4-H Focus Newsletter
News for 4-H Leaders and
Supporters
Spring 2002
4-H
CELEBRATES
A CENTURY OF SERVICE
1902 ~
2002
One hundred
years ago Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt was President of the United States. The
Governor of Kentucky was J. C. W. Beckham.
The Wright Brothers were still a year away from their first successful
airplane flight and Henry Ford began turning out cars by mass production.
And, in 1902, a youth program was started which evolved into the
organization we now know as 4-H.
Kentucky
4-H, however, did not begin until 1909. The
beginning of 4-H clubs in Jefferson County is difficult to pinpoint exactly.
The oldest record of 4-H activity in the county can be traced to an
article which appeared in the Louisville Herald of April 27, 1919.
This article stated that there were approximately seventy-five members in
the Jefferson 4-H Club. The
officers of the club were Robert Poulter, president; Karl Moser, Vice President;
and Catherine Winter, secretary. This
provides documentation of Jefferson County’s claim to fame as one of the early
champions of Kentucky 4-H.
Just as our nation
has grown and changed over the past hundred years, so too, the 4-H program has
mirrored those changes. Nevertheless,
throughout the years 4-H has retained its focus on its primary mission of
positive youth development.
A centennial anniversary is something
very special and 4-H invites you to join in the celebration!
Join
our Centennial Club! We hope
to recruit 100 people who will contribute $100. each to celebrate 100 years of
service to children. Call Rosie,
425-4482, for more information.
As part of our local celebration we’re looking for the oldest 4-H alumnus living in Jefferson County? Are you the alumnus we’re looking for – or think you know who is? Give us a call at 425-4482, ext. 106.
Jim Davis, creator of Garfield
and a former 4-Her, is donating 54 limited edition original signed
lithograph prints featuring Garfield reciting the 4-H pledge.
One print will be auctioned off on www.eBay.com
each week in 2002 and proceeds will benefit State 4-H Foundations.
Kentucky has been assigned the week of August 18 through 24.
Be sure to place your bid!
Deepa Sheth, Susan Bowling and Isrom
Johnson will be heading to Washington D. C. in March as part of the Kentucky
delegation to the National Conversation on Youth Development.
The National Conversation will capture the best ideas and programs for
youth development in the 21st century and present them to the
President of the United States.
Come
celebrate with us!
100 Years and Still Going Strong
With pride in our past and a vision for our future, teen and adult volunteers participate in a long range planning sessions.
In the early morning rain of December 16th, teacher and 4-H leader, Tracey Kelley, carried the Olympic Torch through downtown Louisville to the delight of her students from Greenwood Elementary School.
Stephanie Garcia (far left) and her dog, Annie, visit with Addie Fereday at the Rockford Manor Nursing Home. Addie was leader of the Jefferson County 4-H Dog Club for over 30 years.
As part of the National 4-H Centennial
celebration, every issue of the “4-H FOCUS” this year will publish a
favorite 4-H memory sent in by one of our 4-H alumni.
If you have a special memory, 4-H picture
or news clipping you would like to
share,
we’d love to hear from
you!
Fax (502-425-0109) or
email (Rnorris@uky.edu)
them to us.
We’ll print as many as possible.
Today’s
“memory” was sent in by Charlotte Tharp,
director of Mission and Outreach for Norton Healthcare.
“My
favorite 4-H memory is of judging a speech competition with 9 year olds.
One boy was so scared his whole body was shaking.
You could see his pants legs shaking.
But he made it through - he finished his speech!
I know that with the help of 4-H, one day he will do that with confidence
and without fear. What a brave
little boy – what a terrific organization to nurture him!”
Larry
Larimore
Larry
Larimore is
the newly elected president of the Jefferson County 4-H Council.
Larry takes his new role very seriously, but, he doesn’t take himself
too seriously. He is known for his
ability to get the job done and make sure everyone has a good time too.
Larry is good natured, fun, and energetic.
These assets make him a very dynamic and effective leader.
Larry
was first recruited by his then nine-year-old daughter in 1996 to be a 4-H camp
volunteer. Since then, 4-H camp has
become a summer tradition for the Larimore family. Last summer, Larry was at camp on his birthday, July 4th.
He orchestrated the biggest fireworks display in the camp history.
People traveled from as far away as Somerset to view the 4-H fireworks
show – Thunder over Lake Cumberland!
“It’s my birthday! I’m
proud of my country and I’m going to make sure everyone enjoys the
celebration!” said Larry. The 4th
of July was a fun and memorable day at 4-H Camp.
When
Larry attended the Kentucky Volunteer Forum, he heard the State Director of 4-H
ask for help to improve the Kentucky Room at the National 4-H Center in
Washington D. C. So Larry recruited
his brother to help him build a cherry wood podium for the room.
The podium has an official state seal, also made of cherry wood.
The podium was unveiled at the Kentucky Volunteer Forum in February. It will be a beautiful addition to the room and will be point
of pride for our state.
Larry
has worked in Quality Control at Ford Truck Plant for 30 years.
In his “spare time” he is also a volunteer director and coach of
River City Turners Gymnastics. Additionally, he assists with both of his daughters’
cheerleading teams. A neighbor
recently asked Larry, “Why do you do all this volunteer work for nothing”? “It’s
not for nothing,” Larry responded. “If
I don’t do it, who would?”
K
L O V E R K U D O S
Deepa Sheth,
Isrom Johnson and Susan Bowling have been selected to be a part of
the Kentucky delegation attending the National Conversation on Youth
Development, Feb. 28 through March 2 in Washington D. C.
They are outstanding individuals who will represent us well.
Congratulations to Stephanie Moses who was selected to participate on the 2002 National 4-H Youth Technology Leadership Team! What a great honor!
Because of her many 4-H achievements, Crystal Neff was selected to attend 4-H Congress held in Atlanta, Georgia. Four-H leader, Lynn Slominsky, served as chaperone on the trip.
At the Horse Awards program in January many deserving youth and leaders were recognized for their accomplishments in 2001. Special recognition goes out to Kari Dickson who was selected as this year’s college scholarship recipient and Deb Foshag who was presented with the prestigious Mac McCue award.
Amber Ruhl
was presented with the ICE (Innovative, Creative, Enthusiastic) award at
the Kentucky Volunteer Forum.
Way to go, Amber!
Jefferson
County 4-H Council
2001 -
2002
Harriette Ray
Larry Larimore
Richard Curtsinger
Randy Gonterman
Russ Hale
Melissa Fleitz
Mark Hodge Jonathan
Harris
Lynn Slominsky Helen
Sanders
Mike Smith
Neil Gonterman
Jennifer Elwell
Sally Moss
JoAnn Brewer
Sherry Wehr
Stan Gonterman
Von Macklin
Raymond Burse
Sandy Boone
Jack Ragsdale
Angie McDonald-Hackett
Linda Crouse
Roy Strange
Greg Stevens
Sabra Reeser
David Dick
Anne McMillin
Charlotte Tharp
Ann Bowdan
Dr. Bakula Sheth
Stephanie Moses
Jean Lambert
Jim Gale
Bill Ash
4-H FOCUS
News items for 4-H Focus
were selected from the total
Jefferson 4-H Program.
Rosie
Norris
Extension Agent for 4-H/Youth Development