|
Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame
Inductees from Wright County, Iowa
The Iowa 4-H Foundation sponsors the annual Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame induction
ceremony at the Iowa State Fair. Counties nominate volunteers, community
leaders, and Extension staff members who have exemplified outstanding service
and dedication to the 4-H youth program in their county. Only one individual or
couple per county can be nominated each year. Inductees can be recognized
posthumously. The Iowa 4-H Hall of
Fame was established in 2002 as 4-H celebrated 100 years of a program dedicated
to teaching youth life skills.
During those 100 years, it became evident that one of the essential elements of
the 4-H program was the caring adults who were committed to the program.
Inductees into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame represent the many people in Iowa who
have contributed countless hours to the 4-H program.
They work tirelessly to see that Iowa’s youth have a great learning
experience in a safe and fun environment. These adults have modeled
volunteerism, community service, integrity, and leadership to Iowa’s youth.
Their legacy is the young people they have mentored who will in turn
support the continuation of a 4-H program that builds Iowa’s leaders.
Abstracted from:
https://www.iowa4hfoundation.org/en/recognition/iowa_4h_hall_of_fame/
2017 – Leroy Jensen
Leroy Jensen has been a teacher, a farmer, and the Wright County Extension
Education Director over the years, but he’s been a lifelong 4-Her.
For that, he has been selected as this year’s Wright County inductee to
the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame. Jensen’s 4-H journey began when he was 10 years old.
Showing hogs and market beef kept him busy, and it fueled his passion for
4-H and FFA.
Leroy and his wife, Mariam have two children, Troy and Melanie, who became
heavily involved in the Emmet County 4-H program.
They earned trips to the Iowa State Fair with their 4-H projects.
Throughout their children’s 4-H careers, Leroy and Miriam took on the
roles of more than just 4-H parents; the couple served on 4-H committees and as
4-H leaders. Leroy also served on
the swine committee.
In 2000, Leroy and Miriam moved to Clarion where Leroy began working as the
Wright County Extension Education Director.
Leroy enjoyed this job for nine years. He coordinated workshops and
programs, chaperoned camps, and was available for questions at judging day at
the Wright County Fair. In 2000 he
was instrumental in starting the county livestock judging contest.
In 2006 he helped organize a local event to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of the 4-H emblem birthplace.
After retiring in 2009, some might have expected him to take a step back from
4-H. On the contrary.
He still remains an active participant and supporter of 4-H and FFA.
He is part of the Clarion Community Buying Group. They purchase livestock
from area 4-H youth at the end of the fair.
The money these kids get from the sale of their animals helps offset the
costs of raising the animal or goes towards purchasing a project for next year.
Leroy would also like to stress that showing livestock isn’t just for farm kids.
He feels so strongly that “city kids” also have the opportunity to show
livestock, if they so desire. He has helped find farms to raise animals for
those city kids wishing to do so.
He matched a brother and sister with an area farmer so they could raise hogs.
Those kids have entered swine at the Wright County Fair for the past
three or four years.
Leroy said he is willing to help make those connections if there are kids
interested. Beef is hard to do, but
swine and sheep are a real possibility.
“Seeing the 4-H projects, and the youth looking at each other’s projects are
what I love most about the fair,” he said.
“The fact they would consider me for this honor...it’s very humbling and
rewarding. There are a lot of
people who have done many great things,” said Leroy.
2016 – Duane Asbe
Duane Asbe was a 4-H Leader that made a positive impact in many young lives by
his qualities of integrity, honesty, trust and being a leader in the community.
Duane Asbe was a highly qualified leader. He was a strong mentor with his
positive attitude and desire to share his God-given talents, gifts and
experiences with his 4-H members, developing them into productive young people.
Craig Christians, a former 4-H member says, “I contribute a part of my
success today to being involved in the 4-H program and the influence by example
that my 4-H leaders made in my life as a young member.” and “My 4-H Leader Duane
Asbe was a positive example, leader & mentor that I am blessed to still call my
friend today. He has been a great contributor and supporter of the 4-H program.”
