August 30, 2024 • 16 mins
Talking with John Thomas, director of the Arkansas 4H Foundation about all the great programs offered to kids across the state of Arkansas, how you can volunteer or participate, as well as their big Dinner at the Vines fundraiser coming up on September 24th! To donate items, get tickets, or more information, visit https://www.arkansas4hfoundation.org/dinner-at-the-vines.aspx
If you have a topic, community organization, or event coming up and would like to be a part of the program, email your information to DJTaylor@iheartmedia.com
If you have a topic, community organization, or event coming up and would like to be a part of the program, email your information to DJTaylor@iheartmedia.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome and thanks for tuning in for Talk of the
Rock public affairs, community events, and public services for Central
Arkansas from the iHeartRadio studios in Little Rock. Here's your host,
DJ Taylor, and thank.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
You for joining us. I'm DJ Taylor. I'm joined by
John Thomas from four H. It's been a little while.
How are you.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
I'm great, Thanks for having me back. It has been
a while. Good to see you.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Absolutely a great summer for all the kids at four
H and all my kids love the camps over there
in Ferndale, and just a lot of great times learning
about all different manner of things because four H, for
those that may not know, it's more than just agriculture
or veterinary science type things. You cover it all, even
(00:43):
to robotics. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I think it was you who said, maybe as one
of your kids, who said everything from rabbits to robotics.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yep, that's it.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I say that all the time now when I describe it.
But yeah, we had a big, big summer, lots of
fun outside and you know right now, getting off the
phone and getting outside is kind of unusual to do,
and we had a whole summer of that going on
out there. So a lot of fun, a lot of
rock climbing, a lot of bows and arrows and ziplining
(01:12):
and fishing, a lot of kids catching their first fish
ever out there this summer. So yeah, it's been super busy,
a great, great summer out at the Vine Center.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah, that was a benchmark moment for both of my
oldest my fifteen year old now almost thirteen year old,
both caught their first fish out there at the Vine Center.
And you never really forget where that is when it happened. Absolutely,
it's a fantastic way to build memories. And of course
summer is over, kids are back in school, but that
doesn't mean the four h has slowed down in the least.
(01:41):
You have programs across the state all day.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
If anything, it picks up because it sort of follows
that school calendar schedule. And so the clubs, now, the
local clubs in all seventy five counties are starting to
have their meetings and getting together once a week, once
a month, whatever they do, it's up to each individual club.
All the clubs have opportunities for just about every interest
(02:04):
anybody might have. There's fine arts clubs, there's you know,
the agri clubs of course, and there's also just the
robotics clubs, and the leadership and the civic engagement, and
on and on and on. The list goes. So if
you're anywhere in the state of Arkansas, you look up
your county Extension office and there's going to be a
four H leader in that office and they can tell
(02:27):
you every club in the county and what's going on.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
And the best part is it's a lot of fun
for the kids. It's a lot of fun for the
parents too, and there are a lot of volunteer opportunities
for the parents to help out at any point.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
One of the big things about four H is it
has some trained adult volunteers. I really call them mentors
because that's what they are. In a lot of ways.
They're just they're helping the club happen there. They're helping
whenever there's a field trip or something that goes on.
