This file photo from February shows Cornell Cooperative Extension Board President Shelly Wells and her husband, Travis at the Eighth Annual 4-H Green Tie Affair. The dinner usually raises around $25,000 annually. 4-H officials are worried that the Green Tie Affair will not be permitted to happen in 2021.

The Chautauqua County Legislature has proclaimed Oct. 4-10 “4-H Week” in the county. But it’s going to take more than a proclamation to help the organization through this time.

According CCE Executive Director Emily Reynolds, 4-H has about 325 students involved in its clubs. The clubs are the ones who have their crafts, clothing and animals on display at county and state fairs. Local animal science projects include sheep, goat, rabbit, poultry, horse, dog, hog, dairy, and beef and heifer. There’s also another 14 community clubs where student members make projects, learn about public speaking and participate in community service.

There are also another 1,000 students impacted through short-term interest programs, particularly the Conservation Field Days, which draws 800 students.

Reynolds notes Cornell Cooperative Extension has a $1 million budget, of which $200,000 is strictly for 4-H. Of that amount, $50,000 had been provided by the county. That amount has remained steady since 2017. This year, 4-H, like nearly all sectors funded by county government, had its spending reduced by 17.5%. The same amount has been proposed for next year as well, which is $41,250.

Along with the county, the state has also cut 4-H’s budget by 20%.

County Legislator Christine Starks, D-Fredonia, noted these cuts are going to hurt the organization.

“All county funding as well as other grant funding goes to maintain their programs and operations. Any percentage up to and including a 20% loss of income would eliminate educator positions, essentially decimating 4-H,” she said during a recent committee meeting.

While not calling for returning 4-H’s funds to the pre-pandemic level, Starks stated, “(this) might be the teacher in me talking, but equal is not always fair.”

Reynolds, who has worked in different roles with Cornell Cooperative Extension over the past 14 years, said while the programming for 4-H continues to grow, the funding has been all over the map.

“It’s been a real roller coaster,” she said.

In 2006, Cornell Cooperative Extension was almost fully funded by the county. Then in 2012, the county cut funding for 4-H. In response, 4-H established an endowment fund and began its annual Green Tie Affair dinner.

The following year the county was able to reestablish its funding to 4-H. The organization continued its Green Tie Affair, generating $25,000 a year. In 2017, the organization was able to start using the interest generated from the endowment, which is between $8,000 to $12,000 annually.

This year, because the county fair was canceled, Cornell Cooperative Extension was unable to have its 4-H Snack Bar, which generates $10,000 to $15,000. And right now, it doesn’t look promising for the organization to have its Green Tie Affair in February, at least the way it has taken place over the last eight years.

Reynolds also notes that any cuts from the county means her organization has less money to leverage from state and federal grants.

But even with all its challenges, 4-H is not giving up.

Kate Ewer, 4-H’s community educator, says she believes funding cuts will not stop Cornell Cooperative Extension.

“We have an incredible volunteer system of people who support our program. Because they have such great ideas, they always keep us going,” she said. “I don’t think our youth will have a stop in our programming but it may be changed.”

The county budget review is set for next week. By the end of the month, Cornell Cooperative Extension officials should know where they stand financially, at least from the county. And Ewer said she has confidence they’ll be ready.

“We are hugely resilient,” she said. “We can pivot and make sure our kids have great opportunities.”

On a positive note, Reynolds noted the organization did receive a $15,000 grant from the Southern Chautauqua United Way for organizations hurt by the pandemic.

Cornell Cooperative Extension is also holding a drive-through chicken barbecue dinner Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9-10. Friday’s dinner will take place from 4-7 p.m. at Tractor Supply in Dunkirk and Saturday’s dinner will take place from 4-7 p.m. at Runnings in Jamestown.

At this point, Reynolds is encouraging residents to talk to their local representatives about why they feel 4-H is important and support them in their fundraising efforts. Her goal is for them to continue not only helping traditional 4-H students, but to continue to expand programming in areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

“Our STEM programming has really expanded over the last two years,” she said. “We’ve been reaching a lot of youth with our innovative programming.”