4-H participants show at county fair

Pam Mitchell has been a volunteer 4-H leader of the Cloverdale Livestock Club for 34 years — from long before her children were able to participate. The program has been a key part of her life since the fourth grade when she became a 4-H member.

It’s a family affair and Mitchell’s dad, Keith Cyrus, a fifth-generation farmer, remembers joining the 4-H program back in 1947.

“I was only 7 years old and started out with rabbits, and then I showed steer in my last year in 1958,” Cyrus told The Nugget.

Mitchell’s brother Matt Cyrus, president of the Deschutes County Farm Bureau, was also a 4-H member and now raises cattle. Matt’s daughter, Awbrey Cyrus, was also in the 4-H program.

The Deschutes County Fair is run by the local fair association with major support from 4-H volunteer leaders.

Last Saturday during the fair, Mitchell was focused on club members ages 10 to 17 hanging out with their lambs in the sheep barn on auction day.

“The kids are learning values about life,” said Mitchell. “I don’t think there’s any other organization that has fourth-graders working with seniors in high school, and here they are all together. You’ve got the older kids mentoring the younger ones. The fair is hands-off for adults, so the kids really have to depend on each other. They come together as a group at the fair and develop lifelong friendships. It’s a joy seeing kids that start young and stay with 4-H all the way through. Then see them want to come back as a volunteer to help.”

She added, “Sometimes it’s not the kids I would have expected. But they came back because it meant something to them.”

The Cloverdale club focuses on sheep, with members entering in showmanship (which is required for all 4-H animal handlers), market, and production classes.

4-H is one of the largest out-of-school youth programs in the nation. It encourages youth to learn by doing. Through animal science, home economics, art, or other project areas it helps youth grades K-12 develop life skills through leadership activities and community-service opportunities.

The 4-H members learn about finances, nutrition, recordkeeping, healthcare and marketing.

Mitchell’s son, Nolan, is now 17 years old and will be a senior at Sisters High School; he has one more year to complete the 4-H program. His brother Sam completed the 4-H program and is commercial fishing in Petersburg, Alaska, for the summer.

Nolan noted, “I was born into the program. I grew up with all the kids and now I’m one of the oldest kids in the group and supporting the younger

ones.”

Ten-year-old Clover Keyes, a student at Black Butte School in Camp Sherman, was excited to be participating in the 4-H program for the first time.

She said, “I got two lambs and I have learned responsibilities and how to care for animals.”