They're all vetted, they're all trained, and it's one of
(03:01):
the reasons why FOURH has such incredible outcomes is because
the adults who pour into it, there's paid staff. In
every county, there's paid staff. They're experienced, highly trained people
that pour into this thing, and the kids are experiencing
a program over one hundred year old, program that just
(03:23):
keeps getting better and better and growing, and you can
see it in the outcomes. Forage kids are twice as
likely to give back to their communities, twice as likely
to be involved in their communities, five times more likely
to graduate college than non forage kids. Pretty amazing stuff.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
And one of the other things I want to point out,
because I know a lot of high school kids, especially
when you get to the seniors, there is a section
there where kids are required to do a certain number
of volunteer hours and things like that. Forah, always working
in the community, always helping around towns and even rural
(04:01):
areas across the state of Arkansas, and earning those volunteer
hours and learning important lessons.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, for four h kids, it's something they've been doing
the whole time, and a lot of them have always
been sort of putting that on their college scholarship applications
and that sort of thing. Well, now, yeah, with the
Learns Act, it's kind of required, and so they're like, hey,
you know, we're already doing it, so now we qualify
for that. But you're exactly right, if you are looking
(04:28):
for ways to get some of those volunteer hours four
H clubs can easily provide that for you because they
have it already set up. You know, they're already kind
of doing the work where you don't have to go
out and find something to do, knock on different nonprofit
doors and say hey, is there anything I can do
for you? Your local four H clubs are already engaged
(04:49):
in that, and so you just plug yourself right in.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
And as you were saying about nonprofits of four H
of course is free to join and to be a
part of. For students across the state of Arkansas, every
county of Arkansas something going on. And like you said,
rabbits through robotics, textiles even, yeah, lots of different.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Action in fabrics. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, So it's not just about getting out in the
barn and taking care of some goats or some rabbits
or whatever. It is so many different things and so
many things that will help you as you advance through
high school, through college even and into the adult life.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
I mean, we call it beyond ready and beyond ready
for work, beyond ready for the next educational thing that
you want to do out of high school, beyond ready
for family. Four EAH is kind of a holistic approach
to learning and understanding. It's learned by doing, and so
you're not just sitting there listening to someone tell you
how to do something. There will be some times when
(05:46):
you do that, but then you're going to do it
absolutely Now. Then you're going to stand up and give
a speech, or then you're going to go out and
build an underwater robotic thing and go compete in it,
or you may be learning to judge a cow or
livestock or whatever it is. And I never apologize for
the agricultural piece of four h because I always say,
(06:06):
if someone is coming to me and their resumes look
exactly the same, but one of them has spent years
raising goats and the other one didn't. Always kind of
look at the person because think of the responsibility, oh absolutely,
and the discipline that you had to do to get
up at six in the morning and go take care
of whatever animals you were taken care of, and you
(06:27):
learn a whole lot about life when you're doing that.
So yeah, it's just about everything that you can think of.
And you're exactly right. We have a foundation and it
exists to help people when expenses do come along.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Absolutely, and That's one of the reasons why I want
to talk about the Dinner at the Vines Now. This
has been an annual event for several years now. It's
always a lot of fun, always great food, always great music.
Chordsmyre they played last year. They've played just about every
year every time, and they're coming back this year too.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Ye be our fourth annual Dinner at the Vines. The
Chords Meyers will be there with live music. We have
a garden reception, garden party at the Vine Center. We're
out at the Vine Center in Ferndale, and so there's
a Pulaski County Master Gardener's garden down there. Everything starts
there and we have some drinks there and then we
move up for dinner at the Vine Center, sitting lakeside
(07:20):
out there, outdoor meal, gourmet meal. It's amazing live music
in the background by the Cords Myers. And then we
have an online and live auction that takes place as well.
All of the funds for this helps support the four
h program in Arkansas, and so there's going to be
some times when kids want to do something like go
(07:41):
on a travel learning trip. We don't want finances to
get in the way of them being able to do that.
So the foundation, the Arkansas h Foundation, exists to help
that proceeds from this dinner event go to the foundation
to do all those things well.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
And I do want to take the time to thank
some of the people that are helping out with this
and to give them the recognition they deserve because last
year we started out in the garden. It's an absolutely
beautiful garden and full of educational opportunities for the grown ups,
even my wife and I walking around and all kinds
of fascinating stuff to learn there. Some of the gardeners
(08:17):
on hand, maybe you enjoy gardening and you would like
to find out about some of the flowers or some
of the plants that are there, some of the some
of the fruits that are being grown there. They have
people on hand to answer those questions.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
They're all master gardeners. They can answer about any gardening question.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Absolutely they can. I mean they get the amount of
knowledge is just staggering in that garden. And then of
course you take the gators or you walk a beautiful
walk out by the lakeside and you come up and dinner.
This year, what do we got on on tap for
this year?