Duane has made many contributions to the 4-H program in Wright County.
Duane continues to bring value to his community in his leadership role in the
Clarion Iowa community.
2015 Wright County- Rita Mersch
Rita Mersch was a 4-H leader of the Eagle Red Peppers for 20 years from
1964-1984. Sadly, Rita passed away in 2002. She became a leader when her
oldest daughter, had been a 4-H member for approximately three years. She was a
4-H leader for all three of her daughters. She officially resigned as the
leader a year after a daughter graduated from high school.
Rita treated all of the 4-H girls as her own. She taught them personally
how to sew, bake and refinish furniture. She often involved community
members to teach skills that she did not have like knitting and crocheting.
Her focus was to push each girl to learn these basic skills to carry on to
adulthood. However, her impact on each of these girls went much further.
Through her leadership, the 4-H members learned how to speak in public, be
responsible, respectful, and compassionate. They learned the true meaning of
caring about their club and community. Rita saw something special in each
4-H girl. Through, Rita’s nurturing and guidance, the girl accomplished a
challenge she had not thought possible.
Rita was a role model to these girls that went well beyond the walls of the 4-H
meeting room. The following is a quote from Carol Hamilton Frakes, a former
member: “Mrs. Rita Mersch was an exceptional 4-H leader. She possessed the
traits that make a great leader which included patience and knowledge.
There were many evenings when my mother or I would call Rita with a question or
concern. Her phone line was buzzing before fair time! She made 4-H fun and one
of my best childhood experiences.”
Rita was a woman who touched the lives of the hundreds of girls who were members
of the Eagle Red Peppers 4-H Club over the 20 years she was a leader. She did
this quietly and without expecting recognition for her contributions to their
lives. In fact, she didn’t want the recognition. She sincerely and
unconditionally wanted to help these girls learn basic life. Countless times a
former 4-H member has mentioned to the family the impact Rita had and continues
to have on their lives.
Angela Nelson Wesselink, a former 4-H member says, “I don’t know if I can put
into words how much Rita Mersch made a difference in my life during a time when
I desperately needed someone. Rita was my 4-H leader for six years. She
was so much more than just a leader. She taught me how to sew, cook,
clean, make crafts, how to complete my record book and be a responsible citizen.
She also was there for me when my mother suddenly died. Rita was a big
support for me and my sister, who found ourselves lost without our mom.
She went over and above the duties of a 4-H leader. When I look back on my
life, Rita’s name is one of the first that comes to mind when I think of people
whom I respect and admire.”
Rita Mersch, did not make money or win state and national awards by being a 4-H
leader. What she did was touch the hearts of hundreds of young 4-H
girls. The impact of her leadership is being felt well beyond the 20 years
she was a 4-H leader.
.
2014 Wright County - Dale Haugland
Dale Haugland began his 4-H volunteer career while working at the local
photography studio. Wright County Extension staff stopped in the studio and
asked if someone could do a workshop on photography for the 4-H’ers. Dale was
sent to do his first photography workshop and from that day on led many
workshops in the North Central area. After leading workshops the next step for
him was to judge at the county fair. Judging was fun for him, his favorite part
was working with the kids and watching them grow. There were times when Dale led
a workshop and then was the photography judge, and he could see what the kids
really learned at his workshops.
Dale volunteered as the Wright County Photography project leader & Photography
judge for over 40 years. When asking Dale what his favorite part of volunteering
with the 4-H program was, he answered, “The kids, they are the best bunch of
kids. When they come to a workshop they are not messing around and they listen
and ask good questions.” Like all great volunteers, Dale liked to share his
knowledge with the youth. Over the years as a 4-H volunteer he learned a lot
from the kids, especially now with the digital era. Dale enjoyed his years
judging 4-H fairs because 4-H is based on the 4-H’ers own goal and growth.
Ask Dale to share a memory he has as a judge and he will share the same story.
