A New Face In The 4-H

Lori Leas has officially begun work as the new Northeast Clark County 4-H Coordinator. Leas, a native of Las Vegas, is based at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Office in Logandale.

Leas will manage the 4-H Programs in Logandale, Overton, Moapa, Mesquite and Bunkerville. “We already have a full summer of activities planned for area youth,” she said. “Whether you are new to 4-H or an old timer, there are plenty of projects to choose from.”

“One of the first priorities, though,” said Leas, “is to get all of the existing clubs in the area to go through the official Chartering Process mandated by the National 4-H Council and the USDA.”

The Chartering process is completed only once every five years as long as a club stays in good standing. Also, if a club is planning on handling funds at all, i.e. fundraisers, sponsors, or has a checking account, a Charter is the first step to be recognized by the IRS under the National 4-H programs non-profit status.

There has already been one meeting held for local 4-H leaders to discuss the chartering application and another is being scheduled for the near future. The area’s teen 4-H ambassadors have been recruited to help some of the adult leaders through the paperwork and they too will be meeting on a regular basis throughout the summer.

“Our goal is to have all of the area’s traditional 4-H clubs chartered by the beginning of the 4-H year, which is October 1,” Leas said. “We don’t want the lack of official recognition to interfere with the entry deadlines for next year’s Jr. Livestock Show at the Clark County Fair.”

For more information on these and other subjects, contact Leas by e-mail at leasl@unce.unr.edu or by phone at 702-397-2604 or 702-346-7215.