UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Kellyite 4-H club of Lewisburg was awarded $1,000 and first place honors among 2,000 entries nationwide in the 4-H division of the 31st Colgate Youth for America Campaign, a program launched in 1973 to recognize youth groups for their community service projects.

The club provides support to the community recycling center, offering recycling information to residents and accepting materials at the town recycling center two Saturdays per month all year long.

"The rural towns of the Kellyites 4-H club have neither garbage collection nor recycling," says Kellyites 4-H club volunteer leader Helen Petre. "A state grant would provide dumpsters, but not for supervision of labor. Our club volunteered to accept materials and supervise drop-offs, which was a major concern for town officials since there is no way the center could handle household trash."

Three other PA clubs received $100 and were awarded fourth place awards in the 4-H division. They are the McKean County livestock club of Smethport; the Grassy Meadows 4-H club of Pitman, and the Southhampton 4-H Seeing Eye puppy club of Churchville.

"Service to community is one of the essential elements of the 4-H youth development program," says Christy Bartley, Penn State Cooperative Extension state 4-H program leader. "In Pennsylvania, we encourage all 4-H clubs to become involved in service learning projects within their communities."

The Colgate Youth for America Campaign honors local units of national youth organizations for community service. With more than 300 winners selected annually, Colgate has awarded nearly $6 million to local clubs and troops over the program's 31-year history.

More information about the Colgate Youth for America Campaign can be found on the Web at http://www.youthforamerica.com. For more information about Pennsylvania 4-H, visit the Web at http://pa4h.cas.psu.edu or contact your county Penn State Cooperative Extension office. EDITORS: For more information, contact Christy Bartley at 814-863-3828 or by e-mail cek4@psu.edu.

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Writer: Janean Thomas office: 814-863-0938 Editor: Chuck Gill office: 814-863-2713