Wisconsin 4-Hers and their sponsors listen to an overview of the Hopkins County 4-H
Program, at the Extension Office on Monday morning.

 

 

Wisconsin 4-H Exchange Students
Spend Week in North Texas

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

Kimberly Carraway, a Hopkins County 4-H member, shows a fellow 4-H member
from Wisconsin, how to listen to the heartbeat of a dog.

 

It's a full week of activities, comparing similarities, explaining differences, and learning about North Texas, for a group of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 4-H youth, as they participate in an Interstate Exchange Program, here in Hopkins County. "The program is designed to teach our youth about different areas of the country and to reward them for the many hours of community service, and work that they've completed in their project areas," explained Jodi Thesing-Ritter, a native of Hopkins County and coordinator of this year's trip. "These are some of our top 4-Hers who have participated in a number of activities, over several years of 4-H work. I wanted them to come to my home county and see the many similarities in life, as well as experience the cultural differences, between Wisconsin and Texas!"

 

Hopkins County 4-H members share their project work with the Wisconsin 4-H members.

The group left Wisconsin early Sunday morning, arriving tired at approximately 10:00 p.m., Sunday night, and it was up early for a full day of activities on Monday. They arrived at the Hopkins County Extension Office at 9:00 a.m., to learn about the local 4-H program and the project areas that our local 4-Hers participate in. Then, Extension Agent, Johanna Hicks had a sewing project outlined for them, where they sewed pillow cases.......some of the boys had some questioning looks on their faces!

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was a pizza lunch and time to tour the Sulphur Springs Southwest Dairy Museum, followed by a trip to the 3000 plus cow Spring Meadow Dairy Farm, in Pickton-Pine Forest. The days was completed with a Texas BBQ and Pool Party.

Tuesday's schedule called for a breakfast at Prairie Three Coffee, a tour of the Fenton's Fallow Deer Farm, and a trip to Greenville to the Audie Murphy and Cotton Museum. Then, it's off to Splash Kingdom Water Park in Canton, for an afternoon of fun.

 

 

 

Wednesday involves a tour of Heritage Park, a shopping and sightseeing trip around the Hopkins County Square, Courthouse, and Veterans' Memorial, with an afternoon trip to the TXU Coal Mining Operation, a small dairy farm tour, Sun Belt Mineral Plant Tour, and to Cooper Lake for swimming and fishing. The night will end with a Mexican Dinner and Mexican Folk Dances at St. James Catholic Church.

 

 

 

Then, on Thursday, it's a trip to Dallas, where they will tour the Baylor Hospital Imaging Center, tour Cowboy Stadium, and participate in a photo scavenger hunt, in the Arlington area.

Friday involves a full day with swimming at the Arlington Highlands Hotel, a tour of the Money Factory, and then on to the Texas Mortor Speedway. The night ends, with a trip to the Ballpark at Arlington, for a Texas Rangers vs Detroit Tigers Game.

 

 

Hans Fritz, one of the sponsors of the Wisconsin group, discusses his reindeer operation "back home"
with Hopkins County 4-H Council President, Zack Shepherd.

Saturday features a tour of the Japanese Botanical Gardens in Ft. Worth, an afternoon at the Ft. Worth Stockyards, Cowboy Hall of Famer, and a trip on the Trinity River Run Train. Then its a tour of Billy Bobs, a cattle herding demonstration at the Stockyards, and a night at the Rodeo in the Coliseum.

The group will return home to Wisconsin, on Sunday, August 12th......thoroughly engrossed in Texas Culture!

 

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