Raised bed gardens, building picnic tables and benches, creating outdoor classrooms and landscaping main streets are a few of the community projects that 4-H and FFA youth will be doing this spring as recipients of a Shaping Rural Missouri Grant. Seventy-three 4-H clubs and FFA chapters received a $500 Shaping Rural Missouri Grant to complete a community improvement project in their local area.
This is the eleventh year of awarding Shaping Rural Missouri Grants. The program has awarded more than $216,000 back to rural Missouri.
“This is the largest number of Shaping Rural Missouri Grants we have ever awarded. We are excited to see what these students are doing in their rural communities,” said David Janish, CEO, FCS Financial. “These grants enhance our rural communities and allow the 4-H and FFA members to work as a team to accomplish a worthy goal.”
In 2022, FCS Financial awarded the following 4-H clubs and FFA chapters a Shaping Rural Missouri Grant in support of implementing the project listed:
Savannah FFA Chapter (Andrew County) – Build benches that will be used at the school outdoor classroom.
Mexico FFA Chapter (Audrain County) – Mulch trees and landscape at the Audrain County Fairgrounds.
Barton County 4-H Teen Leaders (Barton County) – Teen leaders will build mini-food pantries to be used in their communities.
Heit’s Point 4-H Camp Association (Benton County) – Teen camp counselors will build a fishing dock for the area 4-H camp.
Lake Creek Lamplighters 4-H Club (Benton County) – Repairing and improving the tie-out area at the Benton County Fairgrounds.
Lincoln FFA Chapter (Benton County) – Build shelving for the chapter greenhouse and start a food composting site for school.
Polo FFA Chapter & Polo Trailblazers 4-H Club (Caldwell County) – Refurbish volleyball pits, picnic tables, horseshoe pits and lighting at Stagecoach Park.
Pleasant Hill FFA Chapter (Cass County) – Build an announcer's stand at Cass County Fairgrounds.
Salisbury FFA Chapter (Chariton County) – Chapter will select, purchase, and deliver agricultural books to the local library for children in the community.
Clinton County Welding Project (Clinton County) – Project members will design and construct two memorial benches for the Clinton County Youth Building.
Russellville FFA & Stringtown Corinth 4-H Club (Cole County) – Construct sheep and goat gates for the Cole County Fairgrounds.
Cuba FFA Chapter (Crawford County) – Installation of four raised garden beds for a “Seed to Table” program at the early childhood development center.
Outdoors and More 4-H Club (Crawford County) – Build two picnic tables for community parks.
Wranglers 4-H Club (DeKalb County) – Landscape flower bed area at a local nursing home.
Woollam 4-H Club (Gasconade County) – Replace six raised beds at the community garden.
Gilman City FFA Chapter (Harrison County) – Build six picnic tables for Gilman City Fair and ball field.
North Harrison FFA Chapter (Harrison County) – Expand and improve the wash rack at the local fairgrounds.
Montrose Busy Beavers 4-H Club (Henry County) – Work with Montrose Ball Association to stain, seal, and repair bleachers at the ball field.
Sunrise 4-H Club & Holt County 4-H Advisory Board (Holt County) – Construct benches for local park addition.
Viburnum FFA Chapter (Iron County) – Build raised garden beds to start a community garden at the school.
Blue Springs South FFA Chapter (Jackson County) – Build six raised garden beds for a community garden at the school.
Peacedale 4-H Club (Jackson County) – Make improvements at local fairgrounds.
Caring Clovers 4-H Club (Jasper County) – Build three, wheelchair accessible, raised garden beds.
Sarcoxie FFA Chapter (Jasper County) – Landscape the historic downtown Sarcoxie Square.
Mount Moriah Hustlers (Johnson County) – Landscape and maintain flower beds at Johnson County Fairgrounds.
Barn Bums 4-H Club (Laclede County) – Updating wash rack at Wright County Junior Fairgrounds.
Country Kids 4-H Club (Laclede County) – Landscape and update bleachers and picnic tables at Laclede County Saddle Club.
Napoleon Cloverleaf 4-H Club (Lafayette County) – Create a usable outdoor classroom space at the Buckner Elementary School.
Santa Fe FFA Chapter (Lafayette County) – Build a pavilion at the trapshooting range.
Lawrence County 4-H Council (Lawrence County) – Purchase a portable PA system for countywide activities and events.
Lawrence County Stockmans 4-H Club (Lawrence County) – Lay wreaths on headstones of veterans at the veteran’s cemetery.
