South Dakota 4-H recognizes volunteers at State Fair

The 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame will be inducting four individuals on Sunday, Sept. 5 during the 2021 South Dakota State Fair in Huron, South Dakota. In addition, three individuals will be welcomed into the 4-H Shooting Sports Volunteer Hall of Fame.

The 2021 Volunteer Hall of Fame inductees are: Carole Curtis, Edmunds County; Ree Reich, Butte County; Ardyce Elwood, Pennington County; and Cindy Riley, Butte County. The inductees into the 2021 Shooting Sports Volunteer Hall of Fame are: Art and Audrey Kneen, Sanborn County and Tom Smith, Lawrence County.

A ceremony will be held in the Nordby Exhibit Hall (1060 Third St. SW) on the State Fair Grounds in Huron following the Performing Arts Troup performance at approximately 4:30 p.m. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the ceremony.

"4-H youth are known for setting a high bar and then pushing it a little higher the next year. Occasionally they miss the mark and have to re-calibrate, but in the long run, this commitment to personal growth helps them become engaged and contributing citizens. Along the way, youth are influenced by a range of 4-H supporters from family to peers to staff, but often the most cherished relationship is with their caring adult volunteers," says Dr. Tim Tanner, South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension 4-H Program Director. "Today we honor several of these volunteers who are recognized for the care shown and examples set for so many South Dakota youth. We sincerely appreciate their service."

The 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame commemorates the 4-H Centennial, which occurred in 2002. Each summer, individuals who have made significant contributions to county or state 4-H programming are honored through the 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame inductees were unable to be recognized in a public ceremony during the 2020 State Fair. These individuals will also be recognized and welcomed into the hall of fame on Sunday, Sept. 5. The 2020 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame inductees include: Patricia Casteel, Meade County; Calvin Finnesand, Roberts County; Mike Steiger, Dewey County; Patty Brunner, Pennington County; and Margaret Williams, Clay County.

SDSU Extension's 4-H Youth Development Program is a partnership of federal (U.S. Department of Agriculture), state (Land Grant University) and county resources through youth outreach activities of SDSU Extension. Youth learn and experience leadership, health and wellness, and science and agriculture through a network of professional staff and volunteers reaching more than 9,000 enrolled members with yearly programming efforts to an additional 35,000 youth participants.