The Beef Club organized the holiday-themed event to raise funds for scholarships and an end-of-the-year trip.
A nonprofit organization, 4-H is the nation’s largest youth development group and has more than 6 million youth members across the country, according to the national 4-H organization website.
The Monroe County 4-H chapter works in conjunction with Purdue University and offers 11 different animal clubs, including horse and pony, poultry, dairy cattle and rabbit clubs.
Members may also complete non-animal related projects, such as foods, photography or cake decorating.
The Beef Club works with raising beef cattle, such as cows, heifers and steers, and displays them at local fairs and county shows while also educating the local community about cattle.
Throughout the year, the club hosts meetings to stay in ordinance with other 4-H clubs and puts on events such as family fun nights.
Saturday, the club arranged its first fundraising project of the year in the Draper Earles Auditorium at the Monroe County Fairgrounds.
Nineteen local vendors sold items including jewelry, handbags and baked goods, while children had the opportunity to sit on Santa Claus’ lap and take a picture.
Larry Conder , who prefers to go by “Santa,” was the man behind the beard at Saturday’s event.
Conder had been a longtime favorite among the community as the Santa at Fountain Square Mall in downtown Bloomington until his retirement two years ago.
Conder also has family associated with the Beef Club from other 4-H chapters that goes back five ?generations.
“The Monroe County club dates back to 1961 when the first beef barn was built by Ralph Rogers,” Conder said. “There’s many members with long lines of generations.”
The money collected from the event will go toward a fund the club is putting together for a trip at the end of this year.
“We’re not sure yet where we want to go yet, but we have a few places in mind,” said club president Chance Wimmer. “We’ve been thinking maybe the sand dunes.”
In order for members to be eligible for the trip, the club implements a point system that measures each person’s participation in club-related events.
Although the club has organized family-related events in the past, they hope to begin doing service work and become more active in the volunteering community throughout the upcoming year.
“Volunteering with a place like Hoosier Hills Food Bank is something we’ve thought about doing,” club secretary Colton Deckard said .
“We really just want to get the club involved in doing more service work.”
Deckard also said the club has plans to do volunteer work to assist older 4-H members in the community, such as doing yard work and fixing fences.
With a favorable turnout at this year’s first event, Deckard said the club plans on making the fundraiser an annual occurrence.
“These hard-working young people are doing a fantastic job,” Conder said. “Santa appreciates all of them because I have to bring my reindeer down here with me, and since they take care of cattle, they’re also caring for my reindeer while I’m in here talking with children.”
