100 Years of 4-H in Oklahoma
Growing up, 4-H was a large part of our lives.
Throughout elementary, middle and high school we went to meetings
with friends and said the “head, heart, hands and health” pledge.
Each year my sisters, Pat and Gail, and I
sewed our required garments for the dress review,
created a demonstration or
speech for the speech contest,
twirled, danced, sang, or came up with a skit for the Share the Fun night,
canned, baked, and prepared projects for the county fair,
and attended camp.
At year’s end we put it all together in our Record Book
along with essays and answers to questions about citizenship
and what we had learned in the last year.
But I hadn’t thought much about 4-H in many years.
Until Friday night when I attended the 100-Year Gala Celebration
with friends Donna and Rodd Moesel. Rodd has continued to
stay active throughout his life. For Rodd, 4-H developed into his life work
in horticulture and his business – American Plant Products.
Many people at the dinner had three, four, and five generations
of their family who participated in 4-H.
For me it was eye-opening to see how vital
4-H still is in rural American and how it has grown and progressed
into the next century.
Congratulations Oklahoma 4-H on the last 100 years,
may the next 100 be even better!
