April 30, 2008

April 25-May 3 is National Volunteer Recognition Week. I have been thinking back over the past year and the many people who have helped make Lyon County’s 4-H program successful. Without the help of the 181 teen and adults who volunteered time, talents, and dollars, the program could not have touched the lives of over 650 young people.

The Lyon County 4-H Youth Development program is blessed with people who volunteer time for project clubs, community clubs, school clubs, camps, classes, and other events. Other people give dollars to support the 4-H program through donations of camp scholarships and project supplies. Others support the program by allowing the program to use their facilities.

Have you ever thought about the positive influence and the monetary value of volunteering for the 4-H Youth Development program?

Let’s first think of volunteer leaders’ contributions in terms of the outcomes and impact on our Kentucky youth. For example, a volunteer leader spends six hours teaching nine 4-H members about food, nutrition, and preparation of balanced, wholesome meals. Three of these youth change their eating habits, reducing the likelihood of obesity and the risks for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The volunteer leader’s service has improved the young people’s quality of life and life expectancy; not to mention the lives of the children these three youth might have someday.

Kentucky 4-H volunteers perform varied services, such as comforting a homesick member at camp; helping a young person overcome the fear of public speaking; and teaching a member to assume the responsibility of keeping records or caring for an animal.

When people donate the use of their facilities for 4-H Youth Development programs, the true value is in the education that takes place in the facility, not in the cost of facility use.

Now let’s look at the monetary value of 4-H volunteers. Estimates show that Kentucky’s over 25,000 adult and youth volunteer leaders contributed more that 4.6 million hours. This service has a monetary value of more that $86.3 million, based on an $18.77 per hour value of volunteer service from the Independent Sector’s 2006 Report on Giving and Serving in the United States.

Even though this calculation reflects some averages and estimations, it still gives a powerful insight into the contributions volunteer leaders make to the Kentucky 4-H Youth Development program. Without volunteer efforts, we could not provide 4-H to all interested youth. Moreover, it would be cost-prohibitive to provide a paid staff to replace these volunteers.

How can a monetary value be put on the many 4-H volunteer leaders who teach, learn, give guidance and direction, coordinate events and activities, arrange for meetings and trips, encourage, discipline, support, listen and love?

If you would like to join with the 180+ adult volunteers who donate time, talents, or dollars to support the youth of Lyon County through the 4-H Youth Development program, contact the Lyon County Cooperative Extension Office at 231 Main Street in Eddyville or call
388-2341.

With your help, we can continue to provide services for the 654 youth members of the Lyon County 4-H Youth Development program.

Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex religion, disability or national origin.