Nothing runs like a Deere at 4-H Memorial Camp

The Heath’s John Deere dealership in Monticello provided a discount of more than $10,000 on a new John Deere 3320 for the 4-H Memorial Camp at Allerton Park. The new Deere replaces an 18-year old JD855 that had about 3,000 hours on the meter. 4-H Memorial Camp serves as a weeklong home for about 2,000 4-H youth throughout each summer. And in total, 4-H Memorial Camp annually hosts more than 7,500 individuals that participate in programs ranging from 4-H Camps to the Illinois FFA Summer Leadership Camp to college freshmen orientation programs to various community organization and family retreats.

The new JD3320’s job descriptions include hauling materials, moving picnic tables, splitting wood, pushing snow, pulling hayracks, digging holes, moving logs, and mowing trails. John Deere is the current Horticulture 4-H Project Partner.

Pictured with the John Deere 3320 is Curt Sinclair (left), 4-H Camp director and Gary Huisinga (right), president of Heath’s John Deere, Inc. of Monticello, along with a hayrack full of energetic 4-H youth.

Suzanne McMurry Leaves A Forever 4-H Legacy

An estate gift valued at nearly $100,000 has established the Suzanne McMurry 4-H Memorial Endowment. Interest earned from the fund will provide support to 4-H Youth Development programs in Winnebago County for all the years to come in Suzanne’s memory. Priority usage of the earnings will be targeted to support 4-H youth or alumni from Winnebago County that participate in any 4-H international exchange program. The other designated use for the fund’s earnings are for 4-H club recruitment and marketing programs so more youth in Winnebago County will be positively impacted by 4-H Youth Development programs.

Suzanne McMurry was born December 1, 1941, in Orion, Illinois. Her parents were Edgar and Elizabeth (Wilson) McWhinney. Suzanne earned a B.S. degree in home economics with a minor in journalism from the University of Illinois in 1964. She traveled to New Zealand later that year as an IFYE (International 4-H Youth Exchange) delegate.

Professionally, Suzanne taught at Sunny Hill School in Orion and later was an English grammar instructor at Rock Valley College in Rockford. She embraced community life and volunteered extensively including as a leader for the Guilford Gainers 4-H Club for more than 20 years. Suzanne served two terms on the University of Illinois Extension State Advisory Committee.

All four of her children, Elizabeth Russo, Sara Dady, Katy McMurry, and Robert McMurry, were Guilford Gainers 4-H Club members and participated in 4-H international exchange programs. Elizabeth was a LABO delegate to Japan and then a LABO program intern in Japan. Sara was an IFYE delegate to Greece and Italy. Katy is an IFYE alumna to Scotland. Robert was an IFYE delegate to Belgium.

Suzanne passed away unexpectedly on July 27, 2004.

 

Getting SMART with the pampered chef

The Pampered Chef provided Illinois 4-H with kitchen tools valued at nearly $4,000 in support of new Foods & Nutrition SMART (Skill Mastery Accomplished with Resources for Teaching) Kits. Each of the five University of Illinois Extension regions is equipped with a kit for volunteers or Extension staff to use in teaching basic food preparation, food safety, kitchen safety, nutrition, and personal hygiene as it relates to food preparation to youth ages 6 to 19.

SMART Kits contain non-consumable supplies and equipment that range from spatulas to measuring cups and spoons to pastry blenders to vegetable peelers. The Foods & Nutrition lessons help youth learn life skills that include Planning & Organizing, Problem-Solving, Decision Making, Personal Safety, Disease Prevention, Healthy Lifestyle Choices, Self-Responsibility, and Sharing.

Founded in 1980 by former UI Extension Home Economist Doris Christopher, The Pampered Chef has a vision that one day families all around the world will know the joy and rewards of gathering together in the tradition of family mealtimes. And their corporate commitment is to provide high-quality tools that make cooking quick, easy and fun. The Pampered Chef is recognized as the 2006-2007 Food Preparation 4-H Project Partner.

A Salute to 4-H Champions

Illinois 4-H alumni and partners were recognized at the Saluting 4-H Champions recognition program during the Salute to Agriculture Day festivities at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign last fall.

Four Illinois 4-H Alumni Award winners were recognized for sustained leadership, career success, and community involvement. Alumni award winners were: Illinois State Representative Monique Davis, Chicago; Brenda Krause Eheart, executive director for Generations of Hope, Rantoul; David C. Erickson, president of LANDcorp Inc., Altona; and Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught, U.S. Air Force, Retired, Falls Church, Virginia. The 2005 Friend of 4-H award was presented to Mike Adams, AgriTalk Radio Show Host, of St. Louis for his numerous contributions and support to Illinois 4-H.

The Paul A. Funk Foundation of Bloomington was recognized with the 4-H Partnership Award, in recognition of their generous support of the 4-H program. Hugh Wetzel, retired State 4-H Office specialist, was recognized as being named a 2005 National 4-H Hall of Fame Laureate. Hugh was instrumental in the development of international programming on the state and national levels. And Orion Samuelson, of WGN Radio, was inducted into the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame for his longtime advocacy of and loyal service to 4-H and University of Illinois Extension.

Tee Up for the Blue and Green

1st Farm Credit Services and Farm Credit Services of Illinois will be hosting the second annual Blue & Green Golf Scramble golf outing at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington on Wednesday, August 9. Proceeds from the outing are split between Illinois Foundation FFA and the Illinois 4-H Foundation. Pull a foursome together and enjoy the camaraderie of being with supporters of 4-H and FFA. The earlybird discounted prices have been extended through July 15.

Welcome to this edition of "4-Minutes," published by the Illinois 4-H Foundation. Our goal is to provide you and other friends of the Illinois 4-H program with brief updates related to the Foundation's activities of fund-raising and friend-raising. Thank you for investing in Illinois 4-H youth. We appreciate your support and hope you enjoyed your last 4-Minutes of catching up with us!