As a judge kids came to him with their photos and many times do not talk. Dale
relates telling a first year 4-H member that if she did not start talking he was
not going to give her a ribbon. Well, she really opened up and started talking.
Then he had a hard time getting her to stop all of her chatting. Now since this
trick worked to get kids talking, Dale continued to use it during his years of
judging.
Everyone can be in 4-H because there is something for everyone, and he is glad
that his boss sent him to do that first photography workshop with the Wright
County 4-H’ers. Dale feels being involved with 4-H is one of the best
experiences of his life, never a dull moment.
You will still find Dale at many 4-H events and fairs. Once 4-H is in your blood
it’s hard to let it all go. Congratulations to 2014 Wright County 4-H Hall of
Fame inductee Dale Haugland.
2013 Wright County - Larry and Karla Pals
Larry and Karla Pals live in Belmond and have been dedicated to the 4-H program
for many years.
Karla followed in her mother’s footsteps by not only being an active 4-H mom but
also becoming a 4-H leader. She has been the leader of the Iowa Hawkeyes 4-H
club since 2001. Karla is an actively involved leader providing the club members
with great learning opportunities.
Larry was not involved in 4-H growing up, but became involved with the 4-H
program when their three kids, Kristopher, Sara, and Dustin started
participating. He helped them with all their livestock projects which included
cattle, sheep, turkeys, and ducks. Along with being a busy 4-H parent, Larry has
been an active member of the Wright county fair board since 2002.
Larry and Karla have seen firsthand the importance 4-H plays in the lives of the
young people involved. This is why they continue to volunteer their time in
Wright County as a leader and fair board member. They look at their involvement
with the 4-H program not as something they have to do, rather something
they “get to do”.
2012 Wright County- Shirley Lager
Shirley Lager joined 4-H when she was 10 years old. At that time the kids could
enroll in three project areas: food and nutrition, clothing and home
improvement. Every month they met at someone’s home for a meeting and
demonstration.
Shirley did lots of cooking and sewing. One of her favorite things was playing
the piano for the 4-H chorus and for the Fun Nite skits. She loved “Rally Days”
when the Clarion school gym was full of kids as there were 16 clubs in the
county back then.
She married the Fun Nite king and they had 6 daughters who were all in 4-H. She
was a leader for the Lincoln Lassies League for 25 years. She helped with
workshops, bake sales, gone to camps and on trips, donated to 4-H 400 and helped
all her girls with projects and now is helping her grandchildren with projects.
She continues to attend several 4-H events and still is the number one helper
along with her husband Johnny at the 4-H food stand at the Wright County Fair.
2011 Wright County - Larry and Shorty Anderson
Based on their dedicated involvement with the Wright County 4-H program, you
would never guess Larry and Shorty Anderson of Clarion had limited 4-H
experience in their youth.
All three of their children were active in a variety of project areas and
leadership roles. Their involvement and support of the program far exceeds their
children’s involvement. Larry and Shorty have been volunteers in Wright County
over 30 years.
The majority of their involvement is linked to their livelihood of running a
cow-calf operation. The couple played a role in the county beef project area for
many years. Throughout that time they have served as the Beef Project Leaders,
hosted exhibitor clinics and fair orientation meetings at their farm, helped
individual 4-Hers locate animals for purchase, been donors for fair awards and
scholarships, and volunteered numerous hours to help with the shows at the fair.
When the Wright County Farm Bureau initiated the bucket-bottle calf program,
Larry and Shorty saw the importance of this program to attract new youth into
the beef project area and have been helping with the program throughout its
seventeen years. The couple helped conduct the exhibitor interviews, hosted the
fair preparation workshop at their farm, matched potential exhibitors up with
calves for a project, and helped with the organization and awards for the show.
Larry served as the state advisor to the Iowa Junior Beef Breeds for several
years and played a major role in the institution of sanctioning shows and
growing the awards program. He has also served as a judge at numerous county
fairs and local shows throughout the state.
