Lack of numbers led to the end of the Tracy Comets 4-H club, but the kids left are able to continue the 4-H experience with their friends from Amiret
By Per Peterson
One 4-H group’s loss is another one’s gain.
That’s the situation for the Tracy Comets and Amiret Busy Bees 4-H clubs, who have essentially merged after the Comets disbanded this year because of a lack of numbers. It’s a good news-bad news situation, as the kids from the Comets group have or will have found a new home with the Busy Bees.
“I am pumped about having so many members right now,” said Katie Lanoue, a Busy Bees leader. “The majority of our members are under the age of 12 so we have a lot of energy and enthusiasm in our club. Our meetings can be interesting sometimes with so many kids in a small area, but we have awesome leaders and youth leaders who set the example and keep us organized.”
The Busy Bees, which would top out at 50 members after all the Comets kids join, is led by four volunteer adults: Lanoue, Jeanne Knott, Kim Roggatz and Tara Ryks. The club, which organized in 1926, was recently named the 2019 Lyon County Club of the Year.
And, “Reilly McConnell, a current Tracy-Milroy-Balaton senior and our club president last year, has been an exceptional leader for our club,” Lanoue said. “She just won the ‘I Dare You’ Lyon County 4-H award for her involvement, leadership, and community service. She has been and continues to be a huge part of our club. We also have truly wonderful families who value 4-H. These families are committed and very giving to our club.”
See this week’s Headlight Herald for more on this article.