Henderson County 4-H remembers Marjie Oetinger's legacy of volunteering

Another shining star has set in the 4-H sky. Marjie Oetinger became a 4-H sewing teacher in 2013. Soon after that, she started helping lead the Dana Wildcats 4-H Club.

Marjie was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and passed away on Jan. 27. We will miss her, but we can learn some tips about volunteering from her:

Find a cause you believe in

4-H focuses on teaching life skills to young people. Marjie loved to sew and create beautiful things, and to teach young people how to create their own accomplishments. She also loved to teach young people solid values like citizenship, leadership and community service.

Share your passion

When you have a passion about something, it is a joy to be able to share it with others. Marjie enjoyed sharing sewing and crafts with her 4-H club members. When the Dana Wildcats 4-H Club co-leader was hospitalized, Marjie put together a quilt for her, made from drawings by the kids. She also taught the members how to do many different crafts.

Marjie loved bright colors, and always included them in her projects. Marjie's personality was equally bright!

Love kids

Chad Baird, 12, says, "Miss Marjie was always very nice to me and others. She always helped me learn new things, like sewing on buttons."

Marjie taught the 4-H club how to sew tissue holders for an assisted living facility. Chad says that Marjie will always be in his heart and he will always remember the things she taught him.

Have fun!

We cannot talk about Marjie without mentioning her corny sense of humor. Marjie loved to laugh, and the kids loved laughing with her.

Give to the Community

Marjie led the Dana Wildcats 4-H Club in making dog beds and toys for the Humane Society. The children enjoyed visiting the animals at the Humane Society to present their gifts.

Marjie's dream was to have a Little Free Library at Dana Community Center. The Dana Wildcats 4-H Club made bookmarks for the books. Marjie collected hundreds of books for the Little Free Library, and kept the library stocked while she could.

After Marjie's cancer diagnosis, she also created many quilts for individuals and for Elizabeth House.

Celebrate!

Marjie loved parties, and she loved providing treats for the Dana Wildcats 4-H Club. A Celebration of Marjie Oetinger's life is in the planning stages. Call 697-4891 for more information.

4-H volunteers are always needed.

Some volunteers work directly with children, but some are behind the scenes.

• Advisory Committee members: Meet four times a year, oversee and support the 4-H program. Committees include marketing, finance, special interest, volunteers and camp.

• Leaders: Work with a group of young people, parents and volunteers to run a 4-H club.

• Helpers: Help 4-H Club leaders with activities during the meetings.

• Project leaders: Teach about specific topics at 4-H meetings, using hands-on learning.

• Teachers: Teach specific programs for a set amount of time. 4-H always needs sewing teachers.

• Embryology: Help with set up and organizing incubators and other supplies, or learn to hatch eggs at home and deliver eggs to the classrooms, making short presentations to the children.

• Marketing: Advertise 4-H in the community.

• Presentation coaching: Help a young person develop a 4-H presentation.

• Presentation judging: Use a specific rubric to judge 4-H presentations and offer constructive feedback.

Use the contact details below for information about volunteering or these 4-H activities:

Sewing Classes are being planned for March through December.

4-H Plant Sale

Henderson County 4-H is selling plants to support programs and awards for youth: strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and asparagus plants. Orders are due March 15. Most plants are bare root, and must be picked up at Henderson Farms, 705 Tracy Grove Road, Flat Rock, on Saturday, April 6.

Now is the time to sign up for 4-H Camp

Henderson County 4-H will take a group to Betsy Jeff Penn 4-H Center July 7-12. 4-H has three different camps throughout the state, and camps are open many weeks during the summer.

Denise Sherrill is the 4-H agent for Henderson County. 4-H is the Youth Development Program of NC Cooperative Extension, which is a division of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NCSU. Visit http://henderson.ces.ncsu.edu/4-H , call 697-4891 or email Denise_Sherrill@ncsu.edu to learn more about 4-H clubs, activities or endowments. Donors are always needed to help provide scholarships for 4-H presentations, camp and other activities. Donations may be sent to: Henderson County 4-H, 100 Jackson Park Road, Hendersonville, NC 28792.