DOBSON — When Surry County 4-H Club members participated in a sleepover Friday night, their attention wasn’t just on games, food and entertainment.

While plenty of that was on hand at the “Glow in the Dark” party and social held at the county extension building in Dobson, club members were helping the hungry in the area at the same time.

In conjunction with an earlier food drive launched by Merritt Artim, a home-school student who is president of the Surry County 4-H Council, those attending the all-night gathering brought non-perishable foods as part of an admission requirement.

As a result, a total of 1,525 items were piled up in a large room at the extension building Friday night, awaiting delivery to Foothills Food Pantry later this month.

“One of our big things is community service,” said Teresa Wilkins, an extension agent who helps administer the county 4-H program.

Artim had pledged to conduct a food drive among the 4-H’ers in the county if members elected her president of the council, and Friday night’s event was the culmination of that effort.

Along with stressing the need to help others, the 4-H Club — which this year is celebrating its 100th anniversary in North Carolina — continues to play a vital role in the development of youth, local representatives say.

While the organization’s origins in this state are traced to a corn club for boys in Ahoskie, modern 4-H’ers aren’t strictly focused on agriculture as were their counterparts of earlier years.

The eight different clubs now scattered across Surry County address different areas of interest, including the Lluvin’ Llamas 4-H Club and another for those who like horses. There is also a group for home-schoolers and an after-school 4-H Club that meets at Reeves Community Center in Mount Airy.

“It shows that 4-H is whatever you want it to be,” said Traci Artim of Westfield, a volunteer project leader involved with the club at the community center.

Friday’s “Glow in the Dark” social and party was scheduled to help celebrate “National 4-H Week,” according to Wilkins. The sleepover was held for the first time last year.

“I just thought it would be something cool to do in fall,” Wilkins explained.

About 30 youths took part Friday, along with volunteers and chaperones. The “social” part of the event was aimed at encouraging the kids to meet new people, with the party also open to youths from Yadkin and Alleghany counties.

In addition to games, participants enjoyed food, had their faces painted, negotiated a “glow in the dark” obstacle course set up on the building’s lower level for the occasion and finished the night off with a movie.

Saturday morning after the party, they also had planned a short trip to Fisher River Park to clean up around the grounds as part of a statewide “Big Sweep” program — thereby completing another gesture of community service. However, that project was canceled due to weather.

Still, much fun was had the night before by all those attending the sleepover, according to Laura Rutt, a North Surry High School student who is vice president of the county 4-H Council.

“There were only two that didn’t go to sleep,” Rutt said.

Contact Tom Joyce at tjoyce@mtairynews.com or at 719-1924.