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Gosh, I wish I could remember. I know that it
involves I think something Alfredo check Italian Flare. All right, yeah,
I know that was one of the ones that was
on the drawing boards. I don't know where it's going
to end up, but I think that was that one
was kind of edging up above everything else. And we
(09:11):
have a new new caterer that's out there at the
at the Vine Center that does all the all the
food out there now and it's amazing Rave reviews about
the food out there, and yeah, we'll be there and
there's wine and there's there's great food and I don't
even know what the dessert is going to be, but
it'll be something that will blow you away. It'll last year.
(09:32):
I think you guys had a great time.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Oh yeah, definitely. It was amazing. The food was incredible.
Of course, the auction items were just second to none.
So many great area businesses coming together to help support
four h You go in and there's just tables and
tables and tables of things that are up for auction,
and you can go online and do the silent auction
(09:56):
that way, and I'm sure you've got a lit lot
of folks that are involved with that again this year too.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
It takes an army. The auction really takes a lot
of people, and we have a couple of people that
sort of lead that, but then there's lots of others
that come down. But we're asking everybody everywhere we go, hey,
do you want to donate something to the auction, you
know over at Lows or Tractor Supply or mass Pro
shop or the SPA places. You know, we want to
have something for everybody there and the list of things
(10:25):
is going to be amazing this year. So there's that
online auction piece, but then there's also, as you saw
last year, a live auction with items exclusively for those
who are there. And you know that's where you're going
to see some firearms and you're going to see some
pretty nice yard implement tools and things like that. It's
it's pretty pretty sweet deal and getting some stuff for
a good price.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Absolutely, and trips too. There were several trips involved. I
remember last year somebody had the chance to win what
was it. It was like in the President's box set,
a razorback game and Sweet Tell dinner for two one night.
It was just a fantastic weekend trip. Some very out
(11:06):
of town stuff. There was a.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Beach trip, yeah, and some stuff up on the Buffalo too.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Lots of family stuff you can grab for cheap.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
A lot of incredible times to be may had, and
a lot of memories to be made, and all helping
out with four h Now, like you said, is still
looking for anybody that'd like to be a part of
the live or silent auction. What's the best way to
get in touch for that? If you're a business owner
or a person that would like to.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Yeah help and to donate something, you can just go
to our website which is Arkansas Forohfoundation dot org. Okay,
or you can just look up you can just search
Arkansas for each foundation on the internet and you'll you'll
eventually come to us. You'll find my phone number, you'll
find my email. Not gonna make anybody try to remember
that right now. The other thing you can do is
(11:55):
type in dinner at the Vines. Okay, just dinner at
the Vines. Typed in will get you to everything you
need to know about the dinner, the auction, the food
and everything. Right now, we still have some tables. A
full table that can be sponsored. It seats six people
and there's two levels of sponsorship for those one thousand
dollars or fifteen hundred, and the fifteen hundred just means
(12:18):
more goes to the four h program. But we're also
selling individual tickets. Those are one hundred and fifty dollars
a piece, and again those can be purchased. Every question
answered search of dinner at the.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Vines absolutely, and it is well worth it because I mean,
let's be honest, it's a beautiful setting, it's incredible food.
I have There's never been a time that I've been
to dinner at the Vines that the food wasn't just
the best. I mean, always a fantastic meal, a fantastic dessert.
And then of course, knowing that you're helping out kids
here in Arkansas to get further education, better education, more
(12:56):
experiences and memories of life, just a fantastic thing.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I run into so many people who who say when
they find out that I work for Arkansas foh, they say,
you know what I went When I was a kid.
