Wylie Young, of the North Osage 4-H Club, hosted a countywide pet project workshop July 14, 2018, at his residence in Overbrook, Kan. The event focused on encouraging project participation and how to prepare for a show.

Wylie, along with Lynnea Nelson, also of the North Osage 4-H Club, gave project talks, demonstrations, and answered questions about their project experiences. Guest speaker Amy Miner gave a presentation about the TNR Program (trap, neuter, release) and her efforts to help control the feral cat population in Scranton. Other activities included a brief project meeting and a tour of Wylie’s backyard pets. Lynnea Nelson provided refreshments that were enjoyed by all.

Pet project workshop participants, from left, Lynnea Nelson, Choloe Cannon, Jocie White, Wylie Young and his dog, Scooby. Courtesy photo.

Wylie also enjoyed participating in leadership activities this year during the Osage County Fair.  He attended board meetings before and after the fair, served as the junior superintendent at the 4-H and open animal costume contest, and helped serve customers at the fair board’s concessions stand. He plans to assist in the planning and operations of the fair again next year.

Gary and Peggy DeForeest, 4-H Family of the Year.

The 4-H Family of the Year Award recognizes a family’s support for local 4-H members and programs. Presented the award last 4-H year, Gary and Peggy DeForeest, of rural Scranton, were recognized for the love and guidance they have given to Osage County 4-H over the years.

Peggy began her employment with the Extension office in July 1986. She fell in love with the 4-H program and Extension that summer and continued to work here for 30 years. Everyone knows they would be greeted with a warm smile when they walk through the door at the Extension office. But, Peggy also handled many things for the 4-H program, such as typing the fair book every year, putting 4-Hers’ information into the computer year after year, newsletters for 4-H clubs. She was recognized as the glue that holds the Extension office and 4-H program together. Peggy retired from her job at the Extension District this summer.

Gary was recognized for his support for Peggy and the 4-H program in his own way. Gary is a gifted carpenter, and judges projects at local county fairs around the state. For the last three years he has been a woodworking project leader for the Lyndon Leaders 4-H Club. The woodworking project has grown in number of participants every year, and when other youth in the county have asked for help with woodworking, Gary has always been happy to help.

The 4-H Family of the Year Award recognizes the DeForeest family for their care of the community and the families that live here.

Local club leaders Jodi and Keith Bergkamp were recipients of the Alumni of the Year award, along with Carolyn Lowry, not pictured.

The 4-H Alumni of the Year Award is awarded to past 4-H members who continue to make significant contributions to the 4-H program. This past 4-H year, local club leaders Jodi and Keith Bergkamp and Carolyn Lowry were nominated for the award.

Jodi and Keith Bergkamp were nominated for the Alumni of the Year Award by Vassar Blue Ribbon 4-H Club. Jodi and Keith were both 10-year 4-H members and are now active in 4-H with their children. Their favorite projects in 4-H were swine, sheep, cattle, foods and photography. They are club leaders of Vassar Blue Ribbon.

Carolyn Lowry was nominated for the Alumni of the Year Award by the Burlingame 4-H Club. She was in several projects during her 12 years as a 4-H member, including sewing, cooking, junior leaders, and of course, horses. She attended CWF (Citizenship Washington Focus) with Osage County 4-H. In her best year at the Kansas State Fair, she was in the top five in pole bending and top 10 in barrel racing. She is a club leader for Burlingame 4-H Club.

My name is Kieren Shultz and I am a member of the Clover Wranglers 4-H Club. I love club meetings, especially recreation at the end of the meeting.

My favorite project is visual arts. I learn ceramics at the Paint Pot in Burlingame and I try all kinds of art at home. I love to draw and paint, but I really enjoy mixed media projects. Other projects I enjoy are performing arts, buymanship, and reading.

I love to spend time at the library. I was at all but one week of summer reading this year. The theme was “Libraries Rock.” We did lots of fun things, like wearing crazy wigs and building our own instruments to play.

I modeled my buymanship outfits in the fashion revue and I was in my first play – we did Mary Poppins.

Hello, I am Lily Shultz of the Clover Wrangler 4-H Club. I have served as president of my club and the Osage County 4-H Council this year. Our club members are very close, and we enjoy working and playing together. We do lots of service projects. This year we built dozens of shoeboxes for the Operation Christmas Child Program. I love building boxes and shopping for just the right items to send to each child.

I enjoy a variety of projects in 4-H. In fiber arts I have worked on quilting, crochet, and knitting. In visual arts I have done ceramics, drawings, paintings, and a couple of leather projects. I love photography and reading as well.

Last year I started my first garden and now I am hooked on all things plant science. I started out with a small container garden but this year I had an actual-in the ground garden and I grew watermelons, among other things. I was so excited as I watched my garden grow and I was thrilled when I harvested my first watermelon. It is a wonderful thing to grow your own food and to be able to share your produce with others.

The Kansas Key Award is one of the highest honors awarded to 4-H members across Kansas. Key Award recipients are recognized for their involvement in 4-H related events and activities, and achievements accomplished within their 4-H club, county or state.

For 2017-2018, Calvin Young and JD Schoepflin were recognized as Key Award winners.

Calvin Young is a 10-year member of the North Osage 4-H Club. Calvin has been dedicated to his club serving as chairs of committees, being vice president in 2013 and president in 2014.

JD Schoepflin is an 11-year member of the Willing Workers 4-H Club.  During his 4-H career he has been very involved with the Osage County Shooting Sports and the tractor restoration project.

My name is Isaac Shultz and I am an eight-year member of the Clover Wranglers 4-H Club. This year I served as club treasurer and county council member.

Some of the projects I enjoy are photography and visual arts. I enjoy drawing and I take pictures of absolutely everything.

This year I tried a fiber arts project. I made a macramé belt and it turned out alright. And, now that all the fairs are over I can actually wear it.

Every year, local 4-Hers get together for an evening to recognize the previous year’s accomplishments. Achievement pins are presented to those earning them: 4-H members recognized for 2017-2018 were:

Solomon Shultz helps put out flags at a local cemetery for Memorial Day. Courtesy photo.

Hi, my name is Solomon Shultz and I am a member of the Clover Wranglers 4-H Club. I love being in 4-H because our club meetings are fun, and we are all good friends. We do lots of projects together. Every year we help put the flags out at the cemetery for Memorial Day weekend. We usually learn something new every year – like how to fold the flags correctly when we put them away.

I like being at the county fairs. This year I worked at the fairs, but it was still fun because we were working together.

I am in several projects. I like photography, art, plant science, and reading. I sent three exhibits to the state fair this year and I went to the fair as part of the intermediate photography judging team. It was my first year to judge at the state fair and I was nervous, but we had a great day there.

Katie Lowry gives her favorite pig, Sloppy Joe, a hug. Courtesy photo.

Katie Lowry, member of the Burlingame 4-H Club, has been in 4-H for three years. Projects taken to the fair include horses, for which she won three purples and four blues, reserve high point junior division, and grand champion gelding at Osage County Fair. She took home six blues and one red, reserve high point junior division and grand champion gelding at Overbrook Osage County Fair.

In swine, she won two reds and a blue at Osage County Fair; and two blues and reserve champion AOB at the Overbrook fair.

In bucket calf class, she won reserve grand champion at Osage City, and a blue ribbon at Overbrook.

Her favorite 4-H activity of the last year was showing at the fairs and seeing friends from camp. “I also really liked participating in the demonstration contest at the state fair this year!” Katie said.

Her best 4-H memory or experience this year was: “Going to camp for the first time, making new friends, and raising my market pig, Sloppy Joe,” she said.