The Rough Riders 4-H Club of Lancaster will host a fundraiser meal on Saturday, April 1, at Lampeter Fire Company, 851 Village Road, Lampeter. Preordered meals may be picked up beginning at 10 a.m., and food will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis after noon via a drive-through. The Rough Riders Club primarily serves children in the Southern End, and the money raised from the sale will help to cover the expenses of the club's activities.

The meal will have a set cost per person and include a barbecue half-chicken, chips, a roll, applesauce, water and a dessert. The chicken will be prepared by the family members of group leader Zoe Landis and club member Madison Landis, who use a homemade recipe. Members of the club will pack the meals and distribute them to the fundraiser's supporters.

The club's goal is to help its members learn more about horses by exploring riding techniques, equine health and important information about owning a horse. Members gather on the first Thursday of each month for a business meeting and on the third Thursday of each month for a workshop at Refton Brethren in Christ Church. During meetings, members offer presentations and direct lessons on a variety of topics. In addition to their meetings, Rough Riders Club members frequently attend equestrian events together, such as horse shows, trail rides and riding clinics.

The Rough Riders Club is for youths between the ages of 5 to 18. Zoe, who is 20, participated as a member of the club for six years and became a group leader once she aged out of the program. Although younger club members are not able to participate in some of the activities, the organization provides alternatives to ensure every member can remain engaged, such as the Clover Bud program for children ages 5 to 7.

"I love the whole atmosphere of the club. It helped me to become more confident with myself," Zoe said. "I wanted to stay involved to help other kids acquire that as well, and it's an awesome way to keep up with riding."

Zoe began taking riding lessons when she was 10 and joined the club shortly after. Madison became involved by proximity, attending meetings and learning more about horses from her sister. Now that Madison is a member herself, she said that she's started to enjoy riding more and improve her skills. "It was really satisfying to be able to do the things I wanted to and grow my confidence with my horse," Madison said.

The Rough Riders Club also accepts members who do not own a horse. If one of the club's activities involves a horse, such as a clinic or trail ride, it will often provide a horse for members without one of their own.

For more information, contact roughridershorseclub@gmail.com.