In addition to their beef project involvement, Larry and Shorty have both
assumed leadership responsibility within Wright County’s extension system. Both
Larry and Shorty have served on the Wright County District Junior Fair Board.
Larry served on the board for six years and served as the Superintendent for the
Livestock Sale. Shorty is in her seventeenth year of serving on the fair
board; she is Superintendent of the Open Arts and Crafts and also serves on the
committee for Horse and Beef. Shorty also served on the Wright County Extension
Council for six years prior to her involvement with the fair board. Larry was
the Wall Lake Wee Women 4-H club’s softball coach for two summers which included
a season championship for which he is quite proud.
The Andersons are tremendous volunteers in the Wright County 4-H Program and are
true examples of selfless individuals that would do anything to better the life
experience of our youth. They are loyal donors of their time, talent, and
resources. They live out the quote “service is the rent we pay for living” and
ask for nothing in return.
2010 Wright County - Gary and Sally Woodley
Gary Woodley was a nine year member of the Lincoln Leaders 4-H Club in Wright
County. Some of Gary’s projects were beef, horticulture, woodworking,
communications, citizenship, and leadership. Following his high school
graduation, he participated in a People-to-People exchange to Europe.
After his 4-H career, Gary served as a 4-H club leader and softball coach,
county computer project leader, and chairman of the Wright County Extension
Council. Some other 4-H related activities Gary has helped with include
work at the Wright County Fairgrounds, work during the fair, securing funding
for fairground improvements, 4-H Fun-Nite, record book workshops and
evaluations.
Sally Derscheid Woodley was a nine year member of the Dayton Dandies 4-H Club of
Wright County. She enrolled in the project areas of Food and Nutrition,
Home Improvement, Clothing, and Junior Leadership. As a 4-H’er, Sally was
active in her local club participating in the Better Grooming contest, giving
presentations and talks, serving as an officer for six years, serving at the
Clarion Flight Breakfast, and helping at the Labor Day week-end Rest Stop. For
Fun Nite, she acted in, organized and directed the club skits, helped with the
cake walk, and was a queen candidate. She also served as a county
officer, was active in Older 4-H Youth, worked at the 4-H Food Stand at the
county fair, attended district camp and winter camp, state conference and served
as a camp counselor.
As a college student, Sally worked as the summer 4-H aide for Wright County one
year. She has served as a local club leader or county clothing leader for
35 years and helps with county record book evaluations. Each year she sews
blocks for the county fair fund-raising quilt. Sally has been a judge for local
achievement shows, county fairs for home improvement, clothing, visual arts,
fashion revue, child development, presentations, and Share-the-Fun. At the
State Fair, Sally has judged or critiqued exhibits, working exhibits, and
Share-the-Fun.
4-H was very important to Gary’s and Sally’s development as productive citizens,
and they want to be certain the youth of today have the opportunities for
self-improvement and advancement they did.
2009 Wright County - Ron Swanson
Ronald Swanson was a member of the Lincoln Leader’s 4-H Club in Wright County
for nine years including serving as County President of Boy’s 4-H and Wright
County 4-H Fun Night King. His major project was showing Holstein dairy
cattle.
2008 Wright County - Evelyn and Dean Grandgeorge
Evelyn Grandgeorge has been very supportive and active in the Wright County 4-H
program. She has served on the Extension Council and 4-H and youth
committee. During one summer she was an aid at the Extension office.
She is an honorary 4-H member, was on the Wright County fair board for fifteen
years, and was manager for the 4-H food stand at the Wright County Fair for four
years. She has served on the ASCS (now FSA) committee, the Wright County
Planning and Zoning committee, and the Foundation for the Future of Eagle Grove.
Evelyn met her husband, Dean, when he was showing cattle in 4-H.
2007 Wright County - Phyllis Stoakes
Because of her experiences in 4-H Phyllis realized how important her 4-H leaders
were to her by giving time and talent and how that had benefited her as a
person. She wanted and did give back to 4-H what it had given her.
