Seventeen adult volunteers, nine 4-H members and five families of volunteers were recognized during National Volunteer Week.
Among the families to be honored as Outstanding Multi-Generation Family of Volunteers is the Vonderschmidt family from Dawson and Richardson Counties.
The Vonderschmidt family said their favorite memory as 4-H volunteers has been watching all the children they have been involved with carry the skills and leadership they learned through 4-H into adulthood. They have worked over the years to help develop responsibility and accountability, emphasizing communication and confidence while teaching practical and technical skills.
The Mike and Deb Wilcox Family from Pawnee County will also be honored at the State Fair.
Their favorite memory is helping a first-year member through their project and then watching them step into the ring with confidence.
The Wilcox family has helped youth become Beyond Ready by focusing on real-world skills, "like responsibility, time management, communication, and problem-solving. Whether it’s completing a project, caring for an animal, or presenting in front of judges, the Wilcox family encourages the members to take ownership and learn from both successes and setbacks, making it a point to connect what they’re doing in 4-H to future careers and everyday life.
Nine 4-H members are being honored as Outstanding Youth Volunteers for going above and beyond in their local 4-H programs. One of those nine is Wesley Schmid from Johnson County who's favorite memory is announcing the Clover Kid pet show.
Among the nine Outstanding Adult Volunteer Award winners is Lisa Schawang from Richardson County. These awards go to those who have been leaders for more than four years. Lisa's favorite memory as a 4-H volunteer is when the group was in the barn and a sudden heavy downpour hit and quickly started to flood the barn. As everyone scrambled to keep the pens dry and push the water back one of the parents splashed a kid with a cup of water leading to a full-fledged water fight causing laughter to fill the barn.
Earning an award as an Emerging Adult Volunteer is Lukas Fritz from Nemaha County. Those honored in this category have served less than three years in their local 4-H community.
