Posey County’s 4-H community honored at annual banquet

By Dave Pearce

Members of the Posey County 4-H community with community leaders and sponsors gathered Thursday evening at the Posey County Community Center for their Annual 4-H Award and Recognition dinner and banquet.

After acknowledging the evening’s sponsor, The Posey County Co-op, members of the Posey County Extension office staff honored those in attendance.

Awards were presented to members of Posey County 4-H Clubs Blazing Saddles, Country Bumpkins, Diligent Ones, Hoosier Boosters, Kings & Queens, Rousing Rookies, Savah Rockets, Tarty Tuckers, and Victory Bees.

The Timmy Lee Schmidt Award, in honor of Timmy Lee Schmidt who was killed in an accident when he was only five years old. Though he was young, 4-H had already become a very important part of his life. For this reason, his family presented this award to an outstanding 4-H member. This year’s winner was Lyla DeShields.

The Ned O. Williams Award recognizes Club Leaders who exemplify values such as dedication, loyalty, hard work, sportsmanship, and enthusiasm. Outstanding Leaders aren’t necessarily those with the largest clubs or the most awards. He/she unselfishly gives his/her time, talents and efforts for the betterment of the youth. This year’s winner was Robyn Koester.

This annual Club of the Year award is determined by criteria listed on the Club Achievement Checklist that is completed by Club Leaders. Clubs reaching 200 or more points are Honor Clubs, and the club with the highest point total is Club of the Year. Honor Club group photographs will be displayed in the 4-H Exhibit Building during next year’s fair. Those clubs are Blazing Saddles, Kings & Queens, Hoosier Boosters, and the Rousing Rookies. This year’s Club of the Year is the Hoosier Boosters.

The 4-H Sweepstakes Award is available to 4-H’ers in Beginner (clover), Intermediate (junior) and Advanced (senior) divisions. One winner was selected from each division based on their number of static projects in the Exhibit Building and their placings; as well as an overall winner out of the three categories will be recognized. This year’s winners are: Beginner Division-Hannah Lashley, Intermediate Division-Lyla DeShields, and Advanced Division-Ciara Schenk. The Overall Sweepstakes Winner was Lyla DeShields.

The Volunteer Service Annual Award is presented to a person who has been involved in and supportive of the 4-H program in a role other than Club Leader. This person has graciously volunteered his/her talents and time to work with the youth in our community. This year’s winner is Chris Cash.

The Best Secretary’s Book award is presented by the 4-H Council to the Club Secretary who kept the best Secretary’s Book for their 4-H Club, according to a predetermined score sheet. This year’s winner is Lyla DeShields.

Volunteer Recognition was given to 4-H club leaders. First Year club leaders are Janelle Burton, Katie Mayes, and Ellen Naab. Second Year leaders are Amanda Addington, Amy Burkett, Bryan Dowler, Brooke Huntsman, Taylor Jarvis, Angie Lyke, Linda Martin, Theresa Sumbles, and Jess Worthington.

Fifth Year leader is Robyn Koester and sixth Year leader is Allison Hatfield. Seventh Year leaders are Emma Motz, Cathy Defur, Shelley Hargrove. Laura Kuhn, and Heather Morlan.

Tenth Year leaders are Katy Lang and Cody Pate. Dana Jarvis was honored for her Eleventh Year and Carla Schenk was honored for her 14th year.

Honored for his Thirty-second Year is Russell Roehr and honored for his 48th Year is Chris Mulkey.

Project Superintendents, 4-H Council Members, Purdue CARET Members, and 4-H Junior Leaders were also honored.

This year’s 4-H Junior Leader Officers Shelby Lang, President; Maggie McCutchan, Vice President; Brant Oakley, Secretary; and Molly McCutchan, Treasurer. Others honored are Lacy Baehl, Ira Muller, MacKenzie Carrier, Olive Muller, Raelynn Carrier, Clara Naab, Julia Commens, Libby Reese, Lora Commens, Ciara Schenk, Audrey Fisher, Mattison Schenk, Cristian Galindo, Katelyn Seibert, Jaley Hamilton and Lane Waelder.

There were 21 Sixth Year Members honored and they included Glenn Bender, Olivia Brass, Drake Buchanan, Raelynn Carrier, