Blackwell student receives donation to help with displaced children

April 21, 2021

Kay County Farm Bureau Board of Directors and Women’s Leadership Committee presented Colton Tripp with a monetary donation for his 4-H service project “Comfort Bags”. Colton is 16 years old and a student at Blackwell High School, is the Blackwell OK-Okies 4-H Club president, and is the Kay County 4-H Teen Leaders secretary.

Tripp started the project to provide bags with items for children who are being removed from their homes for any reason, and in some cases they are without any of their personal belongings. This project is to provide comforting and busy items for the children. The Comfort Bags contain: a blanket and pillow, stuffed animal, toiletries, coloring books, colors, a reading book and a toy.

All items, including the bags, have been donated or purchased with donated funds. When the bags are completed, he delivers them to local law enforcement agencies, sheriff’s department, and DHS to be used in these stressful times for the children.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Board of Directors recently heard of Colton’s project and requested that he present the program to them at a regular meeting. Tripp presented the program with much discussion about the “Comfort Bags” and his role in 4-H; as well as the fact that he will be a fifth generation Oklahoma Farm Bureau member.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau made a matching Kay County Farm Bureau monetary donation to the “Comfort Bags” project. “My Comfort Bags project started out small with the idea of giving little bags with a bear and a coloring book, but after word got out I have had so many wonderful donations from all over the state! Kay County Farm Bureau’s donation will help me get this project started in other counties through the Oklahoma 4-H Program, I am beyond thankful for the backing and the support I have received from my state and county Farm Bureau.

Oklahoma Farm Bureau is a great sponsor of Oklahoma 4-H and I am excited to continue to work with them in the near future!” said Colton Tripp. Stacy Simunek, Kay County Farm Bureau Board of Directors’ president and District Seven Director said, “Colton’s presentation of his project to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Board of Directors was the most impressive I’ve seen.

Colton presented the program with background information and a timeline on Power Point for his years in 4-H. Our goal is to provide support for Colton’s project. This project is beneficial to these local organizations and the idea of providing comfort to the children around the state in these situations is very heartwarming”.

For more information on how to contribute to Colton Tripp’s 501c3 Non-Profit tax exempt project with donated items or make a monetary donation, email Liz Nicholson Kay County 4-H Educator at elizabeth.nicholson@ okstate.edu or call the Kay County OSU Extension office 580-362-2200.