I met somebody there. We have remained friends for twenty years,
and we kept seeing each other summer after summer, and
you mentioned that, it just made me think it. Fourh
has also been a place that has really spurred some
(13:24):
relationships that just keep going and going. The four H
alumni is a very vast number of people. They all
have fond memories about it. It's fun to run into
them all the time.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Absolutely, Yeah, that was That's one of my memories from
high school. I remember being part of the four H
and Farm Bureau camp that was there for a week
and we did the ropes course, and we did rock climbing,
we did fishing, we did all the different stuff, and
that memory has stuck with me. We're not going to
talk about how many years for a few years, we'll
say that for sure. And then, of course the chance
(13:56):
to take my kids out there for summer camps, catching
their first fish and having fun swimming with new friends
and just learning about all the different things. My daughter
absolutely loved the rock climbing week that you had out
there and learning to shoot a boat. She's an archery
now because of four H and just loving that. So
(14:16):
a lot of great things for kids across the state
of Arkansas, and it's all starting with you and with
the Dinner at the Vines. Now, Dinner at the Vines
is going to be at the Ferndale campus.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
That's right, Tuesday, September the twenty fourth, all right, And
so it's usually later in the month of September, and
so Tuesday, September twenty fourth. It starts at five point
thirty and usually wraps up about eight o'clock out there.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
It is a fantastic time date night idea. My wife
and I were there, had a great time last year,
already looking forward to going back this year. September twenty
fourth at Ferndale Campus Dinner at the Vines with four
h and those tickets are available now. I recommend you
get them as soon as you can because this event
sells out.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
We're getting close right now.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
All right, so definitely want to make sure that you
get those. The website to purchase tickets.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Again, just search Dinner at the Vines or if you
can remember this, it's Arkansas Fohfoundation dot org.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Okay, and there will be a link on the website
with the podcast version of this where you can click
directly to that and get the information you need, whether
it's to get tickets or if you would like to
be a volunteer, maybe you would like to donate to
Dinner at the Vines or.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
To get your kids involved in four Hyeah absolutely thing.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Yep, it is fantastic. Like I said, my oldest he
still shows rabbits, goats, calves with four h and my daughter,
like I said, she was into the archery and the
rock climbing as soon as as soon as it was available.
So lots of different things available. No matter what your
kids are interested in, there's something for them at four ah.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Absolutely over one hundred programs. One of them is going
to connect with your kids.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Interest, absolutely, so make sure you check that out. Dinner
at the Vines, number twenty fourth, John Thomas, thank you
so much for being here. Man, It's good to see you.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Good to see you too. Thanks so much for having us.
We are always grateful for the support you give and
helping us get the word out. It means a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Thanks for listening to Talk of the Rock Public affairs
and community events from the iHeartRadio studios in Little Rock.
Be sure to subscribe to this podcast and listen next
week as we talk to more guests about public service,
local charities, and events going on in your neighborhood.
Welcome and thanks for tuning in for Talk of the
Rock public affairs, community events, and public services for Central
Arkansas from the iHeartRadio studios in Little Rock. Here's your host,
DJ Taylor, and thank.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
You for joining us. I'm DJ Taylor. I'm joined by
John Thomas from four H. It's been a little while.
How are you.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
I'm great, Thanks for having me back. It has been
a while. Good to see you.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Absolutely a great summer for all the kids at four
H and all my kids love the camps over there
in Ferndale, and just a lot of great times learning
about all different manner of things because four H, for
those that may not know, it's more than just agriculture
or veterinary science type things. You cover it all, even
(00:43):
to robotics. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I think it was you who said, maybe as one
of your kids, who said everything from rabbits to robotics.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yep, that's it.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I say that all the time now when I describe it.
But yeah, we had a big, big summer, lots of
fun outside and you know right now, getting off the
phone and getting outside is kind of unusual to do,
and we had a whole summer of that going on
out there. So a lot of fun, a lot of
rock climbing, a lot of bows and arrows and ziplining
(01:12):
and fishing, a lot of kids catching their first fish
ever out there this summer. So yeah, it's been super busy,
a great, great summer out at the Vine Center.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah, that was a benchmark moment for both of my
oldest my fifteen year old now almost thirteen year old,
both caught their first fish out there at the Vine Center.
And you never really forget where that is when it happened. Absolutely,
it's a fantastic way to build memories. And of course
summer is over, kids are back in school, but that
doesn't mean the four h has slowed down in the least.
(01:41):
You have programs across the state all day.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
If anything, it picks up because it sort of follows
that school calendar schedule. And so the clubs, now, the
local clubs in all seventy five counties are starting to
have their meetings and getting together once a week, once
a month, whatever they do, it's up to each individual club.
