MOUNT VERNON — When completed, a new 4-H Center adjacent to the Knox County Fairgrounds will offer plenty of meeting space, ample parking, and sufficient room for training sessions, demonstrations and judging activities.
Mark Bennett, 4-H Planning Committee member and longtime Kiwanian, unveiled the plans at Monday’s Kiwanis meeting. The 4,600-square-foot steel building will sit on 10.4 acres on Perimeter Drive between the Knox County Resource Area and the campground.
“It will have an office, storage room, and restrooms, but it will primarily be for meetings,” said Bennett. “The parking will really enhance things for us.”
Of the available space, 3,245 square feet will be devoted to meeting space that can be divided into four rooms through retractable partitions. The building will seat up to 460; the 4-H Planning Committee, a 501 (C)(3) entity, will own the building.
Local businessman Mark Ramser donated the land to the planning committee. Bennett said that Ramser, who took a money management project in 4-H as a youth, donated the land because he “wanted to give back.”
Bennett anticipates holding a groundbreaking ceremony before the 2018 county fair; construction will start after the fair so that the Knox County Fair Board can utilize the area this year. “We’d like to have it open and ready for occupancy by January 2019 in time for the 4-H kickoff,” said Bennett.
The previous 4-H Center, located at 401 W. High St., was sold in July 2016. Built in 1900, the house had two or three additions. Richard and Arlin Landers donated the house to the 4-H program in 1991.
“Yes, it was successful,” Bennett said of the former 4-H Center, “but as time wore on and it wore out, it wasn’t a situation where it would be wise to invest more into the property.”
“We kept it going for 25 years,” said Larry Hall, OSU Extension educator, in reference to the center on West High. “In our hey day, we had a lot of clubs and training there, up to 450 times in one year.
“But it’s much more than a building; it’s building the kids,” said Hall, citing several examples of youths who now have careers sparked by their 4-H involvement. Two 4-H’ers, now married, are civilian contractors with the National Guard because of their experience with Ohio Military Camp; another is administrative assistant to Jack Hanna at the Columbus Zoo.
“That’s people perpetually giving back to Knox County, to Ohio because they came [to 4-H] with a great work ethic, we polished them up a bit, and they are doing great things,” said Hall.
In 2017, 1,190 youths participated in 4-H. Those youths, said Andrea Rees, extension educator, represent 9 percent of Knox County’s population. The 4-H’ers took 2,009 projects, represented 64 clubs, and were led by 193 volunteer advisers. The Clover Bud program, which is for youngsters age 5 to 8, had 112 members.
“We’re not just cows and cooking anymore,” said Frees, adding that the goal of 4-H is to help youths learn and practice life skills. “Our numbers keep growing.”
The fundraising goal for the new center is $750,000.
“Some of that money is for construction, but we are also going to set up a fund to be used for the upkeep of the building,” said Bennett. “We want to see this building last for a long time. If there’s always money there, it makes it a lot easier to manage.”
The Community Foundation of Mount Vernon and Knox County will hold the trust fund, which will be available after March 9. For information on how to donate through the Community Foundation, call 740-392-3270. Donations can also be mailed to the 4-H Planning Committee, P.O. Box 1268, Mount Vernon OH 43050.
