The 4-H Volunteer of the Year, Emerald Club Award, John Edge Memorial Awards and the Meritorious Service Awards were presented Oct. 7 at the annual Grant County 4-H Leaders Banquet held during National 4-H Week.
Each year, the John Edge Memorial Award is presented to two 4-H leaders in their first 10 years of leadership. This award is designed to acknowledge leaders with dedication similar to the example of John Edge. This year's Memorial Award winners were Scott Napp, of the Plum Valley Boosters 4-H Club, and Virginia Peake, of the Active Americans
4-H Club.
Napp was the main leader and project leader for the Plum Valley Boosters. He served as president of the Grant County 4-H Leaders Association in 2007 and was instrumental in forming the 4-H Endowment Fund. He has helped coach the Grant County 4-H Meat Judging teams.
Peake has been a 4-H leader for 10 years in the Active Americans 4-H Club. She has served as Grant County Fair superintendent in the Open Class and Junior Foods division. She has judged the Explorers in a face-to-face judging for the past seven years. Virginia is the daughter of Carol and the late John Edge, who this award is named after.
The Volunteer of the Year Award goes to leaders who have gone above and beyond to help the 4-H program in Grant County. This year the award was given to Cary and Emily Allen, of the Stitzer Go-Getters 4-H Club. Together they have served a total of 12 years in leadership roles. They are project leaders in rabbits, child development, home environment and dairy. They were instrumental in forming the Grant County 4-H Happy Hoppers Rabbit Club.
The Emerald Club honors leaders serving 25 years or more as a leader in the 4-H program. Pauline Pitzen, Little Grant 4-H Club, and Mary Kirschbaum, County Leader, were this year's Emerald Club inductees. Pitzen has served as arts and crafts leader for 11 years and main leader for 12 years in the Little Grant 4-H Club and is serving a two-year term as Lancaster delegate to the 4-H Leaders Association. Kirschbaum was a club leader for the Brechler Busy Bodies 4-H Club and Mount Ida Hilltoppers and is currently serving as a county goat leader.
Meritorious Service awards were presented to individuals and/or 4-H supporters who have displayed a true commitment to the youth of Grant County. This year's award winners were Bloomington Area Sportsman's Club; Pat Klug, Lancaster; Jim Murray, Lancaster; and Dolores Schwantes, Grant County Fair Secretary, Lancaster.
The Bloomington Area Sportsman's Club has been helping the 4-H Shooting Sports members for five years. They have donated their facilities, supplies and knowledge to the 4-H program.
Klug was honored for her meritorious work to the 4-H program by endless hours of ensuring everyone had something to eat at the Grant County Fair in the Livestock Pavilion.
Murray is another one of those who has committed his time to the 4-H program in Grant County. He has spent countless hours in the Livestock Facility kitchen making sure the ice cream machine is pumping ice cream in all flavors for the exhibitors.
Schwantes, Grant County Fair secretary is the backbone of the Grant County Fair. Dolores has worked for the Grant County Fair since 1954 and became the fair secretary in 1993.