She constantly reminded youth and others about the opportunities of meeting
“wonderful people” and having “great experiences” through 4-H. She
credited 4-H for the development of communication, leadership, volunteerism and
other life skills. As a 4-H leader she then enjoyed watching her club
members develop and progress in the same ways.
2006 Wright County - Judy Kirstein
Judy Kirstein has been very active in the 4-H program as both a member and a
volunteer. As a volunteer, Judy
served 15 years a club leader, 6 years on the County Youth Committee, 7 years on
the Wright County Extension Council, and 9 years as a superintendent’s assistant
at the Wright County Fair. Wright
County is very appreciative of all she has done to support 4-H in the county.
2005 Wright County - Gene Ryerson
Gene Ryerson was a 9 year 4-H member in Wright County where he served as a club
and county officer. He won the Chicago Award trip and many livestock
awards at the county and state level. He was also an active FFA member and
officer receiving the Iowa, Star and American Farmer degrees. Following high
school Gene attended Iowa State University Farm Operations program. He and
his wife Delores have lived and farmed southwest of Eagle Grove since 1960. They
raised and showed registered sheep for many years. His son has taken over
that operation and now Gene’s grandchildren are showing the prized lambs as 4-H
and FFA projects in Wright County and the Iowa State Fair.
2004 Wright County - John Hagie
John Hagie was a 9 year member of the Dayton Dynamiters 4-H club in Wright
County. He later was a 4-H leader, beef superintendent at the Wright County
District Junior Fair, and for many years served on the Wright County Fair board.
John has always been a very strong supporter of both the Wright County District
Junior Fair and the Iowa State Fair. He continues that interest by supporting
and helping his grandsons with their beef projects as they show at the county
and state level. He was the superintendent of the Iowa State Fair Shorthorn show
for a number of years.
John is a past recipient of the Friend of Extension award. In 1995, Hagie, as
president of Hagie Manufacturing Company, made a donation of $10,000 to the Iowa
4-H Foundation to establish the Wright County Endowment fund. Wright County
citizens were challenged to match or exceed the Hagie's donation. The citizen,
4-H member and families responded by exceeding the expectation. Revenue from the
Wright Count Endowment is used to enhance the Wright County program, helping 4-H
members attain their goals.
2003 Wright County - Alvina Sellers
Alvina Ruth Tesdahl Sellers joined her local 4-H club in Norway Township, Wright
County, Iowa at the age of twelve, in 1927. Because her mother had been killed
by a tornado when Alvina was eleven years old, she helped raise her two sisters
and one brother, helping and encouraging them with their 4-H projects, as well
as completing her own.
In 1950 Alvina and her husband, L.S. Sellers, together with their daughter,
Sandra, and son, James, moved to the Frye family farm in Wall Lake Township,
south of Clarion, Iowa. There she co-founded a 4-H club for girls, the Wall Lake
Wee Women. She served as a 4-H leader for the next fifteen years. In addition,
she helped guide both of her children as they participated in 4-H club
activities, completed 4-H projects and presented 4-H demonstrations, both at the
Wright County Fair and the Iowa State Fair. Alvina served as a judge for many
Wright county 4-H girls’ clubs’ achievement shows and as county fair secretary
for the girl’s exhibits.
Alvina was chairperson of the Wright County 4-H Youth Committee for four years
and served as a 4-H County Committee woman for twenty years. In 1975 she was
awarded the Wright County 4-H Alumni Award. Alvina and L.W. were members of the
4-H 400 Club in recognition of their monetary contributions to the 4-H programs.
Alvina believed fully in the value of the 4-H and the opportunity it provides
young people as they learn to pledge their heads to greater knowledge, their
hands to greater service and their hearts to greater loyalty.
2002 Wright County - Robert F. Bernhardt
Bob Bernhardt began his 4-H career as a 4-H member in Sac County, IA.
