· March of Dimes – Over the past 7 years, Vernon Parish 4-H members have collected over $25,000 for March of Dimes through various projects. Two major activities include the Baby Bootie Contest where clubs sell the paper March of Dimes tennis shoes and baby booties. The club that raises the most money through this activity receives a pizza party for its members. The year-long service project continues with a walk at one of the local high schools where students pay $1.00 per hour to walk the track. These and other activities like blue jean days, candy sales, can shakes and more help raise over $5,000 per year for this worthy cause. To help students and communities “buy into” this activity, each club is encouraged to educate others with club meeting programs, poster contests, essay contests, displays and more.

· Haven Ministries – the Vernon Parish 4-H Teen Leader Club has selected Haven Ministries as a focus area for the next several years. This camping facility is designed to help troubled teens and other groups throughout the year. The facility coordinator has served as a speaker for one of the Teen Leader meetings and has met with the planning committee to share the facility's needs. Over the next several years the group plans to build a prayer garden, build a rock wall, put playground equipment together, etc. They are also hoping to teach some of the workshops or sessions this summer on outdoor grilling and nutrition, Louisiana Wetlands and more. Teens are currently researching the needs for the prayer garden and contacting possible donors for rocks, plants, fencing and other needs for the garden. The teens will also be offered the opportunity for a weekend retreat at the facility to enable them to “get a feel for” the camp’s needs.

· Cystic Fibrosis – As a 2nd-year activity, the Vernon Parish 4-H Teen Leader Club has helped raise well over $36,000 for cystic fibrosis research. Fundraisers included a 24^th Annual Skate-a-Long and a 1^st Annual Great Strides Walk. As co-sponsors of these fundraisers, teens contacted sponsors, designed T-shirts, distributed flyers to ALL Vernon parish elementary students, educated teachers, principals and students about cystic fibrosis and the need for research, collected prizes, took in donations, wrote and aired PSAs, chaperoned skaters, distributed T-shirts, painted faces and donated over $1,000 for the cause. Both the skate and the walk occurred on President’s Day when all Vernon Parish students are out of school. The planning committee has met and has plans to make each event even larger next year with ideas to start earlier by educating principals, 4-H members and leaders, approaching new sponsors and more.

· Soft drink tabs for Ronald McDonald House – This is a 2nd-year activity that has spread statewide to include 4-H Summer Camp. In August, 4-H members and leaders delivered a truckload of soft drink tabs to the Ronald McDonald House of Monroe where the money raised from the tabs would be used for everyday expenses like cleaning supplies, food, etc. The tabs were collected throughout the school year by 4-H members and supporters. In an effort to increase this collection, the 4-H Teen Leaders contacted Miss Kim Landry with 4-H Camp with the idea for a contest and collection through 4-H Camp. The parish that brings in the most tabs will receive ice cream at camp complete with special toppings, and the 4-H member who brings in the most tabs each week will receive a special electronic prize. Collections have continued here in Vernon and will continue for many years to come. As the tabs are delivered, 4-H Teen Leaders also visit the children’s ward and PICU at the local hospitals to bring stuffed animals, prayers and well wishes to the patients and their families.

· Earth Day Projects - We conducted many Earth Day projects in conjunction with a Learn and Serve Grant that our school received entitled "Learning to Serve: Serving to Learn." 4-H members were able to plant trees in their school playground and clean up around their campus. This grant is funded through the Lt. Governor's office to promote serving learning. The grant monies in the amount of $5,000 helped to purchase flowers, trees, materials for tables, birdfeeders, etc for our school playgrounds and courtyards. Partners for our projects that have helped with inkind funds are WalMart of DeRidder, Lowes, Vernon Parish 4-H, Gill Dump Truck Service, Tammy Kay, Pam Brister and Kathy Jarrell.

Grade 6 students cleaning up in front of campus. Vernon Parish 4-H Teen Leaders visit the PICU ward of a local hospital in Monroe with stuffed toys. Pizza Party.

Grade 8 students planting flowers for courtyards and playgrounds. Grade 1 students planting a tree on their playground. Grade 3 students planting a tree on their playground. Grade 2 students with tree planted by their class .