Iowa 4-H Alumni & Friends

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama may know him as the Ambassador at Large to Combat Trafficking in Persons, but Story County fairgoers remember Luis C. deBaca as “Louie,” a Huxley teenager in Wranglers and a cowboy hat, who was never afraid of a microphone during Family Fun Day activities at Christy Hall, the fairgrounds or Inspiration Night at Gates Hall in Nevada. In the early 1980s, 4-H’er Louie de Baca was known for mixing traditional activities for a farm boy with other endeavors such as stained glass and baking. So, when the chance came up to take the biennial trip to Washington D.C., de Baca jumped at the chance. On the Washington Citizenship trip, Story County 4-H’ers met club members from other states, studied the legislative process and toured monuments, memorials and museums. In meetings with Iowa’s Congressional delegation, Louie represented the group and presented the Representatives and Senators with a handcrafted stained glass 4-H emblem. I

Crop producers who want to support Iowa 4-H Youth Development have another option besides writing a check or donating cash. They can give the gift of grain. Giving grain is a viable option for donating to the 4-H program through the Iowa 4-H Foundation, said Albert Grunenwald, the foundation’s associate director. Self-employed farmers who donate grain to the Iowa 4-H Foundation not only benefit youth across the state, but also reduce their self-employment tax and increase their income tax savings, Grunenwald explained. “Giving grain can save farmers as much as 49 percent of the donation amount. For example, a grain donation worth $1,000 could save farmers an extra $490 because they gave grain in place of cash,” he said. For specific instructions on how to donate grain to support 4-H, contact Grunenwald at (515) 294-4780 or abgrunen@iastate.edu.