County celebrates National 4-H Week

By Bobby Horn Jr.
news@casscountynow.com

LINDEN-- This week students in Cass County will join thousands across the country in celebrating National 4-H Week.
On Sept. 27 Cass County Commissioners Court signed a proclamation declaring Oct. 2 through 8 as National 4-H Week in the county.
Speaking to the commissioners court Kay Burton, a volunteer with the Hope 4-H chapter, told about the group’s activities and accomplishments over the past year.
Burton said that Hope’s Forestry Team  outpaced 65 other FFA and 4-H teams to win Texas State Champion honors and advance to the national competition. At that contest, they placed 10th in the nation. Team members were Joshua Whatley (High point 4-H Individual), Raegan Aslin, Andrew Harp, Elise Moses, Montana Caldwell, Colton Moses and Tymber Reust.
Hope 4-H, Burton said, also qualified a Wildlife team for the state competition. 
This year the program took on a new feature as they began introducing students to shooting sports. Hope 4-H sent shooters to a State Round-Up competition held at Texas A&M in College Station. She added that they look forward to sending more archers to the state contest next year. 
Members of 4-H also competed in livestock shows both across Texas and outside of Texas this past year.
The group has also continued to stress the importance of community service. Currently, in cooperation with Tractor Supply Company, 4-H is collecting school supplies to help out their neighbors in flood-torn Louisiana. 
School supplies may be dropped off at the Tractor Supply Company in Atlanta or at the Cass County Extension Office in Linden.
The group also bid farewell to County Extension Agent and 4-H instructor Brian Whatley who resigned from the post last week to seek other employment opportunities.