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Page 28 Stories of the Heartland • Sunday, April 19, 2026 hometownsource. com / heartland /
Red, White & BOOM! 4-H celebrates volunteers
BENTON COUNTY 4-H
BENTON COUNTY – Laughter, patriotism, appreciation, and just the right amount of mystery filled the room as Benton County 4-H Ambassadors hosted their annual Mystery Meal, a long-standing tradition created to celebrate and thank the adult volunteers who help make 4-H possible.
This year’ s theme,“ Red, White & BOOM! Get Patriotic: Discovering the Legacy That Unites Us All in 4-H,” set the stage for an evening that was both entertaining and meaningful. The event opened with remarks from Leaders Council President Mason Arnold, a 12th grader from Foley, who welcomed guests and reminded everyone that the evening was about more than just a fun meal. Mason shared that while people often think of patriotism in terms of flags, freedom, and fireworks, the Ambassadors wanted to focus on something deeper— the kind of impact that lasts. He explained that in 4-H, legacy is built through leadership, service, responsibility, and community, and that every person in the room plays a role in that. Mason also emphasized that 4-H does not happen by accident, but because adults continue to show up, encourage youth, and help create opportunities that truly make a difference.
As part of the tradition, volunteers were handed patriotic-themed menus filled with words like Declaration, Freedom, Independence, Firecracker, Legacy, 1776, and Anthem— all without knowing what food those choices actually represented. That mystery quickly turned into laughter as guests ended up with unexpected combinations such as croutons, Jell-O with whipped topping, or meatballs— and in some cases, no utensils at all. Part of the fun for the Ambassadors was watching the adults try to make sense of their meals while also making sure no one had arrived with a hidden personal fork.
Throughout the evening, Ambassadors kept the energy high as they served tables, delivered courses, and worked hard behind the scenes in the kitchen to keep everything running smoothly. Each table was served by youth Ambassadors, while other members rotated between kitchen prep, plating,
Benton County 4-H Ambassadors hosted this year’ s Mystery Meal with a patriotic theme,“ Red, White & BOOM! Get Patriotic: Discovering the Legacy That Unites Us All in 4-H.” Throughout the evening, volunteers participated in table challenges as part of the event. Pictured left to right are Brittany Swift, Sam Morris, Scott Morris, Stacie Morris and Sarah Tasa posing as the Statue of Liberty during one of the activities.
serving, and table interaction. Supporting them in the kitchen were adult volunteers Jeannie Boyle, Amy Kleine, and Brenda Kaschmitter, who helped the event run
smoothly while still allowing the youth to take the lead.
One of the biggest additions to this year’ s Mystery Meal was a new set of pa-
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