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Washington State University Extension

Hall of Fame 2013

Induction of the 2013 members took place during the State 4-H Forum in Vancouver on October 25, 2013.
 

Clallam

Gayle Taylor truly represents the heart of 4-H.

Gayle started judging food activities at Clallam County Fair in 1981, and has been judging in the 4-H barn ever since.  She became involved with 4-H in 1985 as a parent in her children’s cat project.  Gayle became a 4-H leader the following year.  Over her twenty-seven year career, she has been leader in cat (county project leader), foods, arts & crafts, adventures in family living, leadership, international project, clothing, self-determined (pattern design), small engines and several other self-determined projects.   She published the county 4-H newsletter for over five years, and helped write county leader’s handbook.  Gayle has served as LABO International Exchange Program Coordinator, and has also served on the State 4-H Advisory Board and the
4-H Foundation.

Gayle has participated in the 4-H Leaders Forum for over 25 years; as an attendee, assisting with activities when Southwest District hosted, and teaching numerous classes.  She took county kids to cat state fair for many years and has judged foods contests and demonstrations at state.  She has worked on numerous fund raisers – She has been Co-Chair of the “Kiss the Pig Contest” in Clallam County for twelve years, raising scholarship funds for graduating seniors in the Clallam 4-H program.

Gayle established and is moderator of the Washington State 4-H Cat Leaders yahoo group.  The group has members from all over Washington, as well as other states.  She continues to be a leader with the Energetic 4-H’ers club, and is the current Clallam County Leader’s Council treasurer. She also currently serves on the awards, record book, and scholarship committees.  Her friendships with 4H members around the state are lasting and very meaningful to her.

Gayle is very deserving of the honor of induction into the Washington State 4-H Hall of Fame.

Pacific

Margaret Raupp Habersetzer grew up in Toledo, Washington.  As a 4-H’er, she showed cattle and exhibited canning, gardening, sewing and baking at the Southwest Washington Fair.  After graduation from St. Mary’s Academy, she attended Seattle University before transferring to WSU to fulfill her dream of becoming an Extension Agent.  She graduated from WSU in 1958, and was hired as Pacific County Extension Agent, serving full-time from 1958 to 1962, and part-time from 1972 to 1979.

Margaret’s favorite projects were the Pacific County Fair and the County 4-H Camp at Camp Moorhead.  She spent days cleaning and decorating the 4-H building to have it ready for fair, and worked tirelessly to keep it full of entries.  At camp, she organized work parties to clean, and planned and worked with leaders to make camp a fun, educational event.  Margaret worked on county community projects that involved all county 4-H’ers.  She also set up 4-H exchanges with 4-H’ers from other states.  She organized Demonstration Days, Foods for All Occasions, and Fashion Revue contest, as well as teen trips to Pullman for State Teen Conference.

Margaret began judging for 4-H at Southwest Washington Fair as an Extension Agent. Over a span of 50 years, she judged entries and contests at Grays Harbor, Thurston, and Cowlitz County Fairs, the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe, and the 4-H State Fair in Puyallup, in addition to Pacific County.  Her work in 4-H led Margaret to deep involvement with the Pacific County Fair, serving in many roles, including Fair Board President and Fair Manager.

Margaret dedicated her life to serving and educating 4-H youth.  At this time, we honor Margaret for her time & commitment to 4-H in Pacific County and Washington State.

Margaret Olsen of Raymond had a huge impact on the youth of Pacific County, as well as other counties in Washington.  Margaret’s family raised and showed Registered Herefords.  She sold numerous steer and heifer projects throughout the state of Washington.  Margaret and her family traveled to county fairs in Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Chelan, and Pacific Counties, and to the Spring and Fall Puyallup Fair.  She loved to go to watch and support 4-H members who had purchased animals from her.

Margaret was one of the founders of the Pacific County Market Livestock Sale.  This started out as a calf scramble in the early ’70’s, where a 4-H or FFA member would have to catch a calf and walk it out of the corral.  The following year, the member brought the calf back to auction.  Margaret assisted many 4-H and FFA members with feeding programs for their projects.  She was an active committee member until her passing in November of 2012.

Margaret was a 4-H leader for over forty years.  She helped raise money to build one of the horse barns on the Pacific County Fairgrounds, as well as revamping and installing a new livestock wash area and drainage system for the livestock barn.  She was always the first person to congratulate a 4-H member as they exited the show-ring.  “I’m proud of you!” was her way of encouraging 4-H members as they exited the ring.  She also donated awards to the Pacific County 4-H beef show, as well as the Washington Junior Hereford Association and the Chehalis Beef Spring Youth Fair.

Margaret served on the Pacific County Fair Board for over thirty-five years as 4-H and open class beef and livestock superintendent, and as Washington Junior Hereford Association Advisor for ten years.  She also served on the Shoalwater Bay Native American Health board for over twenty years.  She was actively involved in all of these roles until her passing.  Margaret was honored as Washington Hereford Breeder of the Year, Washington Hereford Woman of the year, and inducted into the Washington Junior Hereford Association Hall of Fame.

