By KATI LAWSON, UF/IFAS Highlands Extension
Kati Lawson, Highlands County Extension Director and 4-H agent II, knew the two 4-H barns behind the Extension office needed repair, but she wasn’t sure how to raise the funds needed to renovate the animal stalls when she came to Highlands in the summer of 2023.
It was clear to her that the stalls were well-loved, but they were also in need of updates to ensure future 4-H members could continue to utilize them. The two barns had served as housing for 4-H projects for more than 50 years and allowed hundreds of young people to have a livestock project for the county fair.
Over the years, time etched its passing on the stalls, and the steer and heifers that resided in the north barn were cramped and struggled to exercise in stalls originally built for temporary equestrian housing.
Lawson was new to Highlands County and did not have the necessary network established to raise the funds for the barn renovation. Barn stall fees were available from past renters, but the amount of labor required to renovate the north barn was double what was in the account.
But time changes everything, and soon, help arrived in the form of caring and talented individuals. The first person to help with the barns was James Somers of Somers Irrigation. Somers is a longtime supporter of Highlands County 4-H, and he advised Lawson to form a barn committee by selecting a group of qualified individuals to offer guidance and support. Somers also offered to provide materials for any animal waterers needed and provided all the wheelbarrows and shovels needed to keep the stalls clean.
“I’m here to help you how I can,” Somers had said.
Led by livestock Extension agent Ally Bastien; Sarah Miller, Clay Kinslow, and Mike Hines were nominated by various stakeholders and asked to join the 4-H Barn Committee in 2024. Since the formation of that committee, the entire north barn has been renovated with all new stalls, and the fencing around the south barn has been completed.
The barn committee members gave Lawson more than advice and guidance; they rolled up their sleeves and put part of the 4-H model into action by offering their “hands to greater service.”
Hines of Hines Ag Services brought his own equipment and, along with Kinslow, Sarah Miller, Rob Lawson, Highlands County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Worth and members of his workforce program, Ally Bastien, Roger McWaters, Alexis and Joe Cooper, and several 4-H members, the north barn was renovated in a matter of months.
The barn committee and other donors saved Highlands County 4-H more than $10,000 and made the renovations a reality.
Not one of the barn committee members has children with animals in the 4-H barns, but they showed up every workday because they believed in the opportunity the barns provided 4-H members.
“I wanted to give the kids in our county that don’t have the ability to keep animals at their home a nice and safe facility for them and their animals,” Kinslow said.
The south barn also received a new perimeter fence thanks to Hines and Craig Cannady — owner of Glisson’s Animal Supply — who donated all the materials for the south barn.
“I wanted the kids in this community to stay involved in agriculture and have a place to keep their animals,” Hines said.
The Highlands County 4-H Foundation provided the dumpster fees and fed the hardworking crew during every workday. Highlands County Board of County Commissioner employees in the Road and Bridge department helped clear out old stalls and bring in new sand.
What once felt like a daunting task to Lawson became a reality in just one year.
“This community [Highlands] is full of helpers,” Kati Lawson says. “I am blessed to work in a place where people care about the young people in our organization. They helped me before they knew me, and I am so proud to call Highlands County home.”
Thanks to many special people and businesses, the barns are full and will continue to host 4-H members for many years to come.
