Local girls 4-H Club receives top honors

The Owen Blue Bonnets 4-H Club recently was awarded 4-H Club of the Year.

The Owen Blue Bonnets were named 4-H Club of the Year, and several of their members won special awards.

As a reward for earning Club of the Year, our club received a one hundred dollar check from the Winnebago County Foundation. Our club also received a state honor award in Community Service, recognizing the Blue Bonnets as one of the outstanding clubs in the state of Illinois,

Experience award winners announced at the Winnebago County 4-H recognition 2021 4-H Volunteers and Members, Sunday, Nov. 21.  Bronze Experience Award Winners were Nicolette Caccia, Khylie Caskey, Emma Coke, and Mary Hopkins.  Silver Experience Award Winners were Helena Bageanis, Kateri Beck, Addison coke, Audrey Coke, Abbigail Combs, and Claire Hopkins.  The following Cloverbuds were recognized: Agatha Williimams, Anna HOopkins, Annabelle Paggi, E;lora Coke, Emma JOhnson, lucy Williams, and Nautica Marchese.

Several members also earned the opportunity to exhibit their projects at the Illinois State Fair in August.  Helena Bageanis exhibited her Leadership II project, earning a superior.  Abbie Combs qualified to exhibit her Electricity I, winning the Electricity award, and Emma Coke qualified to exhibit her jewelry in the category of plastic visual arts.

Several members also received top awards. Outstanding Sr. 4-her was awarded to Helena Bageanis and Outstanding Jr. 4-her was awarded to Abbie Combs. Other members that received awards were: Claire Hopkins, Top Secretary, Abbie Combs, Top Treasurer, and the Club received third place in this year’s window display.

The Blue Bonnets also collected and donated over 60 non-perishable food items for families at St.Elizabeth’s Center. Their next project will be decorating Macktown Insurance Company and participating in the Rockton Christmas Walk festivities.

Owen Blue Bonnets 4-H Club was founded in 1943. Betsy Carlson is the Blue Bonnet’s leader and supervises the 26-member, all-girl group of 5 to 14 years old. Carlson said membership is open to both girls and boys. In addition to local members, Blue Bonnets also sponsors boys and girls from the Rockford area.

4-H Clubs were once regarded as clubs for farm kids. It now encompasses a wide range of projects and programs ranging from camping, preparedness training, cooking and mechanics, to raising animals, gardening, clothing and textiles, and learning survival skills.

For more information, please contact Owen Blue Bonnet Reporter, Grace Solverson at 815-871-5374.