Tuesday, July 30, 2013 • Local 4-H celebrates centennial
Publisher’s note: This story originally appeared in the Tuesday, July 30, 2013, edition of the Lassen County Times.
Kailie Mossinger, a cake decorator at Susanville Supermarket IGA, decorates a large cake for the California 4-H’s centennial celebration, Saturday, July 20.4-H members past and present gathered at the Junior Livestock Pavilion to celebrate the state program’s centennial birthday Saturday, July 20.
The event was a time to pay tribute to 4-H’s history, the benefits for its members and was a time to honor the work of volunteers.
Joe Egan, left, and Al Blickenstaff, former Lassen County 4-H All Star members, participates in a celebration by sharing historical information about the program.First District Assemblyman and former Lassen County Supervisor Brian Dahle started the celebration by presenting a proclamation which will hang in the 4-H office at 707 Nevada St.
Sisters-in-law Fran and Dolores Hemphill, long-time 4-H leaders and this year’s grand marshals, were introduced. Fran Hemphill thanked everyone for “years of fun in 4-H.”
Emily Egan led the audience in the 4-H pledge and 4-H All-Star members from the 1950s to the present then shared the history of the national, state and local programs.
Les Allen is one of several local 4-H volunteers honored during a California 4-H centennial celebration.4-Hers also talked what the program offers youth and what it means to them.
J.T. Struthers, an All-Star in 1992-1993, said the 4-H motto is to make the best better and he thinks they do that as a club. In judging senior projects at Lassen High School, Struthers said he found 4-H members were well-spoken, mature and articulate in presenting information.
The centennial was also highlighted in other ways during fair week. A history of 4-H and other exhibits were on display, and it sponsored a scavenger hunt that Saturday.
Earlier in the morning, 4-Hers walked as a county rather than individual clubs in the Lassen County Fair Parade.
4-H — head, heart, hands, health — helps youth develop their full potential. It is an organization under the University of California Cooperative Extension, and members participate in numerous projects throughout the year and are led by volunteers.
Past 4-H member Lisa Kuntz said, “volunteers are what make this program run.”
Some of those volunteers were honored during the ceremony and were presented with a 4-H blanket.
As a way to give to the celebration, Susanville Supermarket IGA donated a four by six foot cake decorated at the pavilion by Kailie Mossinger, who works in the bakery.
Store manager Todd Eid said, “A 100 year celebration is an extraordinary feat.”
