Georgia Magazine - February 2021 - 8

GEORGIA News

Compiled by Jennifer J. Hewett

COURTESY UGA CAES

n Oglethorpe County, 4-H'ers have met
monthly for the last seven years as part
of the Georgia 4-H Cooking to Share
initiative, which challenges 4-H'ers across
the state to develop cooking skills by
preparing food for families in need. In 2019,
more than 60 families in Oglethorpe County
benefited from this project.
However, because
COVID-19 restrictions
'The Cooking to
prohibited the club from
Share project club is a
preparing food for people,
win-win for everyone: these 4-H'ers adapted to their
circumstances: Instead of
Families in need are
preparing nutritious meals
receiving healthy
for families, they prepared
Donkeys and alpacas are among the animals served by Sweet Olive Farm in
animal-safe
treats
to
donate
Winterville. They received healthy treats made by 4-H'ers.
meals, and youth are
to a local animal rescue
gaining confidence in
organization.
the kitchen, learning
Since August, the club has met twice to prepare treats
that their child ... wants to begin helping
while
following state and local public-health guidelines.
cook family meals. Teenagers are buildhow to prevent
These 4-H'ers have made 120 peanut butter cookies,
ing on their leadership abilities, and the
foodborne illness,
5 pounds of sweet potato fries, 100 pumpkin bars, 50 appleOglethorpe County 4-H Club is supporteating healthy and
cinnamon cupcakes and 100 granola bars, all of which were
ing the community. "
donated to Sweet Olive Farm, a nonprofit sanctuary for a
4-H parent Monica Patrick was
practicing kitchen
variety of animals in Winterville.
excited that 4-H'ers still had the opportusafety, all while
4-H'ers found animal-safe recipes online and chose to
nity to learn cooking skills while helping
learning to cook.'
make treats that had a base of applesauce or peanut butter.
animals in need.
" At first my child was devastated to
-Marcus Eason, Over the course of three visits to the sanctuary, they delivproject club coordinator
ered treats for more than
learn that the Cooking to Share project
150 animals to enjoy.
club was not able to happen this year.
Marcus Eason, 4-H agent That sadness soon turned to joy when
for the University of Georgia
she learned that [it] would continue. She
Cooperative Extension in
has been so excited to make treats for
Oglethorpe County, coordirescued animals and get back into 4-H, "
nates the Cooking to Share
Patrick said.
project club.
Georgia 4-H empowers youths to
" The Cooking to Share
become leaders by developing necessary
project club is a win-win for
life skills, positive relationships and comeveryone: Families in need
munity awareness. As the largest youthare receiving healthy meals,
leadership organization in the state,
and youth are gaining confi4-H reaches more than 242,000 people
dence in the kitchen, learning annually through UGA Extension offices
how to prevent foodborne
and 4-H facilities. For more information,
illness, eating healthy and
visit georgia4h.org.
practicing kitchen safety, all
-Austin Clark, CAES (University
while learning to cook, " Eason
Oglethorpe County 4-H'ers prepared animal-safe treats
of Georgia College of Agricultural &
said. " Many 4-H parents state
to donate to a local animal rescue organization.
Environmental Sciences) News

Georgia Magazine

February 2021

CASSIE WRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY / COURTESY UGA CAES

4-H Cooking to Share
helps rescued animals

http://www.georgia4h.org

Georgia Magazine - February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - February 2021