McDonough County 4-H

10/21/2026

We have a fun opportunity for you!

The Western Illinois Museum (WiM) Youth Advisory Council is seeking young adults from the area to share their views of McDonough County for the upcoming exhibit Seeing McDonough County: A View of 2026 . The exhibit will be on view at WiM from Nov. 28, 2026, through Feb. 26, 2027. Submissions can be made on the WiM website and will be accepted through Nov. 21.

Open to artists ages 16 to 24. Each artist may submit up to three entries. The application can be found on the WiM’s website at www.wimuseum.org . Artists will be notified of selections by email on Nov. 22, and selected work must be delivered to WiM on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

10/10/2026

We are continuing the 4-H Fun on Sunday!

10/09/2026

The 4-H Helping Hands did a phenomenal job with their 4-H pumpkins during their meeting! We enjoyed their artwork before they headed to local businesses and families.

10/08/2026

4-H FOOD DRIVE CHALLENGE!
It’s Henderson 4-H vs. Knox 4-H vs. McDonough 4-H vs. Warren 4-H in a friendly competition to help give back to our communities!

From October 1 through November 16, each county will be accepting canned goods at their local Extension Office. All donations will go directly to food pantries in their respective counties before Thanksgiving. We encourage our clubs to work together to donate the most canned goods, spices, and nonperishable items to help their county win the contest!

How will we determine the winner?
To make the competition fair between counties of different sizes, we’ll calculate the total number of canned goods collected per 4-H member in each county. The county with the highest percentage will be crowned the winner!

📅 Due: November 16
📍 Drop-off: 4-H Center, Macomb

county with the largest percentage of canned goods collected will be rewarded with Popcorn Party boxes that our members can enjoy at their next club meeting!
Let’s see which county can collect the most and make the biggest impact in their community!

Who’s ready to take the challenge?!
Contact Beth Chatterton at [email protected] with any questions.
*BONUS: This counts as a Unit-Wide Community Service activity.

10/07/2026

Fall is build season: Enter your "fall fun" creation in our free build contest.

Youth ages 8 to 18: 4-H build season has arrived! Compete in our free virtual Building Brick Challenge Series to show off your original plastic building brick builds.

The October contest theme is “Fall Fun”. Create an original build showing off your favorite fall activity and submit it for a chance to win fun buildable prizes!

Entry deadline is 11 PM October 31

View complete contest details at go.illinois.edu/4HBuildSeries.

10/06/2026

Happy National 4-H Week!
We are closing out the week with an evening of s'mores and getting to know your 4-H Federation members. This event is open to all 4-H families and 4-H friends. We will have information for new families who want to join the fun. As well as information for our 4-H members in 8th grade and above who are interested in being a part of the Federation.

10/03/2026

Strong communities start with empowered youth!
When you visit Casey’s this fall, you can help create opportunities for the next generation.
Round up your purchase in-store (until Oct. 11) or add a donation to online and app orders (until Oct. 31) to support local 4-H programs.
Together, Casey’s and 4-H are investing in young people across rural communities—helping them build the skills and confidence to lead, serve, and thrive.

09/28/2026

Registration closes tomorrow (Monday) and this exciting event is Tuesday night! We can't wait to "see" you there as we learn along with 4-H members from across the country!

Get excited for the National 4-H Animal Science Career Night Webinar with guest speakers Dr Hannah Neill and De Michelle D'Alessandro!

Join us for an evening to hear from noted speakers in the veterinary industry as they share career exploration insights, advice, and more! Open to youth in grades 7-13 (ages 12-19).

September 29, 2026 7-8pm est
Register by September 28th at go.illinois.edu/AnimalScienceCareerNight

Presented by: National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals, Animal Science Working Group

Questions? Email [email protected] or call 908 526 6644

09/17/2026

Join Shelby and 4-H members from across the country for this night of learning from the experts! You can even count this as a "State Level Experience" on next year's Experience Award.

Not able to join us live? Register for the call and the recording will be sent to you!

Get excited for the National 4-H Animal Science Career Night Webinar with guest speakers Dr Hannah Neill and De Michelle D'Alessandro!

Join us for an evening to hear from noted speakers in the veterinary industry as they share career exploration insights, advice, and more! Open to youth in grades 7-13 (ages 12-19).

September 29, 2026 7-8pm est
Register by September 28th at go.illinois.edu/AnimalScienceCareerNight

Presented by: National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals, Animal Science Working Group

Questions? Email [email protected] or call 908 526 6644

09/04/2026

Congratulations to our 4-H members who won awards at the State Fair!