North Carolina 4-H Development Fund

Programs We Support Home 4-H Store Giving News and Events Success Stories Programs We Support Who We Are
Who We Are

The NC 4-H Development Fund, is a non-profit, charitable and educational corporation as defined in Internal Revenue Service code 501(c) 3. It operates under the auspices of the NC Agricultural Foundation, Inc., at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695.

Shop at the 4-H Store

4-H Wristbands
Show your support for the NC 4-H by wearing the new 4-H wristband.
Often the highlight of North Carolina 4-H Congress . . . the Candlelighting Ceremony at Dorton Arena is the culminating event of this week-long 4-H experience, a solemn look back at the year’s work, and quiet contemplation for the year ahead.
Our Museum

PULLLED CONTENT FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT -- NEED PICTURES to make the interactive tour

A new 4-H Museum will be dedicated during the 100th Celebration of 4-H in North Carolina in 2009. During the next four years, a committee of the North Carolina 4-H Development Fund will help design the 4-H Museum to tell the 4-H story across the last 100 years.


How the House Was Gifted and Built
In 1939, Cumberland County 4-H member Rudolph Carl Ellis utilized the proceeds from his 4-H peanut project to help his father build a six-room home for their family. It seems that young Rudolph was using “his head to clearer thinking” as he built a peanut roaster out of a feed drum because he wanted to maximize his profits on the peanuts he grew. “Reds Fancy Peanuts” were the result, a product he marketed from Dunn to Elizabethtown. Rudolph’s success was featured in Jane S. McKimmon’s Book “When We’re Green, We Grow.” Sixty years later, George Autry, Cumberland County Extension Director discovered the feature on Rudolph Ellis in the McKimmon book and began his search for Mr. Ellis. After several years, he located Mr. Ellis’ daughter, Dr. Sharon Ellis Joyner, an Atlanta psychologist. When Dr. Ellis decided to sell the family farm, she contacted Autry to explore possibilities for gifting her house as a museum. Autry and Ellis explored several options before Autry called Executive Director Sharon Runion Rowland about gifting the house to 4-H. Rowland presented the concept of utilizing the house as a 4-H Museum to the 4-H Development Fund Board of Directors. A business plan was created, and 4-H alumni and friends gifted over $37,000 to help move the house. A successful grant from the Cole Foundation furthered the efforts and the “House that 4-H Peanuts Built” was moved to Millstone 4-H Camp in the spring of 2004.

The Christening
In June, Dr. Joyner joined 4-H dignataries in christening the new museum. Attended by more than 200 alumni, friends and 4-H campers, this Christening provided the backdrop to begin a campaign to make the 4-H Museum become a reality by 2009. Plans are to restore the house and create both static and traveling displays that tell the 4-H story. In addition, an endowment will be created to fund a part-time museum curator so that donated items can properly be preserved for perpetuity.

The Future
To help make this dream come true, 4-H alums are invited to contribute in two ways – memorabilia from your personal 4-H collection and gifts to help complete the restoration and establish the endowment.