Kansas 4-H gears up for weekend of community service Oct. 11-12
‘48 Hours of 4-H’ caps National 4-H Week in the U.S.
At a glance: Kansas 4-H will celebrate its long-standing commitment to community service when members across the state participate in 48 Hours of 4-H, Oct. 12-13.
More information: Beth Hinshaw, 620-496-8206, bhinshaw@ksu.edu
Related: Kansas 4-H | 48 Hours of 4-H | National 4-H Week | Oct. 12 48 Hours of 4-H service project (Registration)
Oct. 1, 2025
K-State Research and Extension news service
MANHATTAN, Kan. --Kansas 4-H will celebrate its long-standing commitment to community service when members across the state participate in 48 Hours of 4-H, Oct. 11-12.
Beth Hinshaw, a regional 4-H youth development specialist, said the 13th annual event wraps up National 4-H Week in the United States.
“In our (4-H) pledge, we say we commit our hands to larger service to my club, community and world,” Hinshaw said. “48 Hours of 4-H helps fulfill the pledge that 4-H members make every time they meet together.”
48 Hours of 4-H is a project that encourages clubs in the state to plan a community service project. “It’s not a 48 hour project,” Hinshaw said, “but rather a project that you do sometime during that 48 hour timeframe.”
“We want the service to be meaningful and we want it to make a difference in their community,” she added. “It’s all about celebrating the impact Kansas 4-H’ers are making in their communities—and the volunteers, leaders, and mentors helping us grow. From leading service projects to lending a helping hand, we’re showing what it means to be #4HBeyondReady.”
In the past, Hinshaw said, groups have been very creative in how they have chosen to help their community, including such things as:
- Beautification of the community, such as painting equipment in parks, planting flower bulbs, picking up trash and trimming landscapes.
- Collections, such as non-perishable foods, pet foods and laundry supplies.
- Special events.
- Serving meals.
- Visiting nursing homes.
“They’ve found something to do that will make a difference in the community where they live,” Hinshaw said. “Some groups have long-time partners that they work with; for example, one local unit helps with a Halloween Walk most years. But there are a lot of new projects, also.”
In addition to asking local media to cover their project, Hinshaw urges Kansas 4-H clubs to post pictures to Instagram, Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag, #484H and #4HBeyondReady
More information about 48 Hours of 4-H and how to register a project is available online.
Hinshaw also noted that the new 4-H year began Oct. 1, noting that 48 Hours of 4-H is often an opportunity for those considering membership to see what 4-H is all about. More information about 4-H, including how to get involved, is available online, and from local extension offices in Kansas.
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