RUNNINGS AND MINNESOTA 4-H ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP

[Saint Paul, MN] -- Minnesota 4-H is excited to announce a new partnership with Runnings, a home, farm, and outdoor retail company, for the 2022 Minnesota State Fair. 

   Runnings’ partnership with 4-H will support the 2022 State Fair 4-H exhibitor t-shirts. These shirts are coveted possessions among 4-H youth and families in Minnesota. They are emblems representing a young person’s achievement – that they dedicated themselves to learning and earned a trip to the State Fair. Youth wearing their t-shirts are presenting their projects in the 4-H Building, barns and Coliseum, traversing the state fairgrounds and wearing them back in their communities.

   “Runnings has taken great pride through the years to strongly support 4-H and the positive impact it has on the lives of our youth.” said Dan Herrmann, Runnings COO. “We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our 75th anniversary than to honor individuals who are going to the State Fair with a Runnings/4-H t-shirt.”

   Since 1902, 4-H has served and engaged young people in every part of our state. As Minnesota’s largest youth development organization, 4-H reaches 30,000+ youth through experiences that help them make positive choices, communicate effectively, contribute to their community, and build connections with peers and adults. 4-H'ers are more likely to pursue post-secondary education and are twice as likely to contribute to their communities through volunteerism and service. 

   The Minnesota State Fair is one of America’s largest fairs. 4-H has a unique connection between county fairs and the State Fair – youth showcase and compete at their respective county fairs and earn opportunities to advance to the State Fair. While at the State Fair, 4-H’ers engage in leadership experiences, knowledge and interview competitions and educational workshops. 

   No other state can compete with Minnesota’s 3,000 4-H State Fair livestock exhibitors and our display of 2,600 projects at the iconic State Fair 4-H Building. 

 

About Minnesota 4-H:

4-H is an out-of-school, hands-on learning program for youth ages 5-19 led by University of Minnesota Extension. The focus of all 4-H programs is the development of young people as individuals and as responsible and productive citizens. Youth in 4-H choose a project area that’s interesting to them and explore it with peers and adult mentors. Through these intentional project-based learning and leadership experiences, 4-H’ers explore their passions. Minnesota 4-H is powered by a network of 11,000 adults who contribute more than 1 million hours of service each year as 4-H volunteers.

 

About Runnings:

Runnings was founded in 1947 and has grown from its early days as an automotive supply and farm store to a large general merchandise retailer selling an extensive selection of sporting goods, clothing, footwear, pet supplies, housewares, tools, farm supplies, lawn and garden supplies, toys, and outdoor equipment. The privately-owned, family-run retailer is owned by the Dennis and Adele Reed Family. The company, headquartered in Marshall, Minnesota, currently has 57 stores and employs more than 2,700 workers across eight states.