How To Join Chaffee County 4-H
1.) Pick a Club. The clubs are listed below. We recommend going to several different club meetings to find the best fit. Some clubs specialize in different projects too. Paw Prints does a lot with the dog project, and the Horse club works on the horse project. Contact the club leaders if you have any questions!
2.) Create a 4HOnline Account. 4HOnline is the online system we use in Colorado. You will need to create a profile to become a member. Visit co.4honline.com to start. Find detailed instructions on enrolling by visiting https://co4h.colostate.edu/resources/4ho/family-guide.pdf.
3.) Payment. It is $25 per 4-H member. We accept both cash and check. Come by our office at 185 Quigot Court, Poncha Springs, CO 81201 to drop your payment off. Make checks payable to “Extention Activity Fund”.
4.) Pick a Project. What is your child interested in learning? We have so many different project to pick from. Youth spend the year learning about the topic, then complete at the County Fair. Project include: horse, rabbits, beef, robotics, cake decorating, art, fishing, etc. Find a complete list of projects here. Or visit: https://co4h.colostate.edu/resources/projectlist.pdf.
5.) Purchase or Download Your Project Manual. Your project manual will be your guide throughout the year. It will help teach you new skills, and has a variety of different activities to complete. To find your project manual, visit https://co4h.colostate.edu/program-areas/colorado-4-h-project-information/. Click on the topic your project is under (i.e. natural resources, stem, animals, creative arts, family and consumer sciences, and personal development). You might need to explore a little to find the your project.
Once you find the project, you can purchase or download your manual by clicking on the orange colored unit number (example: Unit 1-3 or Upcylce Your Style). The link will take you directly to the site to purchase the manual. Most manuals are between $10-$15. If you need help determining what unit you might be, contact the extention office. We typically recommend starting at unit 1, but if you want to start at a different one, that’s okay too!
6.) Download Your Record Book. Record keeping is an important life skill. Record books help kids learn how to keep track of finances, materials, set goals, and write a narrative. Download your record book at https://co4h.colostate.edu/projects/erecords/22-23.zip. If you need help printing, contact our office and we will print it for you to then pick up.
7.) Make sure you complete the following tasks to finish the 4-H year as a member in good standing:
- Attend 6 or more 4-H club meetings.
- Give a demonstration. A demonstration is a 5 minute presentation you give at a club meeting. You can make a poster, powerpoint presentation, or more. Select any topic (example: swine diseases, how to string a guitar, how to bathe your dog, etc.)! Talk to your club leader about scheduling your demonstration.
- Complete community service. You can do this as a club or as an individual. Take pictures of you doing your community service to put in your record book.
- Complete your record book.
- Create and showcase an exhibit at the Chaffee County Fair! This is the culmination of everything you have learned about your project this 4-H year. This could mean showing your animal at the Fair, or exhibiting at the indoor project judging. For indoor projects, you can create a stand alone item or display board. Just make sure you follow the exhibit requirement rules. They can be found at: https://co4h.colostate.edu/statefair/StateFairExhibitReq.pdf.
Joining 4-H is a very rewarding, engaging, and fun experience. But it can also be overwhelming and new. We are here to support you! If you have any questions about what you just learned, contact our office!
Chaffee County 4-H Clubs:
Chaffee County has 8 community 4-H Clubs that meet in Salida, Buena Vista, and in Leadville. Contact us to see which clubs meet closest to you and match your interests the best. Plan to visit the club during a regular meeting as a guest to see if that club is a good match.
Leadville:
Broken Arrows 4-H Club:
- Does a wide variety of projects such as foods, crafts, and shooting sports. Can support small animals, goats, and sheep. Club members are all ages. Check with leader for meeting time and location.
- Leader: Anita Harvey: ajmharvey@hotmail.com
Buena Vista:
Hub Livestock 4-H Club:
- Leaders: Michele Anderson: mwarneranderson@gmail.com
- general club for members of all ages whose members do livestock projects, shooting sports, many general projects, and who have a focus on leadership. Meets the second Sunday of the month.
Salida:
Imagine That 4-H Club:
- Leader: Adrienne Weber: imaginethat4hclub@yahoo.com
- Club with both young and teen members. Leaders and parents can support sewing, heritage arts, visual arts, as well as large and small animal projects. Meets the second Sunday of the month at 3:30 pm at the Fairgrounds meeting room.
Mountain Explorers:
- Leaders: Barbara Jones: mtnexplorers4hclub@gmail.com
- In-town club that focuses on STEM projects, and small animal projects (chickens, rabbits). Club usually meets the 4th Sunday of the month at the First Presbyterian Church on Poncha Blvd.
Mount Shavano Rangers:
- Leader: Sarah Pridemore: mtshavanorangers@yahoo.com
- Club with members of all ages. Members do horse, beef, other livestock and small animal projects. Club meets the second Monday of the month at the Fairgrounds at 6:00 pm. Cloverbuds is available if older brother and sisters are in the club.
Paw Prints:
- Leader: Nancy Roberts: nancyroberts1@aol.com
- Member both young and older do a wide variety of projects such as the dog project, entomology, robotics and shooting sports. Usually meets the 1st Sunday of the month at the Fairgrounds.
Horse Club:
- Leader: Pat Winters: pjwinter22462@gmail.com
- Members both young and older do projects such as the horse project and horseless horse. The goal of the horse project is to learn horsemanship and proper care of horses. Meets the third Wednesday of the month at 5:00 pm at the Fairgrounds.
Chaffee & Lake Counties Club Locations:
What is a project 4-H Club?
In a Project Club, members meet regularly to learn about a special area of interest. Examples of project clubs in Chaffee County include: horse and shooting sports. Project clubs meet in addition to a member’s home club (community club). Any member wanting to participate in these specialized project clubs must also participate in the community club. To join the shooting sports or horse project club contact our office!
Interested in joining a club? Contact the club leader to learn more and come to a meeting!
