4-H Cross Plains Wondermakers' Year of Service

Youth from the 4-H Cross Plains Wondermakers decided to go the extra mile this year. Instead of choosing one project to support MOM, the youth spent the entire year doing a variety of projects with the goal of making a difference for families in our community.

The youth started by making homemade leather coasters and cards to sell with all proceeds going to MOM. They added plants, seeds and baked goods to the sale to raise even more funds. Youth also collected clothing to donate to MOM’s Clothing Center where families in the community can shop for winter coats for children, professional attire for job interviews and other clothing—all free of charge. 

The 4-H youth also played an important role in Madison’s Canstruction®, a community competition to end hunger that brings people together to make imaginative structures out of canned goods and packaged food. First, they volunteered during MOM's spring MOM Squad event, one of several youth volunteer opportunities scheduled throughout the year. For this event, the kids wrapped cans in paper so they could be used in the Cans of Hope Canstruction® structure. These cans, each featuring the name of a donor who had purchased a “Can of Hope”, were then used to create a giant heart in the center of West Towne Mall during Canstruction® Madison. As part of the Cans of Hope fundraiser, Zendesk, Findorff, and an anonymous donor agreed to match the first $3,000 of donations. The 4-H youth decided to take advantage of this. They donated $100 to the Cans of Hope project so that their funds could be matched. Their involvement didn’t end there though. The youth also volunteered as a part of DeCanstruction, helping take down the Canstruction® structures after the event was over. The youth boxed up canned goods so they could be brought back to MOM’s food pantry where they are made available to families in need.

"I really feel like the work our 4-H club did will have a positive impact by helping people in our community,” said Emma Hinz, a 4-H member. “I was glad to work on the Canstruction® project as well as do projects, raise money and collect donations that MOM can use to serve people in our area. It feels good to know that we did something to help others." 

After a year of activities, with generous support from their families and the community, the youth donated a check for nearly $900 to MOM. They demonstrated that with a little creativity and a lot of determination youth can make a meaningful difference in their community.