ARLINGTON — Nearly 20 local student members of 4-H are expected to turn out to the Co-op Supply building at 121 S. Olympic Ave. in Arlington for a gift-wrapping fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 14.

“Most of the 4-H kids will be there, other than the officers, who have a training session the same day,” said Lisa Cisneros, one of the adult volunteers of the group. “These kids do a couple of different fundraisers throughout the year, and this year, they voted to do gift-wrapping in exchange for donations. The community can help by bringing any extra wrapping paper and tape that they may not want, or some older packing materials for the kids to use, including shirt boxes or Christmas gift bags.”

Community members can also support 4-H’s efforts by stopping by to donate funds that day, which Cisneros explained should help offset fees for fair entries and county dues, along with equipment that kids and their project dogs alike need to practice throughout the year.

“The kids also need to replace their agility equipment,” Cisneros said. “At the end of the year, there’s an awards night, which is also covered by those funds. We have to pay for their awards and recognitions for the previous year, and the club also buys their dinner, which is usually a pizza party at the local Alfy’s.”

If there are any kids who are interested in joining 4-H, they should be aware that the minimum age to join is 5 years old, and the maximum age to stay in is senior year of high school, as the students age out once they graduate high school. The project dogs can be any shape, size, breed — altered or not, there are no restrictions.

“Some of the kids not only do the local fairs — like Silvana, Stanwood and Monroe — but also compete in AKC, UKC and international dog shows with their purebred dogs in confirmation and junior handling,” Cisneros said. “We also usually donate some money to N.O.A.H. annually, as well, out of the money we raise through our fundraisers.”

The Bark-n-Time 4-H Dog Club is located in Arlington, and meets every Monday from 7-8 p.m. For more information, call Charlotte Knutson at 360-435-3734 or Cisneros at 425-737-2943.