Mark Cathcart, Union County 4-H Agent
It’s an exciting time to be a 4-H’er in Union County. Oftentimes it is difficult for 4-H clubs to find suitable space to hold meetings and do activities. We are very fortunate in Union to have access to a great meeting room. Recently that got even better, as the use of an entire building has been donated to Union 4-H.
Located on the Union County Fairgrounds is a 40’x60’ freestanding building that has not been utilized to is maximum potential for several years. Things would come and go, but nothing seemed to stick. One of the problems was that no one wanted to tackle the upgrades needed. As the Union Forged In 4-H program has grown, a larger, more suitable space was needed. I approached the fair board and asked if they would give the use of the building to 4-H to conduct meetings for Forged In 4-H. The board agreed and the journey began.
With the space secured, I set out to get 2 grants (the Clemson University Innovation Award, and the Union Community Grant) for the upgrades and a new project. With help from Union County the improvements began to get the building to a workable state. After seeing the improvements being made the fair board made an investment in the project by paying for a concrete walkway to be poured in the building. The new project would be another level of Forged In 4-H in the form of an 1850’s style blacksmith shop. This shop will be used to teach traditional coal forging as well as demonstrations during events held at the fairgrounds for the purpose of promoting 4-H.
At the time of this newsletter the project is not complete, but we are getting close. Our goal was to have it up and running for the Union County Farm Show on September 21, 2024, and we did. When completed an investment of around $25,000 will have been made overall on this endeavor. It will pay back dividends for many years to come through education, demonstrations, and the preservation of history.