4-Hers plan to share their knowledge during `Meet My Project'

WELLINGTON — Not everyone knows the difference between a market chicken and a Rhode Island Red, or a market boer goat and a boer doe goat. And that's OK. Because there are more than a few experts out there and they are more than happy to tell you everything they know. They are the 4-Hers who have spent their days preparing their projects and animals for the 2022 Lorain County Fair and for the fifth year, they will have the opportunity to tell fairgoers all about it through Meet My Project. More than 30 4-H kids have signed up to talk about their projects throughout the fairgrounds during fair week. Lorain County Fair board member Ron Pickworth, of LaGrange, brought Meet My Project to Lorain County after visiting different fairs and watching what they did. "I set up Meet My Project to educate the public about what these youth do for these projects," he said. "They educate the public on their animal and what they fed it, how they fed it, how they cared for it — all of what is involved. In turn, it gives kids practice in public speaking and leadership." Not only does the public enjoy it, but the kids do as well, he said. "A lot of kids who have done it in the past have come back for the last two or three years," Pickworth said. "They get excited when people show interest in what they've done and they get a chance to tell a story." It's not just for animal projects either — cooking, gardening and more are all part of the program. To locate a Meet My Project participant, look for the orange banner, or for a 4-Her wearing a Meet My Project T-shirt. They shouldn't be hard to spot, as they are spread out throughout the barns and livestock areas. Meet My Project times are 4-6 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during fair week. "I stole this idea from other fairs and said we're going to get this going," Pickworth said. "There should be something in every area, so if you see someone wearing a shirt that says, 'Ask Me About My Project,' take the time out of your viewing of the fair and ask. It's a great learning experience for both the kids and the person." Pickworth's wife, Judy, also works on the Meet My Project program. Contact Christina Jolliffe at ctnews@chroniclet.com.