Daniel Prince
Cathcart revives catfish raising project, is piloting a blacksmithing club
Mark Cathcart with Union County 4-H came to Tuesday’s City Council meeting to thank the city for its past support for the 4-H program. He said that since January, he has presented programs to 435 kids at school, both at schools and for home schoolers. Programs have been on natural resources, water resources, and STEM activities. Clubs are back and are going strong. 4-H recently hosted 45 youth from across the state at the fairgrounds for a dairy judging clinic one Saturday. A judge from Virginia Tech came down to lead the clinic. Cathcart said Union County 4-H has piloted a couple of new programs that either are being or will be offered statewide. 90 youth statewide participated in a fishing project last year. That was one that began in Union County. Cathcart said he is restarting a catfish raising project that was done back in the 1980s and early ‘90s. He is also spearheading a blacksmithing club, which he is piloting with a homeschool group. He is writing the curriculum as he goes. He said he has applied for a grant through Clemson Extension for some equipment, but he may need to come back during the budget hearings and request some money to cover the rest of the cost. He also talked about some of the livestock shows that will be going on as part of the Butts & Boogie Festival next month. They will have a beef show, a dairy show, a rabbit show, and a pig show.
Also at the meeting, five employees were honored for March work anniversaries. Laura Williams has 25 years with the finance department. Mark Gregory has spent 17 years in the public safety department. Joey Gregory marked 8 years with water and sewer. William J. Browning has put in 7 years with public safety, and Jason Smith was recognized for 5 years with water and sewer.