My Perspective now

I am new to the 4-H world and was not a member growing up. I honestly thought 4-H was a club only for the rural community, and the farming aspect of the state fair was the only big event that 4-H participated in. I had no idea how wrong I was. There are a lot of families that have no idea how much 4-H has to offer, and my goal is to take a good look into the heart of the organization and spread the 4-H story.

At the end of the summer I volunteered at the event "Stitch This" at the state fair! I was amazed by the creativity and originality of the high school participants. I spoke with one particular girl and she told me that she was really passionate about fashion and creating outfits. She said she was so glad that she found the opportunity to express herself through this 4-H event and that she loved to be challenged! I was amazed by the ideas these contestants came up with and I thought it was such a cool event at the state fair! There are many opportunities in 4-H and I am gaining so much knowledge from my experiences so far.

Erika Pletcher

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Alumni Spotlight: Lindsay Mickelson

When one thinks of 4-H, they might not jump to music. However, 4-H allows youth to develop skills that help in areas of creativity and performance. Lindsay Mickelson was a Dayton Tiger 4-H’er from Webster County. Involved in several project areas, she loved to show pigs at county and State Fair, cattle for a couple years, photography, baking and Share the Fun. “I have so many great memories from 4-H. From playing cards in the cattle barns with friends to earning trophies for raising a fine-looking pig,” says Mickelson. “Fair time was always my favorite time of year because it combined my two favorite things: hanging out with friends and tending to the animals. I can remember the first year when I started 4-H, we had our calves so tame we would lay on them in the barn, just because they would let us. Half the time the calves couldn’t care less, as long as they had food and water, they were happy.” Mickelson identifies 4-H as a steppingstone growing up, teaching her how t...

Alumni Spotlight: Julie (Wolterman) Burroughs

From State Fair Queen to baby food producer, our December Alum of the Month has used the skills gained from her 4-H experience to propel herself to success. Julie (Wolterman) Burroughs was a member of the Garfield All-Stars 4-H Club for nine years in Ida County. Some of her projects included; showing cattle, quilting, knitting, woodworking, child development and much more. She also participated in Clothing Selection, Fashion Revue and 4-H Council. Julie’s favorite 4-H memory was when she was crowned the 1993 Iowa State Fair Queen. “The competition was such a valuable experience and my year as Queen, representing Iowa, was phenomenal,” said Burroughs. “The opportunity was such an honor and defined my 4-H experience.” Burroughs went on to coordinate the Iowa State Fair Queen Competition of 14 years. Another fond 4-H memory Burroughs has is showing livestock. “I loved the energy and sense of community on livestock show day. The entire Club worked together to get the...

A Special Week - Just for Volunteers!

As the 2010 National Volunteer Week, April 18-24, comes to a close, it is nice to look back to see how counties have recognized those that put their time and effort into helping Iowa’s youth. These volunteers give to 4-H all year long, and it is great to have a week dedicated to their hard work. Here are a few counties that have made the extra effort to show their volunteer appreciation: With a “driving” theme, Muscatine County handed out cards at a recent leader’s training. “Thank you for Driving Muscatine County 4-H Youth to a Successful Future!” was written on the front, with 4-H member’s individual impact statements on the inside. The county also included a $5 gas card to fit the theme. Some quotes found in the card were: “My 4-H leader helps me to work towards my goals, learn how to write presentations/other communication, and to learn how to contribute to my community.” “Our leaders make meetings fun and educational.” “[Leaders] have shown me to grow as an individual an...

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