Spring Creek Lively Steppers 4-H Club (Lincoln County)– Landscape around local extension office.
Linn County R-1 FFA Chapter (Linn County) – Build picnic tables for the community center.
Pershing’s Pride 4-H Club (Linn County) – Landscape the location where the Blue Star Memorial will be placed in the World War I Commemorative Poppy Garden at the General John J. Pershing Boyhood Home and Historic Site.
Wyandotte 4-H Club (Linn County) – Repair chain-link fence and concrete, construct two benches and a practice board at the City of Bucklin tennis court.
Home Pioneer 4-H Club (Macon County) – Landscape and build seating at Atlanta City Park.
Long Branch Trailblazers 4-H Club (Macon County) – Build a community garden.
Rising Stars 4-H Club, Stockmasters 4-H Club & Vienna FFA Chapter (Maries County) – Assist in expanding the show ring of the Livestock Barn at the fairgrounds.
Crossroads 4-H Club (McDonald County) – Landscape and build outdoor seating at the church where the club meets.
Circle A 4-H Club (Miller County) – Replace two exterior doors at Richwood Villa Senior Living Estates.
T-Town 4-H Club (Miller County) – Replace the fire pit at their community park.
Shamrock 4-H Club (Moniteau County) – Build a community library and supply cabinet at a central location in High Point.
Linn 4-H Happy Helpers (Osage County) – Clean up and landscape local park.
Loose Creek Busy Bees 4-H Club (Osage County) – Plant trees at the Loose Creek Community Center playground and refinish the community bulletin board.
Farrar Hawthorne 4-H Club (Perry County) – Remove and replace the existing landscape at the school building where the 4-H club meets.
Muddy Creek 4-H Saddle Club & Dresden 4-H Club (Pettis County) – Build permanent and portable signage for the La Monte Food Pantry.
Clopton FFA (Pike County) – Build a memorial bench at the school in honor of a teacher.
Woodlawn 4-H Club (Polk County) – Purchase kitchen supplies to be used by project groups who meet at the Polk County Fairgrounds building.
Lucerne 4-H Club (Putnam County) – Build picnic tables for the shelter house and repaint the shelter house at Lucerne Fairgrounds.
Busy Busy Beavers 4-H Club (Randolph County) – Build a community sharing box of non-perishable items and winter coats, gloves, and blankets at the local park.
Randolph County 4-H Shooting Sports (Randolph County) – Purchase new flags that the project members display at the Oakland Cemetery on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day.
Osceola FFA Chapter (Saint Clair County) – Create a walking trail with an outdoor classroom, benches, picnic tables and plant identification.
Sainte Genevieve FFA Chapter (Sainte Genevieve County) – Landscape around the Sainte Genevieve Elementary School.
Kennedy 4-H Club (Saline County) – Assist with clean up and restocking the pond at the Saline County Fairgrounds.
Downing 4-H Club (Schuyler County) – Install and plant large planters along the main street in Downing, Missouri.
Glenwood Whistle Stop 4-H Club (Schuyler County) – Replace broken equipment and install a basketball goal at the local park.
Queen City 4-H Club (Schuyler County) – Stain gazebo, plant flowers and build planter boxes at the local park.
Leonard Caring Clover 4-H Club (Shelby County) – Mulch playground and park at Kessler Park.
Newtown Community 4-H Club (Sullivan County) – Repair and replace flag, flagpole, lighting, and landscape the flagpole area at Harris Junction.
Sullivan County 4-H Shooting Sports (Sullivan County) – Purchase supplies that the project needs for the shooting range to assist the 4-H members.
Backroads 4-H Club, Bronaugh 4-H Club & Vernon County Horsemanship Project (Vernon County) – Assist additional organizations in purchasing and installing digital signage at county fairgrounds.
Crossroads 4-H Club (Vernon County) – Install and landscape the community bulletin board at the Compton Fire Station.
Lone Star 4-H Club (Vernon County) – Paint picnic tables at the Pop Shack at the local fairgrounds.
Milo-Oakdale 4-H Club (Vernon County) – Create and paint barn quilts to identify different buildings at the fairgrounds and community.
Homestead 4-H Club (Warren County) – Purchase and install fans for livestock barn at Warren County Fairgrounds.
Latty Route Go Getters (Washington County) – Collaborate with the City of Potosi to renovate Koi Pond at the city park.
The Shaping Rural Missouri Grant application period opens January 1 and closes April 1.
