North Shore 4-H Holds Fruit Fundraiser

For the past five years, the North Shore 4-H Club, led by Viola Hanson, has held a fruit fundraiser. The North Shore 4-H Club meets the 2nd Sunday of each month at Herringbone Farm, and the club’s focus is on com­munity service projects, crafts, educational events, learning about animals to be shown at the Lake Coun­ty Fair, and fundraising ac­tivities.

Five years ago, North Shore 4-H was looking for a different type of fundraiser. 4-H used to sell fruit, but it had been a long time since that was common, and there had been years with no fruit sold. “It takes time and or­ganization to put it together,” Viola Hanson explained. “So, as a club, we thought, let’s try it again.”

Each year, since North Shore 4-H restarted the fruit sales, many people will ask when the next fruit sale is, and request to be placed on a list to order fruit. “The fruit is very good, so selling it is very easy,” Hanson says. Many customers have come back year after year.

Viola Hanson is in con­tact with Minntex Fundrais­er, based in Windom, MN. “They are an easy compa­ny to work with.” She tells Minntex what price range North Shore 4-H would like. “I have always put us in the middle. It keeps the price reasonable for our customers, plus we are able to get some profit off of it.” Each 4-H member’s family receives an order form with a code. Customers can ei­ther place an order online using the code, or by filling out the form. North Shore 4-H has around 4 weeks to sell the fruit. “At the end of the sale, I submit all the or­ders,” Hanson says. She is then given a delivery date, and a semi truck comes on that date to deliver the fruit “a pallet or more”, to Her­ringbone Farm. There, it is sorted and ready to be de­livered.

Every year, $500 of the funds raised go towards blessing a Two Harbors family at Christmas. This year, funds will also go to­ward adding another per­gola to the 4-H building at the Lake County Fair­grounds. The pergola will feature flowers, lights, and a bench, and will be there during the fair. Other funds raised go towards support­ing the 4-H club members’ projects, and activities for them to “go and do”. In the past, these activities have included Blu, State Live­stock, and State Horse.

North Shore 4-H has a few upcoming activities – a monthly club meeting for all ages, a county club meeting for 6th-13th grade, and an Ambassadors meet­ing for 6th-13th grade. June 18 will be their Project Fun­day at the fairgrounds, and North Shore 4-H will be at the Lake County Fair Au­gust 8-11.

Great work with the fruit fundraiser, North Shore 4-H. It’s enjoyable to re­ceive some fresh fruit to cheer up a gray winter.

For those interested in learning more about 4-H, contact Tracey, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Devel­opment, at turne275@umn.ed or (218) 834-8379.