All the clubs have opportunities for just about every interest
(02:04):
anybody might have. There's fine arts clubs, there's you know,
the agri clubs of course, and there's also just the
robotics clubs, and the leadership and the civic engagement, and
on and on and on. The list goes. So if
you're anywhere in the state of Arkansas, you look up
your county Extension office and there's going to be a
four H leader in that office and they can tell
(02:27):
you every club in the county and what's going on.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
And the best part is it's a lot of fun
for the kids. It's a lot of fun for the
parents too, and there are a lot of volunteer opportunities
for the parents to help out at any point.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
One of the big things about four H is it
has some trained adult volunteers. I really call them mentors
because that's what they are. In a lot of ways.
They're just they're helping the club happen there. They're helping
whenever there's a field trip or something that goes on.
They're all vetted, they're all trained, and it's one of
(03:01):
the reasons why FOURH has such incredible outcomes is because
the adults who pour into it, there's paid staff. In
every county, there's paid staff. They're experienced, highly trained people
that pour into this thing, and the kids are experiencing
a program over one hundred year old, program that just
(03:23):
keeps getting better and better and growing, and you can
see it in the outcomes. Forage kids are twice as
likely to give back to their communities, twice as likely
to be involved in their communities, five times more likely
to graduate college than non forage kids. Pretty amazing stuff.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
And one of the other things I want to point out,
because I know a lot of high school kids, especially
when you get to the seniors, there is a section
there where kids are required to do a certain number
of volunteer hours and things like that. Forah, always working
in the community, always helping around towns and even rural
(04:01):
areas across the state of Arkansas, and earning those volunteer
hours and learning important lessons.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, for four h kids, it's something they've been doing
the whole time, and a lot of them have always
been sort of putting that on their college scholarship applications
and that sort of thing. Well, now, yeah, with the
Learns Act, it's kind of required, and so they're like, hey,
you know, we're already doing it, so now we qualify
for that. But you're exactly right, if you are looking
(04:28):
for ways to get some of those volunteer hours four
H clubs can easily provide that for you because they
have it already set up. You know, they're already kind
of doing the work where you don't have to go
out and find something to do, knock on different nonprofit
doors and say hey, is there anything I can do
for you? Your local four H clubs are already engaged
(04:49):
in that, and so you just plug yourself right in.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
And as you were saying about nonprofits of four H
of course is free to join and to be a
part of. For students across the state of Arkansas, every
county of Arkansas something going on. And like you said,
rabbits through robotics, textiles even, yeah, lots of different.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Action in fabrics. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, So it's not just about getting out in the
barn and taking care of some goats or some rabbits
or whatever. It is so many different things and so
many things that will help you as you advance through
high school, through college even and into the adult life.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
I mean, we call it beyond ready and beyond ready
for work, beyond ready for the next educational thing that
you want to do out of high school, beyond ready
for family. Four EAH is kind of a holistic approach
to learning and understanding. It's learned by doing, and so
you're not just sitting there listening to someone tell you
how to do something. There will be some times when
(05:46):
you do that, but then you're going to do it
absolutely Now. Then you're going to stand up and give
a speech, or then you're going to go out and
build an underwater robotic thing and go compete in it,
or you may be learning to judge a cow or
livestock or whatever it is. And I never apologize for
the agricultural piece of four h because I always say,
(06:06):
if someone is coming to me and their resumes look
exactly the same, but one of them has spent years
raising goats and the other one didn't. Always kind of
look at the person because think of the responsibility, oh absolutely,
and the discipline that you had to do to get
up at six in the morning and go take care
of whatever animals you were taken care of, and you
(06:27):
learn a whole lot about life when you're doing that.
So yeah, it's just about everything that you can think of.
And you're exactly right. We have a foundation and it
exists to help people when expenses do come along.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Absolutely, and That's one of the reasons why I want
to talk about the Dinner at the Vines Now. This
has been an annual event for several years now. It's
always a lot of fun, always great food, always great music.