Tonight, we recognize Margaret for her commitment to 4-H youth of Pacific County, Southwest Washington, and the state.

Snohomish

Jean and Rick Lindsey have supported and sponsored the youth of Snohomish County for over two decads, whether it was providing rides, paying for entry fees, providing lunch, housing animals, or offering encouragement during shows when their parents couldn’t be there to support them.

Jean and Rick have dedicated their lives to children. Their own or others–all are treated the same – being the biggest cheerleader when they won, the biggest support when they lost.  Rick and Jean are always working on ways to improve the 4-H experience for members.  What’s best for the youth always comes first in everything they do.

Jean and Rick Lindsey have been enrolled 4-H volunteer for over twenty-one years, active 4-H parents of two daughters and now four grandchildren.  Jean has been the main Club Leader for the Blue Chips 4-H Club for nineteen years.  She is also their project leader for multiple projects such as Rabbits, Home Economics, and Creative Arts.  Through those same nineteen years, Rich has been the project leader for multiple projects such as woodworking, natural resources, entomology, swine , photography, and vet science.  Jean’s favorite project is Rabbits, while Rick’s is Swine.  Jean and Rick’s commitment to the Snohomish County Rabbit Program has been long and varied.  Over their 4-H careers, they have assisted with the county’s three annual rabbit shows in various capacities, doing whatever needs to be done. They have assisted with the annual county rabbit clinics through the years as well.

or over twenty years Rick and Jean have never turned away a kid in need.  Whatever the need, members know that Rick and Jean are a safe haven to go to for help.  Everything they do is nothing compared to the joy they feel when members become successful adults, bringing their kids back to show and be a part of the 4-H program they love so much.

Sharon Olsen’s 4-H career has spanned over thirty years.  She began in the early 80’s as a Co-Club Leader in Issaquah.  In 1984, she became the Leader of Snohomish K-9’s in Snohomish County.  The club was renamed in 1986 to Esprit De Corps; she continues to lead this club.  Esprit De Corps is a multi-project 4-H Club with over fifty members.  They currently offer cavy, dog, gardening, leadership, photography, poultry and model train projects in Snohomish and Monroe.

Sharon has been an integral part of the 4-H Dog Program.  She helped write the constitution and bylaws and the Snohomish County Dog Handbook, which was a huge undertaking of writing, editing and artistry.  In Addition, she has taken on tasks and committees, such as the dog member grant and scholarship program, the program budget committee, and implemented fund raising events so the program could afford some luxuries.  She also developed the current format of judging competitions, including oral reasons and clinics.  She designed the cloisonné pins that are given out at Snohomish County Fair and other achievement awards, which replaced expensive pins, discontinued from the 4-H catalog.  She was instrumental in creating Snohomish County’s “Top Dog” award and the county educational weekend for members, “The Great Dog Caper.”

Sharon Olsen has dedicated her life to supporting youth.  She has been a strong role model for community involvement and helping others benefit by showing them how to take an active role.  4-H members assume this role from day one, continuing long after they move beyond the program.  This role includes a requirement to be involved in a minimum of four Community Service projects a year before participating in the Fair.  4-H members, in turn, have stepped up to this challenge, and have often been known to strive to exceed the requirements, accomplishing as many as ten Community Service projects each year.

Sharon’s gentle approach has made even the shyest of young 4-H members feel confident in asking for help, then building their confidence when they begin to see successes.  She continues to inspire and nurture the aspirations of 4-H youth.

Wahkiakum

Carol Ervest is a long-time volunteer leader and advocate for 4-H in Wahkiakum County and the state.  Carol is the club leader for Sugar & Spice, a large cooking, sewing, and arts and crafts club at the Naselle-Grays River Valley School.  Carol has put in many hours as the 4-H youth building superintendent at the county fair for many years.  She’s held local and statewide leadership roles, including her current work on the State Advisory Board.  She organizes at least three large fundraisers for Wahkiakum County 4-H each year, and also organizes events such as the Great White Tail Deer Run and an art contest in the schools. She welcomes new families to 4-H, recruits and mentors new leaders, and encourages teens to pursue statewide 4-H opportunities like Teen Conference and the State Ambassador program.

In 2007, Wahkiakum County 4-H was threatened with elimination of county funding.  Carol advocated for reinstatement of county support for 4-H and Extension, attending protests in front of the courthouse and asking tough questions of county commissioners at budget meetings and forums.  This activism was new ground for her, but she did it with a sincere, quiet strength.  During this time, Carol also organized an innovative new fundraiser for 4-H, showcasing what 4-H and Extension does in the county to decision-makers and the public.  “Columbia River Country Days” is now in its sixth year.

Carol has proven her commitment to 4-H in her thirty-three years as a volunteer.  Her commitment to the mission of 4-H and its work in our county and the state is proven in her work, her can-do attitude, and her ability to empower youth and adults around her to “Make the Best Better.”