Most counties have a dinner to recognize outstanding 4-H participants and 4-H advisors for their volunteer efforts on the behalf of youth. These heroes give of their time, talent, energy and even money to make 4-H happen in a county.

We have more than 300 of these individuals in our county who give of themselves to make the best better. It is fitting they get a special thank you.

Here in Butler County we have a long tradition of doing just that, but for the last 17 years we have tried, in a small way, to go beyond recognizing 4-H advisors to recognizing Extension volunteers.

Each program area of Butler County Extension has volunteers who serve for the sheer pleasure of making sure a worthwhile project or class happens. It is only fitting that we say thank you to those who help us in so many ways. We do that at our annual Ohio State University Extension, Butler County Banquet. The 18th edition will be held on Thursday, March 23, from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Shriver Center on the Miami University campus in Oxford, Ohio.

Our banquet is also an opportunity for us to share with you some of our accomplishments and programming of each department.

Do you know about our Student Wellness Activities Team, Butler Co. 4-H CARTEENS, Butler Co. Healthy Living Coalition, Horse Camp, 4-H Sewing Camp, Cost of Community Services Study, Choice Food Pantries, Dining with Diabetes, Derma Scan, Grub Club, ServSafe, Chick Embryology, Master Gardeners, Junior Master Gardeners, Food and Fashion Board, Junior Science Wizards, the Beef Ball, Senior Citizen Gardens, Family Safety Roundup, Beekeepers School, Equine Environmental Quality Assurance Program, Pesticide Applicator Certification Program, Responsible Men - Responsible Fathers, Safe Communities, Youth Expanded Food and Nutrition Program, Planning for Growth, It’s My Child Too, Soybean Rust Sentinel Plots, First Year Corn Insecticide Plots, Small Farm College, Home Horticulture Series, Family Nutrition, or the Development of Living Skills Program?

These are all programs our staff has conducted on an ongoing basis or in the last year. If you don’t know about them, or even know you can get involved in them, then your first step should be to get on the phone and find out more.

Call 513-887-3722 or 513-424-5351, ext 3722 to make a reservation. The cost of the banquet is $15. Reservations need to be made by March 15.

This farm news was published in the March 1, 2006 issue of Farm World.