As a young man he started a 4-H club in Fillmore County, MN and led it
for 8 years. He attended Iowa
State, earning a degree in Dairy Science.
Robert was the 4-H Extension Youth Assistant in Grundy County for two
years, then farmed for 11 years.
In January of 1962, bob and his family came to Clarion in Wright County, where
he was the youth assistant until the death of Aaron Bowman, Wright County
director. Robert served as the
Wright County CEED from 1965 until his retirement in 1988.
Robert then served as Fair Board secretary for three years, still
maintaining his interest in the 4-H program and young people.
Robert has been active in St. John’s Catholic Church and the Clarion Lions Club.
He served on the Ag committee of the Clarion Chamber of Commerce, served
on the Library Board, and helped to found the Clarion Youth Center.
Robert was chair of the committee that was successful in passing the
Extension Referendum in Wright County.
2005 State of Iowa Recognition - Florine Swanson
Florine (Schulte) Swanson grew up in Norway, Iowa, where she joined 4-H at the
age of ten. One of her fondest memories as a young member was traveling by bus
to the 4-H Center near Madrid for three days of summer camp. Highlights of her
4-H career included a trip to National 4-H Conference in 1961 and to Germany in
1963 as an International Four-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) representative.
After graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in Home Economics
Education, Florine married Ron Swanson and moved to Wright County where she was
a librarian at Clarion High School, the first administrator and teacher of a
community nursery school, and director of the religious education program at St.
John's Catholic Church. A mother of three boys, all enrolled in 4-H, Florine
served as a 4-H volunteer in Wright County for 15 years.
In 1974, Florine joined the board of trustees for the Iowa 4-H Foundation, and
in 1983 was elected the first president of the Iowa 4-H Foundation, a position
formerly held only by the president of Iowa State (College) University. Florine
came back to Iowa State University in 1986 to work as a program assistant for
the Women in Science and Engineering program. She developed the very first
"Taking the Road Less Traveled" career day for girls at Iowa State, a program
that continues today under the same name and format.
Florine was hired in 1987 as the executive director of the Iowa 4-H Foundation,
a position she held for nearly 18 years until her retirement on June 30, 2005.
Florine's legacy to Iowa 4-H as executive director speaks for itself. Under her
leadership, the Foundation's total assets grew from $750,000 to more than $6
million. During her tenure, the number of college scholarships grew from six to
more than 100; donor recognition clubs expanded to include the 4-H 2,000, 4,000
and 10,000 levels as well as a planned giving club called the Emerald Circle;
and the county endowment program was created with 57 counties now participating.
Florine oversaw many major improvements at the Iowa 4-H Center, including the
additions of a new handicapped-accessible bath house for the pool, a new central
kitchen and dining hall, and a new paved road to the camp entrance. In 1996,
Florine and the board completed a successful three-year, $2.5 million capital
campaign and six years later raised $1.5 million in private support for the new
Extension 4-H Youth Building on the campus of Iowa State University.
Nationally, Florine is well respected by foundation directors in other states
and is often called upon to share her expertise. She represented state 4-H
foundations on the National 4-H Strategic Directions Team and the National 4-H
Leadership Trust. In 2002, Florine traveled to Armenia to evaluate the prospect
of establishing a foundation for their rural youth program.
Wherever she traveled, around the state or around the world, Florine represented
Iowa 4-H by sharing the positive impact the program has in the lives of Iowa's
youth, their families, and communities. Living the 4-H motto, To Make the Best
Better, Florine continually put her best foot forward to find the financial
resources that help young people reach their full potential and live healthy and
productive lives.
During retirement, Florine will continue to be involved in 4-H through volunteer
assignments and her grandchildren who are getting their start in 4-H. Florine
also is working on an Iowa 4-H history book that will feature notable people and
events from every county.
Source:
https://www.iowa4hfoundation.org/en/recognition/iowa_4h_hall_of_fame/iowa_4h_hall_of_fame_inductees/?action=search&category=wright
|
