When members recite the 4-H pledge, they vow to use their hands for larger service to better their club, their community, their country and their world.  
This year, Kansas 4-H members, volunteers and alumni are uniting to prove their commitment to the pledge by participating in 48 Hours of 4-H, a statewide community service project showcasing the positive impact 4-Hers can make in just one weekend.
Barton County 4-H members voted to host a fundraiser to help replenish funds for the Kansas Honor Flight program. A meal will be served for a free will donation on Sunday, October 11th from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the American Legion Post 180, 1011 Kansas Street in Great Bend, Kansas. Dick Dougherty, a life-long supporter of the 4-H program has agreed to serve up his famous pancakes and sausage. 4-H members will be preparing a fruit cup and serving your choice of beverage.   
All proceeds from this event will be used to help send our Kansas U.S. Veterans to Washington DC to see their war memorial at no expense to them. Donations or checks can be written directly to Kansas Honor Flights. Mike and Connie VanCampen and the other board members of Kansas Honor Flights is pleased to have a group from Barton County working on this project. There is a flight to Washington DC on October 7-9 but a member of the board hopes to attend this event.
Those who have made the trip to Washington DC can share their stories and applications will be available for our veterans who have not had this opportunity. For more information on the honor flight program go to www.kansashonorflights.org  
The State 4-H Youth Council was looking for a way to unite 4-H across the state at the local level. Mikey Hughes, an Ellinwood Energizer 4-H member and also a member of the State Youth Council said, “We pledge our hands to larger service, and that’s a big part of what 4-H was centered around when it was created more than 100 years ago. As we move forward, we see 48 Hours of 4-H becoming a unique challenge and something we can watch grow over the next few years.”
For more information about how you can get involved, contact the Barton County Extension Office
Berny Unruh is the 4-H and Youth Development Extension Agent in Barton County. She is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune.  She can be reached at 620-793-1910 or at bunruh@.ksu.edu