Greenbrier County 4-H clubs hold annual achievement program

CRAWLEY (WVDN) – On Sunday, Nov. 6, parents, 4-H members, and 4-H volunteer leaders participated in the Annual Greenbrier County 4-H Achievement Program held at Western Greenbrier Middle School to celebrate the achievements of the 2021-2022 4-H year.

Prior to the Achievement Program, 4-H officers’ training for newly elected club officers was led by county volunteers and teen leaders.

Chairman of the Achievement Program was Jo Long, a Greenbrier County 4-H volunteer. Additional 4-H leaders on the committee were Robin Haynes, Greenbrier County 4-H agent; Melissa King, Greenbrier County 4-H program assistant; and Jessica Simms, Heather Hefner and Amanda DePriest.

The Richland Country Crew 4-H Club decorated the stage for the program. The Rt. 92 Rangers 4-H Club distributed name tags to attendees. Williamsburg Flying Falcons 4-H Club served as door greeters. The Smoot Hilltop Smokies 4-H Club distributed 4-H favors to the participants. Susan McCoy served as the photographer for the evening. All participating 4-H clubs assisted with providing auction items, door prizes and helped clean up after the event. The program was funded by the Greenbrier County 4-H Leaders Association and private donations.

Teen presenters for the ceremony were Arabella Crookshanks and Josi Ervin; they led the US Pledge, the 4-H Pledge and the West Virginia 4-H Song.

In addition to Haynes and King, WVU Extension staff assisting with the event included administrative assistant Jeannie Cochran.

The following 4-H members were recognized for excellence within their area of 4-H project completion and received certificates and/or pins:

Central Willing Workers 4-H Club: Cash Ridpath, Taylor Tomlinson, Megan Canterbury, Aubrey Adkins, Kate Tomlinson and Kate Adkins.

Meadow River: Elizabeth Kesterson, Cheyton Howard, Kaylee Wingrove and Corbin Wingrove.

Life is Good 4-H Club: Jagger McNeely, Colton Glover, Ruby McNeely, James Hunter, Lorelei Eilerman, Uriah Rodriguez, Walter Weikle and Morgan Massie.

Mountain Movers 4-H Club: Chloey Wykle, John DePriest, Charles DePriest, Autumn Eskins, Ella Wykle, Isola Altizer, Autumn Eskins, Cassidy Kellison, Anna Pack and Jobe Whited.

Organ Cave 4-H Helpers 4-H Club: Cole Wade, Emma Dauwel, Morgan Wade, Braylee Robertson, Kaylee Ludwig, Sofia McDaniel, Natalee Sibold, Tucker Sibold, Harper Bostic, Tenley Elmore, Kymberlyn Morgan, Onyza Persinger, Hayden Morgan, Rylan Anderson, Thomas McDaniel, Aubrey Morgan, Ella Butler, Bradley Shirey, Henley Anderson, Layna Morgan, Conley Morgan, Abby Hawver, Hailey Elmore and Makayla Walton.

Richlands Country Crew 4-H Club: Conner Jackson, Drew Jackson, Bryleigh Goodwin, Peyton Ervin, Haley Byers, Natalie Byars, Marley Patterson, Hailey Ervin, Josi Ervin, Trac Vaughan, Peyton Barker, Marley Patterson, Josie Patterson, Jacob Barker and Haley Byars.

Rt. 92 Rangers 4-H Club: Kadence Radford, Kendall Radford, Cora Hefner and Kaleigh Cochran.

Smoot Hilltop Smokies 4-H Club: Samantha Holliday, Gabriel Bishop, Seamus Holliday, Kerry Holliday, Laikyn Howard, Cameron Weikle, Haley Gabbert, Granger Holliday, Arabella Crookshanks, Ryan Reynolds, Abigale Jones, Makenna Humpherys, Grace Hunter, Sophia Bishop, Logan Spade and Nathan Reynolds.

Williamsburg Flying Falcons 4-H Club: Eden Trent, Alisha Hedrick, Trinity Clevenger, Heidi Brown, Addison Galford, Liam Trent, Kiana McClung, Karlie Williams, Isaac Jones, Samuel Jones, Lantry McClung, Paige Altizer, Dalton Knapp, Lilah Knapp, Alexus Hill, Cole Seldomridge, Eliza Hardiman, Joanna Jones, Josie Jones, J.T. Williams, Natalee Hoover and Bridgette Altizer.

