Michaela Ahrens
Watonwan County 4-H

The 89th annual Watonwan County 4-H Achievement banquet was held October 29th at the St. James American Legion. Approximately 165 parents, leaders, 4-H members and friends of 4-H attended the banquet in which they were served a pasta bar catered by Gutes Essen Deli & Catering & dessert was provided by Sweet Indeed Bakery.

The theme for 2024 was ‘All the Places You Will Go in 4-H’’ a Dr.Seuss Theme. This year’s hosts were 4-H members of Golden Gleaners, Peppy Peppers, and Fieldon Ruslters 4-H Clubs.

Awards & Recognition

The new 2024-2025 Federation Officers served as MC’s of the Banquet: Keeley Runge – President, Mariella Sill – Vice President, Katelyn Runge – Secretary, Savannah Heil – Sr. Treasurer, Ava Lepp – Jr. Treasurer, and Luella Beckendorf & Kendra Kirchner – Youth Representative, while 4-H Extension Educator Michaela Ahrens, Extension Administrative Assistant Sam Crowley, and the past Federation President Ryan Pierson handed out awards. To start the banquet, members started out with the Pledge of Allegiance followed with the 4-H Pledge.

Achievement Awards sponsored by Elite Electrical Innovations, Inc., were announced for twenty-five 4-H members who applied for 1-2 project areas they worked exceptionally hard on and felt they excelled and learned a new skill with. Luella Beckendorf: Needle Arts; Destiney Bolte: Swine, Livestock Demonstration; Emily Braaten: Swine, Horticulture; Sam Braaten: Rabbit, Horticulture; Annika Hagen: Dairy, Beef; Christopher Hagen: Beef, Poultry; Matthew Hagen: Dairy, Beef; Savannah Heil: Sheep; Greta Keller: Swine Horticulture; Kendra Kirchner: Creative Writing, Foods & Nutrition; Kiera Kirchner: Natural Resources, Science Inquiry; Cora Lehman: Poultry, Photography; Oden Lehman: Crafts & Fine Arts, Industrial Technology;Abbey Lepp: Clothing & Textiles, Creative Writing; Ava Lepp: Photography, Clothing and Textiles; Layla Mead: Clothing & Textiles; Levi Miest: Dairy, Foods & Nutrition; Adrianne Missling: Goat-Meat, Sheep; Trey Missling: Horticulture; Katelyn Runge: Swine, Public Presentation; Keeley Runge: Swine, Public Presentation; Sam Spitzner: Plant Science, Swine; Allie Winrich: Youth Leadership; Brynnlee Winrich: Engineering Design, Needle Arts; Betsy Wolle: Swine, Horticulture

Cloverbuds & 1st Year Members sponsored by South Central Electric, we announced 49 Cloverbuds (grades K-2) and 36 new members who were a part of our 4-H program over the last year. Clover Awards sponsored by Odin State Bank, were awarded to four 4-H members who completed their 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th year of 4-H club work, who met several requirements including meeting attendance, project work, and club and/or county involvement. Winners were: Sam Spitzner of Rosendale Skippers, Sam Braaten of Rosendale Skippers, Kael Krahmer of Peppy Peppers, and Greta Keller of Rosendale Skippers.

Outstanding Youth Leader Awards sponsored by Elite Electrical Innovations, Inc. were awarded to outstanding Youth leaders grade 7-12 who were active in their club, or at the county level. First year recipients received a 4-H letter and clover pin and returning recipients received a pin to add to their letter. Outstanding Youth Leaders award recipients were Ava Lepp, Abbey Lepp, Mariella Sill, Luella Beckendorf, Christopher Hagen, Matthew Hagen, Cora Lehman,Oden Lehman, Keeley Runge, Katelyn Runge, Kiera Kirchner, Kendra Kirchner, and Andrew Johnson.

Outstanding Tween Award sponsored by Elite Electrical Innovations, Inc is an award that recognizes our Junior leaders who are training to become our next Youth Leaders. They are from grades 3-7 who worked on community service, project learning, and having fun! Each recipient receives an Outstanding Tween Ribbon and a 4-H pin, each continuing year they will receive another pin to add to the ribbon.

