MAINE — University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H will be piloting a new club specifically for independent 4-H members. The new Independent 4-H Clubs are an opportunity for individuals to come together, virtually or in-person, and build relationships with their peers. They will share interests, projects, goals, plans for the year and reflections at the end of the year. This will be a space for youth to foster friendships and collaborate on projects of similar interests.

Independent 4-H’ers are registered with their county organizations, but they don’t belong to a specific club. Instead, they work on their own to develop a project around a topic of their choosing. The new Independent 4-H Clubs will be a way for these individuals to make connections with other youth in their counties or in the state, learn from other projects and gain additional support and guidance.

The Independent 4-H Clubs will hold two to three meetings annually. Meetings will be held in Oxford, Franklin, Hancock, Waldo and Androscoggin/Sagadahoc counties. In addition, UMaine Extension 4-H will also host virtual statewide meetings. These meetings are open to all ages. For information about specific meeting dates and to register, visit the event webpage. For more information or to request reasonable accommodation, contact Tara Marble, 207.778.4650; [email protected].