The wind was just right to give a kite a nice lift into the sky, and plenty of kites could be seen on a recent afternoon in Murray’s Central Park.

Members of several 4-H clubs from around the county were at the park to mix fun with community service. The youths spent time flying kites, some of them homemade. Then, they headed down hiking trails armed with garbage bags to pick up any litter they found along the way.

“We do a quarterly community service project as a county, and in the fall we do a pumpkin and park cleanup and in the spring for the past few years we’ve been doing a competition between clubs such as an obstacle course,” said Ginny Harper, Calloway County 4-H agent. “This year we decided to fly kites and clean up the park. So we are going to have some fun and then spend some time on the trails here in our park system.”

Community service projects are an important aspect of 4-H and are highlighted in a segment of the organization’s pledge. These projects encourage youth to help others, give them a sense of belonging and encourage being active members of their communities.

Calloway County was also hosting Joe Kurth, assistant director of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service for 4-H Youth Development.  Kurth and other adult leaders helped the 4-Hers get their kites up and flying and also accompanied them along the trails.

Greg Wood, 10, has been an active 4-H member for several years and enjoys the activities. He brought his own kite from home and had good luck getting it to soar.

“At the beginning mine didn’t have very good luck – it kept crashing – but then I let a whole, whole lot of string out and it went pretty high,” he said.

Wood also said the park cleanup was important.

“I think the cleanup of the park is good for the earth because if all this litter keeps piling up then our park will be so filthy we won’t be able to play in it or go on the trails,” he said.

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