BUTLER TWP — Madalyn and Katelyn Kerr are just two of the many Butler County 4-H'ers who reap the rewards of the 4-H Benefit Auction, slated for Oct. 21 at the Vagabonds in Lyndora.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and the bidding starts at 6 p.m.

The auction is the largest fundraiser for the county 4-H program.

All auction proceeds help cover a percentage of members' registration costs to participate in county, regional, state and national 4-H events.

This year the auction will feature more than 200 items, and everything is donated by local businesses and Butler County 4-H families. Some of this year's offerings include handmade crafts, landscaping items, recreational items, gift cards, and tickets to local places and events. A variety of themed gift baskets include car-detailing kits, movie fun nights and holiday items.

A food stand will offer dinner options, and the 4-H families are coordinating a bake sale with homemade treats.

Madalyn and Katelyn, the 15- and 12-year-old daughters of Jim and Patty Kerr, are members of the Butler County Junior Agriculturalist 4-H Club. Older sister Nataleigh and brother Mitchell are both Butler County 4-H alumni.

Each year the Kerr girls donate items grown on the family farm in Harmony as well as help out on auction night.

This year Mitchell will be one of the three volunteer auctioneers.

Early this spring, Mitchell attended the Reppert School of Auctioneering in Indianapolis, Ind. Upon completion of a two-week class that focused on business and auctioneering techniques, he graduated.

Once he has completed a two-year apprenticeship with fellow auctioneer Beth Hilmar of Mercer, Mitchell will be a full-fledged auctioneer.

Until then, he is able to donate his time to charity auctions under Hilmar's watchful eye.

Following in their older siblings footsteps, Madalyn and Katelyn have a love for 4-H. Both girls show market beef, sheep and hogs.

“4-H has taught me how to be more outgoing,” said Madalyn, “It helped me to find my strengths and apply those to other life events.”

Katelyn also has learned a lot from being in 4-H, she said. “Being in 4-H has taught me social skills and how to make new friends,” she said.

The sisters agree that 4-H has taught them many skills they will be able to use in their everyday lives.

Both girls are very active in the 4-H program. Madalyn is the vice president of their club and participates each year in the Butler County Junior Livestock Sale.

Katelyn has participated each year in the Livestock Sale and the North West 4-H InBetweeners Retreat for 4-H members ages 8 to 12. For them, it's a mini 4-H camp to prepare them for the regional camp once they are old enough.

“Had it not been for events like the Benefit Auction, I never would have been able to go to InBetweeners” said Katelyn. “I love being with other 4-H'ers my age and learning new things.”

This year for the benefit auction, the Kerr girls will be donating pie pumpkins and other fall items their family grew.

Each year they help out during the auction by carrying items for buyers. “It's awesome to see buyers out supporting 4-H,” Madalyn said. “People from the community who may have no background in 4-H are there supporting us. It is a great way to get our 4-H story out there.”

The Kerr family grows one to two acres of pumpkins, gourds and Indian corn each year that they sell directly from the farm, at shops in Portersville and at the New Wilmington produce auction. This business venture complements the farm's almost 200-acre crops of corn and soybeans.

The Kerr girls may not seem like typical farm girls, but they embrace their agricultural roots and their 4-H experiences and will use those as a foundation for success in the future.

Butler County 4-H is part of the nation's largest non-formal youth development organization that provides its members, ages 8 to 19, the opportunity to “learn by doing,” through a variety of hands-on projects. Our county has nearly 30 different 4-H clubs with more than 330 members taking small and large animal projects as well as sewing and baking, shooting sports and robotics, among others.

For more information about Butler County 4-H, call Amy Metrick at the Extension office at 724-287-4761.

This article was produced by Amy Metrick, 4-H educator for youth development, Penn State Extension.