News
Weber Named Friend of Illinois 4-H
Pam Weber, a state legislative consultant from Macomb, was presented with the 2007 “Friend of Illinois 4-H” award March 27, 2007 during the Illinois 4-H Legislative Connection rally at the State Capital in Springfield.
Weber is recognized for being a tireless advocate of 4-H youth development and University of Illinois Extension for more than 15 years. “As a former Peoria County 4-H member, you can tell Pam Weber still bleeds greens from the enthusiasm she has when talking to state legislators about the wonderful value that 4-H and Extension provide to youth, families, and communities throughout Illinois,” remarked Rod Stoll, Director of the Illinois 4-H Foundation. “She’s been an amazing resource for us and has taught our 4-H and Extension families the importance of communicating with our state legislators.”
In 1998, Weber provided leadership in establishing Extension Partners as a grassroots organization focused on increasing state funding for University of Illinois Extension programs. Her personal passion for 4-H youth is evident in the way she has effectively mobilized Extension staff and volunteers to communicate the program’s significance to State legislators. Weber is credited for giving 4-H and Extension a stronger voice in sharing the importance of University of Illinois Extension’s statewide educational outreach.
More than 800 youth and adults participated in the eleventh annual Illinois 4-H Legislative Connection on Tuesday in Springfield. Pam Weber was instrumental in first creating this annual event which brings 4-H youth and families to Springfield to learn about the legislative process and to interact directly with Illinois lawmakers. Youth help articulate how 4-H makes a difference in the lives of Illinois youth, their families, and the communities in which they live. And legislators and government officials get a first-hand exposure of the tremendous talent, poise, leadership, and communication skills of our 4-H youth.
4-H is the largest out-of-school educational program for youth in the United States. 4-H seeks to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, forming attitudes, and developing life skills that will enable them to become caring, competent, and contributing members of society. In Illinois, nearly 300,000 youth participate in 4-H and the other youth development programs of University of Illinois Extension. More than 25,000 adult volunteers assist in the programming.
For more information about 4-H in Illinois, visit: http://www.4-H.uiuc.edu.
