4-Hers rally in Eldorado

It was an evening of belly bumping, hoops shooting, fortune telling, eating, drinking and general merriment.

Each year the ten Saline County 4-H clubs get together and have some real fun.

During the event the clubs hope to recruit new members by showing the general public just what a fun and lively group they are.

Monday evening the University of Illinois Extension Saline County Programer for 4H, Nancy Lambert, was seated at the door, taking tickets and giving out information to parents about 4-H.

"It is a great family experience," Lambert said. "We have events running all year long. We do two community service projects each year. Three weeks in July, around the county fair, we are very busy. We work with American Legion each year with a Veterans Day project."

The Evans family of Eldorado had a strong turnout for the event. From grandparents to three-year-olds there were a lot of Evans people on the premises.

"I guess you could call us a 4-H family," said Dan Evans.

Fortune teller Amy Craig of Harrisburg was dressed for the part of a gypsy fortune teller and she looked in her crystal ball and told Luke Barton of Eldorado that he was going to do something to make people smile. That made Luke smile and he went away quite happy.

"It's all in fun," said Craig. "I love dressing up."

One event was called Belly Bumping and it involved large inflated donuts. The children would get in the donut's hole and each donut would run and bump the other donut. It may have been the most popular event in the gym Monday evening.

4-H Clubs keep their young members busy with project tailored to each kid's preferences, said Lambert.