(L to R) Clover Creations 4H Club’s Cullan McMillin, Emmory Vis and James Vis Jr. pack gift bags for hospice nurses for the club’s service project. (Photo/Hudson Mullen)

Marylou Nagel | Writer 
Clover Creations 4-H Club recently packed and distributed 37 thank you bags for Avera Home Care hospice nurses and nurses at the Dougherty House. Each ‘Nurture a Nurse’ bag contained self-care items and included handmade thank you notes from the 4-H members.
In the months of December and January, club families donated Chapstick, Life Savers, gum, sparkling water, snack bars, tissues, notepads and stress balls. Club members met at the Maricar Community Center on Tuesday, January 26, to pack each bag.
Volunteer Bonnie Henningson, whose granddaughter Abby is a member, coordinated this service project. She delivered the bags to the hospice for distribution on Wednesday, January 27.
“The nurses said that it meant so much to be appreciated,” said Henningson. “They felt that it was a great project for the kids to do.”
“One of the Four Pillars of 4-H states, ‘I pledge my hands to larger service,’ and I truly believe in teaching my club members about volunteerism, and showing them many different ways that we can come together to positively impact the lives of others,” added Clover Creations Club leader, Nickie McMillin. “There is so much good to be done and kindness to share. Our club families are dedicated to the service work we do each year.”