Just because the snow is flying doesn’t mean 4-H isn’t in action! Check out this list of winter 4-H activities. Leave an echo (comment) to tell everyone what fun your county gets into during the chilly months.

1. Winter field day! Growing up in Lewis County 4-H, we always braved a Saturday’s blowing flurries to compete in a multitude of indoor relay races. http://4h.blogs.wvu.edu/blog/2007/9/6/call-for-games

2. Skiing field trip! Though I never really mastered flying down a hill on skinny planks, holding sticks (I still don’t understand what those sticks are for), we would all pile on a bus before the crack of dawn to make our way to Canaan Valley for a day on the slopes. http://www.wvtourism.com/spec.aspx?pgID=51

3. Ornament exchange. Ah! I still employ the knowledge of a Yankee gift exchange at least once each December. http://www.ehow.com/how_12843_have-holiday-gift.html

4. YAC, Young Adult Conference is certainly one of the highlights of the late season for 4-Hers and 4-H Alumni 18 and older. A preview post from Tiffany Hall, Co-Chair of the YAC Planning Committee is soon to come! http://www.yac.wvu.edu/

5. Basketball Day, when else do you get to come to a WVU Basketball game at the famed Coliseum with a TON of really awesome 4-H friends? http://4h.blogs.wvu.edu/blog/2007/12/10/wv-4-h-basketball-day

6. Teen Leader Weekend books up completely! Best of luck signing up for this amazing 3 day camp. Held in Jackson’s Mill, teens from all over the state bundle up in coats instead of usual summer wear of flip-flops and sun block. http://www.wvu.edu/~exten/infores/pubs/fyres/evcal01.htm

7. National 4-H Congress wrapped up a couple of weeks ago. Held in Atlanta, Georgia thousands of 4-Hers from around the country (and Puerto Rico) gathered in a week long conference. Maybe we can have one of this year’s delegates write a post on the experience! http://www.national4-hcongress.com/

8. Volunteer Leaders Weekend has been a crafting-paloza and shooting sports training ground for many years now. This weekend is a great opportunity for our beloved adults, not just to learn new skills as county volunteers, but also a chance to rejuvenate away from the real-world. The new name of this weekend is Youth/Adult Partnership Training Weekend.

9. Always a Classic, Caroling at local Nursing Homes. Whether singing 4-H or Holiday songs, visiting the elderly is always greatly appreciated. Last week I went singing with my church group, we took extra carol books so residents could sing along!

10. WVU Legislature Day is a great opportunity for Extension Service to showcase it’s work in all 55 counties of our great state. Many do not make the connection between land-grant universities and 4-H, but it’s an important bond! Demonstrating the benefits of 4-H at the capitol insures legislatures understand the importance of WVU Extension and 4-H in West Virginia.

11. Though your county camp planning committee maybe taking a break, the good people of Extension are still honing their skills as dedicated and experienced camping experts. Camping In-service is a meeting agents, program assistants, and specialist use to share best practices and proficiency! West Virginia 4-H has a top-rung camping program, and keeping it that way takes work!

12. Two words, DANCE WEEKEND! In the past Dance Weekend and Camp Planning has coincided, beckoning committee members to the contra and square dances being held just yards away. Dance Weekend was always one of my favorite winter activities, sustaining me until the summers that would return me to Jackson’s Mill.