Chordsmyre they played last year. They've played just about every
year every time, and they're coming back this year too.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Ye be our fourth annual Dinner at the Vines. The
Chords Meyers will be there with live music. We have
a garden reception, garden party at the Vine Center. We're
out at the Vine Center in Ferndale, and so there's
a Pulaski County Master Gardener's garden down there. Everything starts
there and we have some drinks there and then we
move up for dinner at the Vine Center, sitting lakeside
(07:20):
out there, outdoor meal, gourmet meal. It's amazing live music
in the background by the Cords Myers. And then we
have an online and live auction that takes place as well.
All of the funds for this helps support the four
h program in Arkansas, and so there's going to be
some times when kids want to do something like go
(07:41):
on a travel learning trip. We don't want finances to
get in the way of them being able to do that.
So the foundation, the Arkansas h Foundation, exists to help
that proceeds from this dinner event go to the foundation
to do all those things well.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
And I do want to take the time to thank
some of the people that are helping out with this
and to give them the recognition they deserve because last
year we started out in the garden. It's an absolutely
beautiful garden and full of educational opportunities for the grown ups,
even my wife and I walking around and all kinds
of fascinating stuff to learn there. Some of the gardeners
(08:17):
on hand, maybe you enjoy gardening and you would like
to find out about some of the flowers or some
of the plants that are there, some of the some
of the fruits that are being grown there. They have
people on hand to answer those questions.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
They're all master gardeners. They can answer about any gardening question.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Absolutely they can. I mean they get the amount of
knowledge is just staggering in that garden. And then of
course you take the gators or you walk a beautiful
walk out by the lakeside and you come up and dinner.
This year, what do we got on on tap for
this year?
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Gosh, I wish I could remember. I know that it
involves I think something Alfredo check Italian Flare. All right, yeah,
I know that was one of the ones that was
on the drawing boards. I don't know where it's going
to end up, but I think that was that one
was kind of edging up above everything else. And we
(09:11):
have a new new caterer that's out there at the
at the Vine Center that does all the all the
food out there now and it's amazing Rave reviews about
the food out there, and yeah, we'll be there and
there's wine and there's there's great food and I don't
even know what the dessert is going to be, but
it'll be something that will blow you away. It'll last year.
(09:32):
I think you guys had a great time.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Oh yeah, definitely. It was amazing. The food was incredible.
Of course, the auction items were just second to none.
So many great area businesses coming together to help support
four h You go in and there's just tables and
tables and tables of things that are up for auction,
and you can go online and do the silent auction
(09:56):
that way, and I'm sure you've got a lit lot
of folks that are involved with that again this year too.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
It takes an army. The auction really takes a lot
of people, and we have a couple of people that
sort of lead that, but then there's lots of others
that come down. But we're asking everybody everywhere we go, hey,
do you want to donate something to the auction, you
know over at Lows or Tractor Supply or mass Pro
shop or the SPA places. You know, we want to
have something for everybody there and the list of things
(10:25):
is going to be amazing this year. So there's that
online auction piece, but then there's also, as you saw
last year, a live auction with items exclusively for those
who are there. And you know that's where you're going
to see some firearms and you're going to see some
pretty nice yard implement tools and things like that. It's
it's pretty pretty sweet deal and getting some stuff for
a good price.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Absolutely, and trips too. There were several trips involved. I
remember last year somebody had the chance to win what
was it. It was like in the President's box set,
a razorback game and Sweet Tell dinner for two one night.
