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| Local 4-H’ers finish exhibits for fair |
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| Written by Maddy Houk / Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 23 July 2008 | |
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For some local youngsters in the Patterson and Vernalis 4-H groups, the Stanislaus County Fair is a time to call their families together to work with their animals — horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, cows and goats.  Justin Ambrosino puts the finishing touches on his project for the county fair. Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator For others, it’s all about the exhibits, the welding projects, cooking, sewing or photography they will enter for Best of Show ribbons. Members of the Vernalis 4-H welding group have been working on projects under the direction of Jim Melo and Mike Ambrosino at Melo Machine Shop. They plan to have the projects ready for Friday’s fair opening. “It’s always a crunch for the last week,” Melo said during a work session Thursday night. The three Ambrosino brothers — in their first year of welding — worked alongside their father. “I’d seen a lot of different things to do with welding, and I wanted to learn how to do it,” said Cody Ambrosino, 12, who is making a picture frame. Justin Ambrosino, 16, is making a weight tree to hang weights on. “It’s always been something I’ve been interested in,” Justin said. Kyle Ambrosino, 14, was busy making a barbecue smoker.  Kyle Ambrosino, 14, places a brace on his portable grill/smoker with a wire feed arc welder Thursday at Melo Machine Shop. Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator “I joined welding because it’s something I think will help me in my future, and it’s the only art class that I’ll take,” he said. Mike Ambrosino, a Patterson firefighter, used to weld for a living and enjoys guiding his sons through the process. “It’s a family thing,” he said. “All three of them enjoy it. I’m sure my wife would enjoy welding, too, if I got her started in it.” The brothers have raised rabbits the past four years. They are also in the 4-H antique engine group, which gets the engines in running order and runs them in demonstrations for the public.  Jim Melo lends a hand Thursday to son Joseph, who has chosen a garden spraying trailer as his welding project. Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator Joseph Melo, 16, has been in the welding group for six years — as long as his father, Jim, has been a leader. “This year, I’m making a sprayer cart you can pull by hand and on a quad,” Melo said. In the past, he has made a large worktable, a wagon to hold a big ice chest he kept for himself and stool seats he donated to the Newman Gun Club. He is also in the Vernalis 4-H cooking and photography groups. Makayla Triano, 14, has been in the welding group five years. He also raises sheep and has a steer. He is making an angle blade that will be pulled behind an all-terrain vehicle to clear out the corrals. “My dad (Darrell) is a welder, and I thought it would be cool to be able to make things,” he said. Over the years, Triano has made a cargo holder for his truck hitch, took Best of Show for his hand truck used for moving hay bales and crafted a squeeze to keep sheep still when he checks their hooves or shears them. Last year, he made a dog box for a pickup, because he uses hounds for hunting. Vernalis 4-H community leader Audrey Bettencourt said 4-H offers a variety of activities for kids. “The cooking group has made all kinds of things during the year, from cookies to Chinese food,” Bettencourt said. “The photography group has gone out and taken pictures of scenery and flowers — anything you can imagine. Now, they are matting them and getting them ready for the fair.” To reach Maddy Houk at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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