MEOFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, SUNDAY, AUGUST 12, 1962
Charley Family Combines 4-H
Work With Rearm g Foster Sons
Under the 4-H program,
each of the 117 clubs in the
Rogue Valley has a volunteer
adult leader. This leader has
the job of guiding the mem
bers of his club, demonstrat
ing for their projects, and
supervising their work. With
Eldred Charley, 744 Beall
lane, Central Point, this work
has gone considerably farther.
Mr. and Mrs. Charley live
on an 11 acre farm. In all,
Charley farms about 45 acres
of land, raising grain and
hay. In addition, the Charley
family has a few milk cows,
some pigs, and a donkey
named ''Herman," which the
family uses when they hike
into nearby lakes.
The Charleys have three
sons, Bill, 20, Curt, 10, and
Kevin, seven months.
Through the Jackson Coun
ty Welfare commission, and
with the aid and cooperation
of their sons, Mr. and Mrs.
Charley have in the past seven
years had about 29 foster sons
in their home. Most of these
boys have been from the Med
ford area, and many of them
have had no experience in
living on a farm.
Each of the boys has joined
4-H clubs, has helped with
the farm, and has taken part
in family activities.
As part of their family re
sponsibility, each of these
foster sons has had an animal
of his own to raise. If the boy
chooses to raise a steer, the
animal is financed through
the bank, in his name. In this
way he learns the meaning of
responsibility.
If the young man chooses
to raise pigs, the Charley fam
ily provides the piglet and the
financial backing for its
growth.
With both kinds of animals,
the boys raise them under the
direction of a 4-H livestock
club. They are carefully cared
for and when they are grown,
they are entered in the Jack
son County 4-H and FFA fair.
They are then sold through
the fair auction.
Fvach boy keeps his own
books on his animal. From
the proceeds, he reimburses
Charley for the amount spent
for feed, and if a pig, for the
piglet. What remains is his
profit, which he often spends
for school clothes and other
supplies.
Four years ao, Charley de
cided to take a 4-H club of
his own. Called the Central
Point Sparkplug, it is a trac
tor club. Using a workbook
and practical experience, the
boys are taught to use farm
implements correctly and
safely.
Members of the club are
around 16 and 17 years of
age. There are a minimum
of four belonging at any time.
In conjunction with the clubs,
the Charleys continue to take
foster sons into their home.
Only Two Clubs
Because of the danger of
taking on more than they can
accomplish, the boys are al
lowed to join only two 4-H
clubs. This, in addition to
their school work and farm
chores, proves to be enough
to keep them busy.
Although some of the boys
have lived with the Charley
family for only a few months,
many of them stay for several
years. Many of them enter
military service when they
are old enough to take care
of themselves.
Charley reports that three
of his foster sons are now in
the service, and several are
attending colleges and uni
versities. Some have returned
to live with their families.
Mr. and Mrs. Charley agree
that they have had good luck
with their program of rearing
foster sons. They state that
a good deal of their success
is due to the cooperation of
their own sons with the pro
gram. This has made most of
their work with the boys
worthwhile.
MA 4
-ra lip
BRUSHES TAIL Bill Hoefft, member of the Lake Creek
Horse 4-H club, brushes the tail of his horse prior to trial
activities before the 4-H Horse show last week end. He was
second in Class 2 of the senior division of halter showman
ship and also participated in Western horsemanship.
ORTHO
DIBROM
LAWN SPRAY
Controls
Lawn Moths
Fleas
Mosquitoes Flies
Wonderful for outdoor Irving Areas.
V - - CI
4L
X.
NEAT AND TRIM-Carolyn Field, member of the Westside
4-H Beef club, prepares her animal prior to the beef fitting
event for juniors during the recent Central Point-Westside
4-H Pre-fair.
Be sure to attend the
4-H & FFA FAIR!
See Us at Our NEW Location!
FflRW StCt& Ph. 773-8444
FRESH 1
PRODUCE
FFA
mi hi., t. -min i mn. tii mMiniim ,-imm-m
M THE UM
AUGUST
13 thru 18
Park & Shop invites our Farm
Youth to Park and Shop in
Downtown M e d f or d. "Our
City Welcomes You to the
Fair. May Your Year's Labor
Be Crowned with Success and
Many Blue Ribbons."
1 F'tfZtt
uu nil en
MONEY PROJECT-Pat Neal, meniln-r of Crater KFA chap
tor, is ine of the members of the i:roui who are manning
the chapter's vegetable stand near Central Point this sum
mer. All of the produce for sale at Ihe stand is raised b
the members Vegetables will aUo be exhibited it the 4-H
FF.V fair
1 r I i
aeucrr t ill i
nzzi CjCz; riP i 1 smzj rSJ
One full hour FREE PARKING withl
a $2 or more purchase at a PARK
& SHOP member merchant.
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