Illinois 4-H Foundation inducts 2016 Hall of Fame class
Rick and Gail Zimmer among inductees

 

[August 31, 2016]  LINCOLN - The Illinois 4-H Foundation annually recognizes one 4-H volunteer per county for exemplary service to the Illinois 4-H program as a Hall of Fame winner. This year, 74 new members were inducted into the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame, the largest inductee class to date. This year celebrated the 12-year anniversary of the award, said Angie Barnard, director of the Illinois 4-H Foundation. The ceremony was held Saturday, August 20 in the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

“These long-time volunteers fully embody what 4-H strives to instill in youth,” Barnard continued. “They are caring, dedicated, generous leaders. The Illinois 4-H Foundation is extremely proud to be able to provide this honor to each and every one of them, and we thank them for their service to this wonderful organization. As a result of these volunteers’ years of service and leadership to Illinois 4-H,” Barnard said, “the program they love will continue to create brilliant futures for the young people whose lives it touches.”

Included in the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame Class of 2016 were Rick & Gail Zimmer, from Logan County. Rick & Gail are leaders of the Cloverdale 4-H Club in Logan County. Patty Huffer, Extension Program Coordinator for Youth Development in Logan County, stated in Zimmer’s nomination, “Rick & Gail always strive to provide valuable experiences to their club members such as each year having an international guest speaker attend a meeting and arranging field trips to local museums and vet clinics. They are always willing to volunteer their time to assist at events such as our annual 4-H Foundation Spaghetti Meal, Achievement Night program, and 4-H Ambassador Angel Tree to name a few. Logan County is very thankful to have wonderful volunteers like Rick & Gail Zimmer as part of our local 4-H program!

The Illinois 4-H Foundation established the statewide Hall of Fame in 2004 and nominations for the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame are made by University of Illinois Extension staff. Each inductee received a commemorative Hall of Fame medallion.

The Illinois 4-H Foundation raises private funds that are invested in Illinois 4-H programs that provide meaningful, positive development experiences for Illinois youth to develop leadership, citizenship, and life skills. To learn more, visit: www.4hfoundation.illinois.edu.

About 4-H: Illinois 4-H strives to help youth learn skills for living. University of Illinois Extension provides 4-H programs in every county in Illinois. Illinois 4-H aims to impact the lives of 200,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs and groups and short-term programming.

[Patty Huffer, Logan County Extension]