Outstanding Tween Award recipients were Emily Braaten, Annika Hagen, Allie Winrich, and Brynlee Winrich.

Demonstration Awards sponsored by Madelia Sanitation & LaSalle Meats, are presented to the top demonstrators from the Watonwan County Fair. Trophies were presented to: Luella Beckendorf – Senior Demonstration Champion; Savannah Heil – Senior Livestock Demonstration Champion; Cora Lehman – Intermediate Demonstration Champion; Daniela Bartz – Jr. Demonstration Champion; David Hagen – Cloverbud Demonstration Champion

Home & Family Science Award sponsored by Madelia Sanitation is awarded to an outstanding member enrolled in Home & Family Science projects. This was awarded to Abbey Lepp; Speedway Builders for her outstanding projects at the County Fair.

Champion Safety Award sponsored by South Central Electric is chosen for a 4-H member who showed a top safety exhibit at the county fair. This was awarded to Ryan Pierson of Speedway Builders.

Three new awards were presented this year, the Environmental and Animal Science, Plant and Horticulture, and The Arts & Culture Discovery Awards. The Environmental & Animal Sciences Award sponsored by South Central Electric is awarded to an outstanding member enrolled in Environmental & Animal Science project areas. This was awarded to Joshua Klinkner; Riverdale Rockets for his outstanding projects at the County Fair. The Plant and Horticulture Sciences Award sponsored by South Central Electric is awarded to an outstanding member enrolled in Plant & Horticulture project areas. This was awarded to Samuel Spitzner; Rosendale Skippers for his outstanding projects at the County Fair. The Arts & Culture Discovery Award sponsored by South Central Electric is awarded to an outstanding member enrolled in the Arts, Global Connections, and Self Determined project areas. This was awarded to Emma Botting; Golden Gleaners for her outstanding projects at the County Fair.

Outstanding Officer Awards sponsored by Elite Electrical Innovations, Inc. Club officers are elected for their excellent work as officers within their club. Recipients for 2023-2024 year are: Speedway Builders; President-Ryan Pierson, Vice President-Destiney Bolte, Secretary-Abbey Lepp, Treasurer-Ava Lepp, Historian-Ethan Wegner; Nifty Thrifty; President-Lynne Van Wyk, Vice President-Owen Eischen, Secretary-Abby Meyer, Treasurer-Allie Winrich; Nelson Wide Awake; President-Levi Miest, Vice President-Maddie Whitney, Secretary-Kalen Hanson, Treasurer- Mykela Hanson; Riverdale Rockets; President-Oden Lehman, Secretary-Cora Lehman, Treasurer-Ayden Martinez; Fieldon Rustlers; President-Kiera Kirchner, Vice President – Andrew Johnson, Secretary-Leilynd Hundley, Treasurer-Kendra Kirchner, Reporter – Eddie Ramirez; Golden Gleaners; President-Keeley Runge, Vice President – Luella Beckendorf, Secretary-Katelyn Runge, Treasurer-Luella Beckendorf, Historian – Aryn Korst & Abigail Spitzner, Communications Officer – Isaiah Rete; Peppy Peppers: President-Kael Krahmer, Vice President – Lev Reinke, Secretary-Tucker Urevig, Treasurer-Parker Krahmer

Retired 2023-2024 Federation Officers were recognized. President-Ryan Pierson, Vice President-Keeley Runge, Secretary-Mariella Sill, Treasurer-Savannah Heil, Jr. Treasurer-Ava Lepp, Youth Representatives-Luella Beckendorf

New 2023-2024 Federation Officers were recognized. President-Keely Runge, Vice President-Mariella Sill, Secretary-Katelyn Runge, Treasurer-Savannah Heil, Jr. Treasurer – Ava Lepp, Youth Representative-Luella Beckendorf & Kendra Kirchner

