University of Wisconsin - Extension

The Wisconsin 4-H Youth Leader Council (YLC) is a statewide elected group of some 20 high school-age 4-H youth who help present 4-H information at state 4-H conferences and meetings. For the second year, Home Depot, the national home supply company, sponsors YLC.

A year ago, YLC members decided to make a unique gesture of appreciation for the support of Home Depot. Each member of the YLC committed to doing community service work, during the coming year in honor of Home Depot. The youth wanted to let Home Depot know that their partnership was important to them, and to let their communities know about the support of this major national corporation.

In less than a year, YLC had accumulated nearly 2,500 volunteer hours. Each youth found or created volunteer opportunities within his or her community. Their activities included bell-ringing for the Salvation Army, working with Special Olympics, Fox River clean-up, supplying food pantries and soup kitchens, building homes for Habitat for Humanity, helping at nursing homes, tutoring younger children, taking part in toy drives, giving diversity presentations at elementary schools, teaching about world hunger, and assisting at county Safe Nights for Youth. YLC members performed dozens of other volunteer services to help their communities and to honor their sponsor, Home Depot.

At the fall Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Recognition Luncheon, the YLC presented their volunteer hours to representatives of Home Depot, thanking them for their support of and belief in Wisconsin 4-H youth.