It was just a fantastic weekend trip. Some very out
(11:06):
of town stuff. There was a.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Beach trip, yeah, and some stuff up on the Buffalo too.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Lots of family stuff you can grab for cheap.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
A lot of incredible times to be may had, and
a lot of memories to be made, and all helping
out with four h Now, like you said, is still
looking for anybody that'd like to be a part of
the live or silent auction. What's the best way to
get in touch for that? If you're a business owner
or a person that would like to.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Yeah help and to donate something, you can just go
to our website which is Arkansas Forohfoundation dot org. Okay,
or you can just look up you can just search
Arkansas for each foundation on the internet and you'll you'll
eventually come to us. You'll find my phone number, you'll
find my email. Not gonna make anybody try to remember
that right now. The other thing you can do is
(11:55):
type in dinner at the Vines. Okay, just dinner at
the Vines. Typed in will get you to everything you
need to know about the dinner, the auction, the food
and everything. Right now, we still have some tables. A
full table that can be sponsored. It seats six people
and there's two levels of sponsorship for those one thousand
dollars or fifteen hundred, and the fifteen hundred just means
(12:18):
more goes to the four h program. But we're also
selling individual tickets. Those are one hundred and fifty dollars
a piece, and again those can be purchased. Every question
answered search of dinner at the.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Vines absolutely, and it is well worth it because I mean,
let's be honest, it's a beautiful setting, it's incredible food.
I have There's never been a time that I've been
to dinner at the Vines that the food wasn't just
the best. I mean, always a fantastic meal, a fantastic dessert.
And then of course, knowing that you're helping out kids
here in Arkansas to get further education, better education, more
(12:56):
experiences and memories of life, just a fantastic thing.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I run into so many people who who say when
they find out that I work for Arkansas foh, they say,
you know what I went When I was a kid.
I met somebody there. We have remained friends for twenty years,
and we kept seeing each other summer after summer, and
you mentioned that, it just made me think it. Fourh
has also been a place that has really spurred some
(13:24):
relationships that just keep going and going. The four H
alumni is a very vast number of people. They all
have fond memories about it. It's fun to run into
them all the time.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Absolutely, Yeah, that was That's one of my memories from
high school. I remember being part of the four H
and Farm Bureau camp that was there for a week
and we did the ropes course, and we did rock climbing,
we did fishing, we did all the different stuff, and
that memory has stuck with me. We're not going to
talk about how many years for a few years, we'll
say that for sure. And then, of course the chance
(13:56):
to take my kids out there for summer camps, catching
their first fish and having fun swimming with new friends
and just learning about all the different things. My daughter
absolutely loved the rock climbing week that you had out
there and learning to shoot a boat. She's an archery
now because of four H and just loving that. So
(14:16):
a lot of great things for kids across the state
of Arkansas, and it's all starting with you and with
the Dinner at the Vines. Now, Dinner at the Vines
is going to be at the Ferndale campus.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
That's right, Tuesday, September the twenty fourth, all right, And
so it's usually later in the month of September, and
so Tuesday, September twenty fourth. It starts at five point
thirty and usually wraps up about eight o'clock out there.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
It is a fantastic time date night idea. My wife
and I were there, had a great time last year,
already looking forward to going back this year. September twenty
fourth at Ferndale Campus Dinner at the Vines with four
h and those tickets are available now. I recommend you
get them as soon as you can because this event
sells out.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
We're getting close right now.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
All right, so definitely want to make sure that you
get those. The website to purchase tickets.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Again, just search Dinner at the Vines or if you
can remember this, it's Arkansas Fohfoundation dot org.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Okay, and there will be a link on the website
with the podcast version of this where you can click
directly to that and get the information you need, whether
it's to get tickets or if you would like to
be a volunteer, maybe you would like to donate to
Dinner at the Vines or.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
To get your kids involved in four Hyeah absolutely thing.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Yep, it is fantastic. Like I said, my oldest he
still shows rabbits, goats, calves with four h and my daughter,
like I said, she was into the archery and the
rock climbing as soon as as soon as it was available.
So lots of different things available. No matter what your
kids are interested in, there's something for them at four ah.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Absolutely over one hundred programs. One of them is going
to connect with your kids.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Interest, absolutely, so make sure you check that out. Dinner
at the Vines, number twenty fourth, John Thomas, thank you
so much for being here. Man, It's good to see you.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Good to see you too. Thanks so much for having us.
We are always grateful for the support you give and
helping us get the word out. It means a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Thanks for listening to Talk of the Rock Public affairs
and community events from the iHeartRadio studios in Little Rock.
Be sure to subscribe to this podcast and listen next
week as we talk to more guests about public service,
local charities, and events going on in your neighborhood.
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