Individual Herdsmanship Plaques were given to: Goat sponsored by Durheim Boer Goats; Van Wyk Family – Nifty Thrifty; Dairy sponsored by Diamond View Dairy – Pierson Family – Speedway Builders; Rabbit sponsored by Wayne & Bernie Jurgens – Cavanuagh Family – Speedway Builders; Poultry sponsored by Bill & Kim Crowley – Krahmer Family – Peppy Peppers; Beef sponsored by La Salle Meats- Michels Family – Golden Gleaners; Swine sponsored by Peterson Pit Pumping & LaSalle Meats -Spitzner & Keller Family – Rosendale Skippers; Sheep sponsored by Yock Farms – Johnson Family – Fieldon Rustlers

The Minnesota 4-H Key Awards recognizes 4-H club members who have shown significant leadership over a three year period. Its objective is to encourage growth, development and participation in 4-H. This year’s winner was Ryan Pierson of the Speedway Builders. Yvonne WIlliams Adult & Youth Leader Award recognizes an outstanding youth and one adult in their honor. Luella Beckendorf of Golden Gleaners received the Yvonne Williams Youth Leader Award for her outstanding work within 4-H promoting, being involved at all levels of 4-H and being a youth who has been extremely successful throughout her 4-H Career. Jen Hagen of the Riverdale Rockets earned the Adult Leader Award for her leadership role within multiple aspects of our 4-H program and for always being someone we can count on.

4-H Meritorious Service Award was initiated in 1962 by the 4-H Leader’s Federation and is presented each year to businesses or individuals for making outstanding contributions to the Watonwan County 4-H program. This award was given to Andy and Shelia Pierson for all the years they have supported 4-H, Livestock Program, Dairy Project Area, Speedway Builders Club, and Livestock Auction.

Friend of 4-H Award began in 2001. The 4-H Advisory board selects a person, business or organization that has no direct connection to 4-H but shows great support for the program. This year’s winners went to Andy Karau and Nora Schmidt for their effortless work on the fair board and support they have given to our 4-H program. Andy is the man who keeps the fairgrounds up and running while Nora helps with fair sponsorships and has taken and edited photos for the fair over the last 2 years.

Milestones for youth members and adult volunteers were recognized. This year two youth members graduated, Lydia Cavanaugh of Speedway Builders and Diana Sargent of Golden Gleaners. Other youth were recognized by how many years they have been a 4-H member, they are as follows: 5 year Youth members: Samuel Braaten – Rosendale Skippers, Lilyana Gabler – Riverdale Rockets, Sofia Gabler – Riverdale Rockets, Ariannie Galdamez – Nifty Thrifty, Kelsey Galdamez – Nifty Thrifty, Aryn Korst – Golden Gleaners, Naomi Rete – Golden Gleaners, Haidyn Robertson – Independent, Mackenna Robertson – Independent, Brynlee Winrich – Nifty Thrifty; 10 year Youth members: Luella Beckendorf – Golden Gleaners, Destiny Bolte – Speedway Builders, Kendra Kirchner – Fieldon Rustlers, Oden Lehman – Riverdale Rockets, Ava Lepp – Speedway Builders, Isaiah Rete – Golden Gleaners

Adult volunteers were recognized and honored for their years of being leaders. 1st Year Adult leaders received a 1-year bronze 4-H clover pin: Thomas Braaten, Russ Eischen, Kyle Hanson, Betsy Johnson, Brent Johnson, Allison Karau, Becky Keller, Nicole Meyer, Ashley Urevig; 3 Year Adult leaders received a bronze 4-H clover pin: Lance Dagel, Daniel Klassen, Anna Olson, Shannon Schwichtenberg; 5 Year Adult leaders received a silver 4-H clover pin: Marie Rete; 10 Year Adult leaders received a gold 4-H clover pin: Elisabeth Carlson, Lori Feder-Pietsch, Bryan Moore; 15 Year Adult leaders received a gold clover pin with a pearl set: Michelle Missling, Shawnna Winrich; 20 Year Adult leaders received a gold clover pin with a diamond set: Bill Crowley; 45 Year Adult leader received a gold clover pin with a emerald set: Mary Ann Bannerman.