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"Fitting it all Together" w s
the theme of the 4-H aty Dis­
trict Banquet held this past
Saturday night at the Middle
School uditorium in Muskegon
Heights.
o er 170 persons ttended
with many political and edu­
cational dignitarie in atten­
dance. An excellent meal and
delightful entertainment started
the evening, then community
rvice rds were pre nted to
de rving volunteers ho make
4-H program po ible.
A ards recipient this year
ere selected through a con­
nsu proce dure - by the
youth rved, other volunteers
and the profe sional staff who
all combined their experience
to Ie tho ho demon-
trated outstanding efforts.
The following were lected:
� Mr. Peggy oore, Dr. Robert
I Warren, Frank ays, Heights
Supt. John Sydnor, Debbie
Jen n, Clayton Hardinman,
I
Herman Ivory, Ann Wright,
Cindy Panucci, John Campbell,
Robert Carter, William Broo -
shire, illie Burrell and Jerry
ilson.
Special ward from the us­
egon Height 4-H Clubs were
presented by . amon Rober-
n to r. John Sydnor and
Mr. Jac P rker (retired director
of us egon County 4-H pro­
gram).
r. Sydnor m ntioned in
cceptance of the ard the
t
U
on
outstanding wor done with
young children at E. Grace
Lofturs Elementary School by
Mrs. Peggy Ann Moore,
principal of E. Grace Loftus.
u egon City Commission,
John illiams, presented a Mus­
kegon City Commission Procla­
mation commending the 4-H
programs serving Muskegon
inner city youth - amon
Robertson, the 4-H City District
president pre nted Special
A ards and singled out Mr.
Portia Rothchild for the dedi­
cated counselling she has pro­
vided our youth.
Lester Schick, Extension and
4-H Youth Agent pre nted
certificate of recognition for
support given to the 4-H pro­
gram.
Entertainment w handled
by the "Teen Tip 4-H Club,
and the " oving Creators of
Art" and the "4-H Performing
Art Club."
The adult leaden are Clara
Shepherd, program assistant; Pri­
scella Agnew and lind Jef­
ferson, 4-H youth leader.
Regina McBirde and Thomas
B City District teen council
representative were the M.C. 'so
Elder athaniel Well gave
the Invocation.
Henry Allen's attendance was
homecoming of a young man
who has ri n in hi profe sion
by performing e ch of hi
ignments and po ition with
"Integrity of purpo ", dedica-
1149 Wood Street
Muskegon, MichiQan, .
WOO
M
Moo llAM-l0PM
T -Thuts 9A -lOPM
Fri-Sat 9 -11 :3OPM
Sunday 2PM-l OPM
Phone 722-3376
STREET
RET'
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ICHAEL
TATE
tion to rvice to the youth
of every community he has
worked in.
Hank no has a county of hi
own in which to develop pro­
grams -Gene
Allen introduced the peaker
of the evening, Michael Tate
who is celebrating his first anni­
versary the . tant director
of the Michigan State Exten-
. on and Director of the 4-
Dept.
Tate congratulated the
kegon area volunteers for their
rvice to th c mmunity'
young people.
He rem r ed abut the ju -
nile delinquency that i pre nt
in every . chigan community
and reminded the volunteer
that they ere the real answer
to the problem of juvenile
delinquency.
He tated that volunteers
can not really measure the
worth of their work for it
influence youth in many
different way ..
The 4-H programs sponsored
in the uskegon Inner-City are
primarily mng Black youth.
These various group were
not t up a deliberate gre­
gated units but rather the
units were neighborhood based.
This approach had several pur­
po es.
The leader from the County
4-H office wanted the adults of
community to becom involved
with neighborhood youth.
The leaders also wanted the
meeting plaC:S to be convenient
for everyone involved.
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DECEMBER 5 - 11 f 1984 THE CITIZEN PAGE NI
History of u. tlllJOil ClMln
4-H City Dist,· t
USKEGO
- In 1963
Jack Parker, Extensi on 4-H
Youth Agent of Muskegon
County, w taken on a ride by
Alfred illiams, founder of
eighborhod A ciations in
Mu kegon County, onto som
area that were unreached by
4-H. Goose Egg Lake and the
Ru II Road rea of Mu kegon
Towdship were tow of tho
areas. 4-H clubs were organized
in tho e communities. Mrs. Ash
and rs. Brown were the first
leaders in Goo Egg Lake,
and rs. Evans, Mr. Leslie
Hilliard, and Bob Hu y were
the leaders in the Ru ell Road
community. This w the
beginning of the major efforts
of involving the poor and
minorities in the 4-H Program.
In 1966 Jack attended a con­
ference in Colorado where he
too a cl on working with
the poor and minoritie. Upon
returning from that conference,
Jack w determined to find a
ay to reach the unreached.
He w how the minority
youth in the northern part of
the county were benefiting.
Jack approached the United
Way requesting the employ­
ment of three people to work
on program to reach the youth
in the 'inner city". United Way
agreed to hire one per on if
. chigan State Univer ity would
upport the efforts. SU
agreed later to hire omeone
through the Expanded utrition
Program funds. This was the
fir t county in the state to put
special efforts into reaching the
unreached boy and girl .
In 1969, Ethel Steele was
hired to work in uskegon
and uskegon Heights, mainly
through school. The first
program organized was at Lind-
berg School. On orientation
night, about 150 children
showed up and more than 20
leaders were recruited. Among
those were Bernie Allen amon
Robertson, and Carl Young.
The next school that Ethel
started 4-H in was East Grace
Loftus followed by others.
Shortly after, ancy Weersing
(price) came on
county fund. 0
quite a bit of work with
kid in the inner city. ext
wa Henry (Hank) Allen .
1969. Hank and Ethel act
IS the leaden of the n
formed club' with voluntee
isting them. This
Ie der training for the volun­
teer (learning by doing). E
resigned in 1969.
In 1972, Clara Shep
former utrition Aide, came
as 4-H Program
through the Michigan S
University Expanded utriti
Program. Hank and Clara co
tinued to or with the 0
teers. Som of the volunt
we becoming more confid
Clara and Hank were then
to move onto other locatio
to expand the opportunity fur­
ther.
DUring Hank' employme
in the Extension Service, a
was worked out where he
continue his education.
attended Grand Valley con
where he received hi degr
During hi employment,
po ition was picked up by tbr
coun ty. In 1977, Han ft
u kegon for the 4-H You
Agent position in Berrien Coun-
ty. Willie Farnum was th
hired in that position. Willie
was ucce sful in getting I
number of things going at the
then St. J 0 ph Center. illie
left the program after a year
to move to Georgia.
In 1978 agalice Jone, a
former utrition Aide was hired
for the po ition. One of the
major responsibilities then w
to formally organize the leaders
in Mus egon and u ego
Heights into a district. In 1979
the district was formally
organized with Ro ie al er,
4-H leader from the An e
School area, as the President.
Rosie erved as President for
two years. Following her were
Karen Bass, ora Burton.
_amon Robertson, Geraldine
Williams, and amon Robert­
son. amon's first term as
to complete the term of ora
Burton who had to leave.