Idaho 4-H Hall of Fame Honors Nine Longtime Volunteers
Wednesday, November 9 2011
MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho 4-H Hall of Fame honored nine longtime volunteers from across the state who committed their time and energy to helping young people through the University of Idaho Extension 4-H Youth Development Program.
Pat Ostrom of Nampa, Myrn Gosse of New Plymouth, Art Butler of Bliss, LeeAnn Orcutt of Middleton, Maurine Johnson of Greenleaf, Gerald and Grace Ingle of Kendrick, Wolfe Delbridge of Bancroft, and Carol Grassl of Caldwell were inducted during the Idaho State 4-H Leaders’ Forum in Boise.
More than 33,000 children and teens ages 5 to 18 participated in Idaho 4-H activities in 2010-11. They developed leadership, math, science and technology skills, and learned practical, life-long lessons in activities that benefit themselves and their communities. Through research-based, positive youth development programs, 4-H youths get the hands-on, real world experience they need to become leaders.
The University of Idaho Extension 4-H program Idaho drew on the talents and leadership of 4,200 adult and youth volunteers who helped 4-H members undertake an array of projects.
Idaho 4-H will celebrate its centennial during 2012. The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences became involved in 1912 when boys and girls clubs were organized statewide. They evolved into today’s modern 4-H program with clubs in all of Idaho’s counties served by University of Idaho Extension.
More information about the Idaho 4-H Youth Development Program is available online at www.uidaho.edu/extension/4H.
The Idaho 4-H Hall of Fame was founded in 2002 with 100 honorees. Since then, 29 additional members have been honored.
The 2011 Idaho 4-H Hall of Fame honorees included the following:
Pat Ostrom of Nampa served as a leader in the Canyon County 4-H program for over 25 years of the Mustangers and Lone Star 4-H clubs. In that role she helped 130 children and teens on their journeys to becoming caring individuals and productive citizens.
Ostrom lent her considerable talents and experience to the county, district and state horse councils, including serving as president at the county and district level.
She helped train 4-H judges and helped plan and oversee Horse Camp, a rare opportunity for 4-H members to camp with their horses.
Other contributions included serving as Canyon County 4-H Fair Aide for 13 years and as a Teen Conference chaperone on the University of Idaho’s Moscow campus.
Myrn Gosse of New Plymouth mentored an estimated 2,250 children and teens during her nearly 40 years as a 4-H leader in Payette County. Her Rawhiders 4-H Club, which mainly focuses on horse, also allows members to pursue swine, scrapbooking, quilting, small animals, beef, sheep goats and Legos projects.
Educated as a teacher, Gosse spent most of her career as a school bus driver, helping students focus on their homework as they ride home from school.
Her help led horse judging teams to district, state and national judging competitions. As a result of her work to raise funds and promote the judging teams, 4-H members had the chance to travel around the country and take advantage of unique opportunities.
Art Butler of Bliss, an 18-year leader of the Clover Creek 4-H Club, teaches youth throughout the county about beef education from calf feeding to carcass qualities. He has been the county beef superintendent and round robin superintendent for many years. After retiring from the superintendent position, he could be found announcing at various livestock shows.
He takes livestock evaluation very seriously and always encouraged youth to attend livestock judging events. He thought it so important that his family and club hosted the county livestock judging contest for several years. He also advised youth on marketing options for extra animals.
He continues to support the Gooding County Livestock Judging Contest, one of the longest running judging contests in the state.
Maurine Johnson of Greenleaf has helped Owyhee County 4-H members gain skills and served in county, district and state leadership roles. Her 31 years of involvement in the University of Idaho Extension 4-H program includes 10 as a member and 21 as an adult volunteer.
In addition to leading sewing clubs in which she donated her time and talents in addition to materials, she advised the Owyhee County Teen Association.
Johnson also served as Owyhee County Fair superintendent for 12 years and contributed her time and leadership in county and district roles. She serves as the Treasure Valley American Sewing Guild president.
She provided a positive adult role model for members, one of whom recently became a 4-H volunteer.
The late LeeAnn Orcutt of Ada County was a longtime volunteer who believed in the 4-H program, serving as 4-H leader in Ada County for 13 years until she lost her life to cancer.
She made a significant impact to 4-H with her dedication to the program and as fair supervisor, mini forum presenter and fund raising chairman. She received a Distinguish Service Award in Ada County in 2005.
Orcutt encouraged youth in her 4-H club to seek out their own community service projects and to communicate easily with adults in the club and community.
During her last four years in 4-H and during her battle with cancer, she continued as sale committee secretary and in other roles.
The late Gerald and Grace Ingle of Kendrick were 4-H leaders in Latah County. They started the Big Bear Ridge Farm Boys and later Big Bear Ridge 4-H Club in 1946. They served as leaders for more than 30 years between them.
The Ingles continued to support 4-H financially in later years. Their Big Bear Ridge 4-H Club included nearly all the youth in the community. The Ingles helped organize the Latah County Leaders’ Council and served as officers. After Gerald died in 1982, Grace established an annual cash award in his memory for three 4-H members for outstanding achievement, leadership and citizenship. An estimated 90-100 youth have received the Gerald and Grace Ingle Memorial Award in the last 28 years.
Wolfe Delbridge of Bancroft has led the Pony Express 4-H Club in Pocatello for at least 40 years and others in Bannock and Caribou counties. The clubs focus on horse, veterinary science, teen leadership and other projects.
Pony Express club members focus on leadership have resulted in three being chosen as Miss Rodeo Idaho, one as Miss Teen Rodeo Idaho and another as Miss Idaho High School Rodeo.
His club members also graduated to work for University of Idaho Extension and American National CattleWomen, an agriculture group.
Delbridge ensured 4-H club members took leadership roles by conducting the clubs’ meetings,
fundraisers and unique community service ideas. He also taught them to take individual responsibility for themselves and their animals.
Carol Grassl of Caldwell began serving as a University of Idaho Extension 4-H volunteer in 1969 when her daughter became old enough to join. She earlier joined 4-H in grade school after volunteering her mother to form a club.
Grassl’s first 4-H club catered to girls who wanted to learn to cook and sew, then evolved when a boy joined.
She encouraged club members to pursue 4-H at the county, state and national level.
She also shared her expertise of being a professional photographer with a number of youth for nearly 15 years, stimulating creativity and interest in the profession. She received the Canyon County Distinguished Service Award. She serves on the Canyon County 4-H Endowment Board as treasurer.
Earlier this year, the National 4-H Hall of Fame inducted retired University of Idaho Extension professor Frankie Marler of Boise as one of 15 honorees chosen from across the U.S.
Beginning her Extension career in 1970 as area home economist in charge of the district Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in Boise, Marler oversaw hiring, training, and supervision of 20 nutrition aides in five counties. In 1977, she accepted a temporary position as the Extension home economist in Ada County.
She served in Ada County until she moved to Alaska in 1987 and later served in Washington’s Snohomish County. In 1993, she returned to Ada County where she continued her career as Extension 4-H agent till her retirement in 1999.
More information about those honored by the National and Idaho 4-H Halls of Fame is available online at www.uidaho.edu/extension/4h/awardsscholarshipscontests/asc/4hhalloffame.