White Sulphur Springs Barnyard Kids: Avery McCoy, Natalee Simms, Emma Foular, Carmen Fogus, Autumn Radford and Cassidi Boggs.

Shot Gun Club: Samantha Holliday, Granger Holliday, Leah Wylie and Anthony Wylie.

Davis Stuart: Olivia Rains, Olivia Willard, Serena Terry, Garrett Crim, Kamryn Collins and Sheyenne Owens.

The Friend of 4-H recipient is Rural King of Beckley. Store manager Mike Keith and Rural King have had a close working relationship with the Greenbrier County 4-H program and the Greenbrier/Monroe Youth Livestock Association since 2018. Rural King annually sponsors each exhibitor that participates in the State Youth Livestock Sale at the State Fair of West Virginia by giving them all a gift card to use in their store. Over the past four years, Rural King has donated approximately $3,000-$4,000 annually for a total of $14,000.

The 4-H Alumni Award recipient is Summer Patterson. She has grown up in 4-H since she was 9 years old. As a member, she has loved 4-H camp and was always eager to try and learn new things. She also has a passion to help make her community a better place. Patterson has been named one of the 2022 United Way Young Leaders.

This year’s Outstanding Teen Leader is Hailey Elmore. She can be described as one who is passionate, responsible, creative, strong-willed, goofy and charismatic. She demonstrates a positive attitude, is accepting of new members and just a good role model to all she encounters. She has been a 4-H member since she was 9; this teen leader sets the example of what a teen leader should be to her community club and in her FFA chapter. The cross-over of programs has given her the opportunity to practice and demonstrate her skills and knowledge of parliamentary procedure.

The Rising Youth Leader Award recipient is Avery McCoy. This award is sponsored by the 4-H Foundation; it was established to highlight and encourage 4-H youth to continue to strive for the many opportunities 4-H has to offer.

The Meritorious Award recipient is Karen Lemons. Sometimes giving comes not in the form of money, but in a form far greater: skill and time. Lemons’ journey with 4-H began in 2001, when her children joined the program. She was an active leader of her community 4-H club for 10 years. When her kids moved on from 4-H, she still stayed on as a leader. Lemons received her All-Star pin in 2008 in recognition of her service to 4-H. After Lemons retired as a club leader, she began helping the leader’s association as a second signature on their checking account. She has continued in that role for several years and now serves as treasurer of the leader’s association.

Jeanne Clemons was recognized as the Outstanding 4-H Volunteer Leader of the Year. Clemons can be described as a person that always gives herself unconditionally and always puts kids first. She is one will always go the extra mile to help, while having fun and learning something in the meantime. In 2015, she started her own 4-H club, Life is Good. She has organized, planned and assisted many 4-H related activities including National 4-H Week kick-off events, the geocaching box setup at the Extension office, Venison/Bingo Annual Cookoff, camp fundraiser, paint night, trunk or treat, flag disposal box and many nursing home activities.

Carolyn Rodgers celebrated 35 years of service with Greenbrier County 4-H. She started her 4-H career taking cooking and sewing projects. It was not until her children were in 4-H that she began to take an interest in livestock projects, especially sheep. Rodgers was an assistant leader to Gloria Williams and then became a leader of the Organ Cave 4-H Club in 1986. During her 35 years as a leader, she has earned her All-Star award in recognition of all the hard work and dedication she has for 4-H. Rodgers has a heart for community service and has led her club in various community service activities including Christmas boxes for children, sponsoring children from foreign countries in school tuition, collecting and distributing blankets to the newborn and elderly, helping the church were they meet with projects, collaborating with the CEOS group that meets in Organ Cave on many projects, Christmas caroling, making cards for the elderly, and many other activities that support nursing home, shelters, food pantries and the animal shelter.

For information about joining 4-H in Greenbrier County, call the WVU Extension office at 304-647-7408, visit http://greenbrier.ext.wvu.edu/4h_youth_development, Greenbrier County 4-H News and Updates on Facebook or email robin.haynes@mail.wvu.edu or melissa.king@mail.wvu.edu.

Greenbrier County 4-H leaders and volunteers, pictured left to right, front to back, are Gina Eskins, Monica Crookshanks, Crystal Holliday, Vickey Neel, Laurie Hedrick, Jessica Simms, Amanda DePriest, Tommy Radford, Amber Jackson, John Tomlinson, Jill McClung, Megan Brown, Chad McCoy, Susan McCoy, Joanna Elmore and Carolyn Rodgers.