Garden club supports 4-H with Paper Clover donation

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio — The Garden Forum of the Greater Youngstown Area donated $500 to the 2016 Fall Paper Clover Campaign operated by Tractor Supply Company in partnership with the National 4-H Council.

During the fall campaign, customers had the opportunity to purchase paper clovers for $1 or more during checkout. The garden club went a step further and donated $500.

“We were overwhelmed with the announcement of this generous donation from our friends at the Garden Forum of the Greater Youngstown Area,” said Gregg Ziegler, store manager of the Austintown Tractor Supply store where the donation was made.

The donation also pushed the local store’s campaign total to $1,515, an increase of about $800 over the last time the store participated in the fundraiser, Ziegler said.

Nationally, more than $871,000 was raised during the 2016 Fall Paper Clover Campaign Oct. 5-16, surpassing the $10 million milestone raised for 4-H since the program’s inception seven years ago.

Local members benefit

Since 2009, the Paper Clover Campaign has provided direct support to further county level 4-H programs across the country.

Effective this fall, funds raised through the 2016 Fall Paper Clover Campaign will be used to provide scholarships to 4-H camps and leadership experiences. Tractor Supply will work with 4-H coordinators on the state level to donate the funds as scholarships to local 4-H members to attend camps and leadership conferences.

“This fall’s Paper Clover Campaign was a huge success thanks to our dedicated customers,” said Christi Korzekwa, senior vice president of marketing at Tractor Supply. “We met a major milestone this year, and we couldn’t have done it without them.”