Somerset County’s 4-H Center Marks a Golden Anniversary
Submitted by Holly Dunbar
Under a bright blue sky, 4-H members, alumni, and volunteers gathered on the front lawn of the Ted Blum 4-H Center of Somerset County in Bridgewater to form a human clover in celebration of the building’s 50th anniversary on June 9, 2024. The clover, a symbol of the 4-H Youth Development Program, was photographed from above with the use of a drone.
More than 200 people attended the anniversary event that featured remarks by county and state dignitaries, Rutgers Cooperative Extension staff, 4-H, and 4-H Association representatives, past and present. A ribbon cutting by 4-H Association President Jim Gaudet, assisted by N.J. Secretary of Agriculture and alumnus Ed Wengryn and County Commissioner Paul Drake, marked the start of the next 50 years.
“For the past half century, this building has been more than just a meeting place,” said Gaudet. “It is a beloved home to the 4-H community, a place where youth learn how to tap into their potential.”
Videos displays and archival exhibits told the story of the 4-H Center from the purchase of the property in 1964, to the groundbreaking in 1972 and the dedication on June 9, 1974, when it was touted as the largest building of its kind in the nation. Even today, the Center is considered a premiere facility for a county 4-H program.
For the many 4-H alumni in attendance, the event served as a reunion with talk of club projects, county fairs, summer camp and memories of the Center’s namesake, 4-H Agent Ted Blum. In 2004, the Center was renamed the Ted Blum 4-H Center of Somerset County to honor the longtime 4-H agent and National 4-H Hall of Fame inductee. Blum passed away in 2003.
Mark Kirby, co-chair of the Building and Grounds Committee and 4-H alumnus, summed it up this way. “This building truly embodies the 4-H motto, ‘To Make the Best Better!’”
The mission of the Somerset County 4-H Association is to support the 4-H Youth Development Program of Somerset County. The Association owns and maintains the Ted Blum 4-H Center, hosts the annual Somerset County 4-H Fair, offers scholarships and provides monetary and volunteer support for programs and events. Learn more at 4HisTops.org.
Courtesy photos
310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater
