Pictured is one of the three displays the Stockton Panthers 4-H Club completed in the Sinclairville Library in celebration of National 4-H Week.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Chautauqua County’s 4-H Youth Development Program began a new programming cycle on Oct. 1. Nationally, 4-H celebrates the beginning of the new year with National 4-H week the first week in October.

Clubs in Chautauqua County celebrated National 4-H Week by decorating windows of a local business in their community. This year clubs explained why “There’s No Place Like 4-H” with their window displays. Clubs that participated this year included Canadaway, Fredonia Star Riders, Frewsburg Hayseeds, Stockton Panthers, the “Stow”-A-Way Kids and Wild Oats. The displays are judged and clubs receive cash prizes for their efforts. This year, Stockton Panthers took first-place followed by Canadaway. Wild Oats and the “Stow”-A-Way Kids tied for third place.

Chautauqua County 4-H would like to thank the following businesses and organizations for letting local clubs promote 4-H in their space: Covenant Manor, The Dinner Bell, Fredonia Hardware, Forestville Animal Hospital, Haff Acres Farm and the Sinclairville Library.

4-H is now accepting enrollments for the 2017-18 4-H year. Youth must be five and in kindergarten and cannot turn 19 before Jan. 1 to participate. In Chautauqua County youth have the opportunity to participate in club and animal programming. Club programming includes life-skills projects like creative crafts, cooking, recycling, public speaking, and community service. 4-H offers nine animal projects that cater to a variety of locales, family incomes, and time commitments. These include the beef, dairy, dog, goat, hog, horse, poultry, and sheep projects. Call the 4-H Office for more information about joining 4-H at 664-9502 extension 214 or visit our website www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua.

The 4-H Youth Development Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.