4-H volunteers are true heroes in their service to children and youth

  • by Jennifer Kneuss
  • March 11, 2013
  • 322
                        
Summary: Ohio’s 4-H programs have a very small paid staff, but most of the work comes from the thousands of volunteers who give generously of their time and resources in order to help young people grow into responsible citizens of tomorrow. 4-H relies on thousands of volunteers to keep the program going. The commitment of time, energy, and effort invested is significant. The reasons for this commitment are varied, but the volunteers have a deep desire to make a difference in the lives of a younger generation. Ethan Urfer was a 4-H member for 9 years. Now 22, Urfer has never stopped being part of 4-H. “My first year out of 4-H, I was a 4-H co-advisor for 2 years, and then I started my own club,” he said. Urfer’s club is aptly called ‘Forever 4-H’. “A lot of wanting to be an advisor came from wanting to pass it on to younger kids so they could have that same experience,” noted Urfer. 4-H is a family affair for Nancy and Fred Shiffer of Wayne County. The couple have been advisors for 28 and 29 years, respectively, every since their first daughter joined 4-H. “They needed a swine advisor, and since Fred had raised two pigs before, he got elected!” chuckled Nancy Shiffer. “Our three daughters are grown and are also advisors in our club, and we have one granddaughter in 4-H and two in Cloverbuds.” Their club, the Milton Country Clovers, now has about 65 members, 35 of which take swine projects. There are 15 advisors for the club, and Fred also volunteers on the county senior swine committee. Kate Shumaker, Holmes County Extension director, credits the many volunteers in her county for their dedication. She gave examples of several of the hundreds whose service has been exemplary. “For instance, Joni and Bill Brown and almost all of their kids are volunteers in their Buckeye 4-H club, and their grandkids are all club members. And Bill and Bev Wachtel of Nashville Jolly Farmers are now in their 50th year as volunteers,” Shumaker noted. Joe Martin says he was a youth 4-H member “in my younger years.” Now, Martin gives countless hours not only as a member of his county’s 4-H Committee, but also as the Shooting Sports coordinator and instructor for the past 17 years for Tuscarawas County. He has numerous safety and shooting sports certifications, and his reputation for working tirelessly with 4-H members interested in learning about the topic is legendary. “It is important to teach these kids the safe, responsible, and proper way to handle any type of weapon, whether it is a shotgun, a pistol, a bow, a muzzleloader, or anything else,” he explained. He and his fellow leaders provide all kinds of experiences in well-supervised, controlled environments for the youth they serve. In Ohio in 2012, there were over 4500 4-H clubs, all led by 22,000 volunteer advisors. It is estimated that they gave over 2 million volunteer hours each year, at a value of $21.00 an hour or more. During that year, they logged over 100,000 miles and graciously spent over a half million dollars out of their pockets for expenses that aren’t covered by club dues and fundraisers. Volunteers are carefully screened, fingerprinted, and trained, all at their own expense. It’s all worth it to volunteers like Ruth Burky of Tuscarawas County’s Quest club, who has been a 4-H advisor almost continuously since 1968. “I find it just delightful to see the happiness of doing things successfully and the personal satisfaction youngsters have from learning and growing in their knowledge of so many things,” commented Burky. “It is amazing to watch them grow up and grow better at something they love doing. To me 4-H is just exciting and fun, with friends and a chance to grow and be personally happy and successful.”


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