Breeders rescue alpaca program

Two weeks after a barn fire near Greenfield killed nearly two dozen alpacas, breeders from around the state have donated animals and preserved a 4-H youth program. Susi and Wayne Melton provided the animals for the Hancock County 4-H Llama and Alpaca Club for 17 years. Then, the couple’s barn burned down and all 23 of their alpacas died. Alpaca breeders from as far away as Santa Claus and Terre Haute have donated animals to keep the program alive.