Induction of the 2019 members took place during the State 4-H Forum in SeaTac on October 11, 2019.
Snohomish
Ruth Avila has been a 4-H volunteer for twenty-three years. In her time as a volunteer, she has stepped into several roles where there was a need for leadership, always with a smile and word of encouragement. Ruth was the club leader of Esprit De Corps for seven years. In that time, the club had a membership of over 100 members participating in twenty projects. Ruth was also the founding leader and the club leader of Friendly Critters, which also had multiple projects, for more than fifteen years.
Ruth has been the Dog Program Leader, Dog Judging Event Leader, and she has served on the Dog Project Fair Schedule Committee. Ruth was on the Dog Program Blue Book Committee that created the current book, and is part of the Revision Committee as changes and updates are needed. Ruth is also the Snohomish County Dog Bowl Coordinator. She has served on several other Dog Program Committees over the years.
At the state level, Ruth has been the Dog Bowl Facilitator, State Showmanship Questions Judge and assisted with Oral Reasons on State Dog Judging and has assisted in running the contest.
Ruth is an active leader in the Snohomish County 4-H Council. Ruth has been Vice President and Secretary at council, and she continues to assist the Council with yearly record book judging, jacket judging and achievement pins judging. She has been the Public Presentations Program Leader, Public Presentations Assistant Fair Superintendent, Public Presentations Fair Superintendent, and served as Chair on the Awards Committee. Last year Ruth made posters for our county award winners, and just this week she has volunteered to chair the Snohomish County Awards Committee, which is no simple task in itself.
Ruth has been recognized through Snohomish County with a State Jacket and was nominated this year as Volunteer of the Year. When Ruth is not doing 4-H activates, you can find her at the Junior Livestock Shows, assisting with several tasks including Record Book Judging.
Ruth has never bragged or boasted what she has done but takes pride in the accomplishment of our youth. For these reasons, Ruth Avila is a worthy candidate for induction into the 4-H Hall of Fame.
Sarah Gunderson’s 4-H journey began as Sarah Mulcahy, a member of the Tumbleweeds 4-H Club in the Snohomish County 4-H Horse Program. She was a very active member, excelling both with her horse and with Demonstrations. As a club member, Sarah gained many leadership skills along with an aptitude for record keeping – she eventually became a CPA! Following her ten years of 4-H membership, she quickly transitioned to an adult volunteer and started a 4-H Horse Club. After several years, she added the Dog Project and has served in varying volunteer capacities for thirty-seven years.
Sarah was very active at the County level, serving as Treasurer and chair of the Tack Sale and helping at Training School and Horse Judging and Performance Shows. When her daughter became more interested in the Dog Program, Sarah transitioned to County-level Dog Leadership and was instrumental in founding the Dog Quiz Bowl and Dog Agility for Snohomish County. Wanting all to experience these activities, Sarah assisted at the state level. In addition to sharing her expertise, Sarah donated agility equipment to facilitate its beginning. She has served as County Dog Program Leader for several years, as Assistant Fair Superintendent. Sarah has been Chair of the State
4-H Dog Advisory Committee, and currently serves as Committee Treasurer. Sarah also helped create and organize many of County events such as The Great Dog Caper and Shaggy DA.
Sarah serves as the club leader for a large multi-project club and has “incubated” new 4-H programs in the process. For example, the 4-H Alpaca program had dissolved several years ago and Sarah eagerly said yes to a request from a club volunteer to get it started again. Club meetings for the Hoofs and Paws 4-H Club integrate 4-H project learning and experiential education, and Sarah is enthusiastic to learn new methods to assist her club members. She has promoted every aspect of
4-H – Yearly Community Service Projects, Public Presentations, Judging, Record Books, and more.
After her daughter graduated from high school and began college, Sarah began volunteering in the Horse Program again, where she initiated Western Dressage for Snohomish County. She provides three County Shows each year, and also provides Western Dressage at two sections at the County Fair. In addition, Sarah makes clinics available for youth and provides advice whenever needed. She was a presenter at the 2017 State 4-H Forum to introduce others to Western Dressage and made a proposal to include Western Dressage in the PNW Contest Guide and add Western Dressage at the State 4-H Fair. She is also presenting on Western Dressage at 2019 Forum.
Sarah’s contributions to the 4-H program have benefited both her local county and the statewide programs in which she’s participated. She donates so much time to 4-H because she believes so much in the mission of the program. 4-H is very much a part of her life-style!
Marty Sullivan has been the club leader for Puppy Power 4-H club for the past twelve years, where she has led by example. The club has members who are raising service dogs for people with physical and emotional challenges, as well as members with disabilities who have their own service dogs.
Marty has raised four service dogs and is currently on puppy number five. Members learn a lot about life lessons, as they relinquish the puppies that they have raised and trained for sixteen months to professional trainers, who complete another six months of advanced education. The puppies are then placed with people who need a working service dog outside the 4-H program.
