  The $17.30 is payable at registration with a credit card.