Marty has encouraged her members in many different aspects of the project, including dog judging, record books, public presentations and showing at fair.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, Marty was also active with the Sky Pilots 4-H club for 3 years and helped her grandson with his racing pigeons. She is a regular at county 4-H Council meetings, county Dog Program meetings, and anywhere else she might be needed. She is a “Secret Angel,” producing award baskets for a goat show every year, lending equipment for the County Fundraiser, and much more.
For the past five years, Mary served as the Awards Committee Chairperson for the County Council. This involves organizing judging and interview sessions for award applications, recruiting judges, figuring out accommodations, tallying scores, ordering awards, and making sure all of the awards get to the Award Ceremony at the Fairgrounds to be presented to recognized Snohomish County volunteers. In 2018, the Snohomish County 4-H Council voted to award Marty the Volunteer of the Year award, and she was also awarded the “Volunteer Jacket,” a prized symbol of 4-H dedication in Snohomish County. After so much service, it was assumed Marty had already received her volunteer jacket, but as it sometimes happens, the person in charge of the awards had not received her own!
Thank you Marty for all that you have done and are doing for your club, the county, and our community. You are greatly appreciated!
Kitsap
Ken Kramer Sr. has played an instrumental part in every facet of 4-H in Kitsap County. Ken has traveled throughout the County to many 4-H Club meetings to host instructional Photo workshops. He has been a 4-H Club Leader, Project Leader, 4-H Superintendent, and Photography Judge at State 4-H Fair. He is well respected at the local, County and State levels for his work. He has won various awards in the past for his work with 4-H youth.
Ken’s involvement with the Kitsap County 4-H Program began when he was a member of the Kitsap County Fair Board. As the Open Class Photography Department Fair Superintendent, he was instrumental in helping the 4-H Fair Superintendents display the various Department exhibits in the best way to show the work of 4-H youth. As a past Kitsap County Fair Board member, Ken understands the working of County Fairs and has defended and represented 4-H well during adversarial policy decisions that have come from outside of the 4-H Department. Some decisions he has defended have years of positive impact on the 4-H Program. Ken’s involvement has benefitted
4-H individuals, clubs, and county-wide activities.
Ken has great leadership and organizational skills. This has allowed him to be successful as a 4-H County Fair Photography Superintendent, Project Leader, and Kitsap County 4-H Council member. Through the years, he has been asked to lead Photography training workshops in other counties, and the Kitsap County 4-H Photo Department has steadily grown each fair since Ken became Photography Superintendent.
Ken has been an instrumental member of the Kitsap County 4-H Council, serving as President. He has been a Photography Club Leader. He has worked closely with WSU Extension Office through all these efforts. He has been involved in the revision of Kitsap County 4-H Leaders Council Bylaws. Ken has been involved with policy decisions and has served on special interest 4-H groups putting on events.
Ken has greatly impacted many youth throughout our County by his investment in their lives. He has held many training workshops; he travels to their Club meetings to work with Leaders and Members. Ken communicates well through email and telephone with clubs throughout our county.
Benton
Allen and Mary Walch began their 4-H careers in the mid 1980’s after their daughter showed an interest in joining the local 4-H club. During this period they took on more responsibility for their youth as the program grew. They became chaperones, leaders, chauffeurs, and supporters. They understood the power of 4-H, says former parent Marie Johannsen: “The aspects of 4-H that I like are that kids learn how to make and execute group plans, simple Roberts Rules, learn through doing, co-ed. The goal isn’t the blue ribbon, it is a functional adult citizen.”
In the mid 1990’s the Benton-Franklin County Fair Poultry Barn was in need of a new superintendent. At the time, the barn wasn’t doing well, with decreasing exhibitors, decreased buyers at the stock sale, and the deterioration of the barn itself. Allen and Mary were just the people for the job. The poultry barn is now one of the most popular barns at the Benton-Franklin County Fair and contributions through the market sale have seen a renaissance.
Later, as the youth around them wanted to start showing sheep, Allen and Mary again reached inside themselves, learning a new species of animal and the needs of the animals, both at home and in the show barn. Now their grandkids and youth around them have positive role models as they begin their sheep projects. Most importantly, they are role models in the “Learn by Doing” method that 4-H is known for; and they show that it applies to adult leaders as well.
During the late 1990s, Allen and Mary saw the opportunities that Washington State 4-H Know Your Government provided to older youth. There was a need for leaders to help the KYG delegates in Benton and Franklin Counties. Mary and Allen again took the lead as they made sure that KYG continued to grow in Benton- Franklin Counties.
Allen brought his career financial skills as Auditor for Ben Franklin Transit to the county council. The Council thrives due to Allen’s leadership and professionalism, fiscally healthy and able to support youth in their trips, camps, and leadership opportunities. Allen ensures each meeting has a strong financial responsibility and transparency. The strength of the county council is a result of the efforts Allen has made to maintain a stable foundation through the tenure of three different extension agents.
The Walches have been a central and steadfast part of 4-H for Benton-Franklin Counties and Washington State in poultry projects, sheep projects, Know Your Government Conference, County Council management, and as delegates for the Washington State 4-H Council. They are committed volunteers, leaders and fair superintendents for the Benton-Franklin Fair. With over 30 years of experience in managing youth and fowl, they are great resources for youth during the times of their lives when they learn adult lessons.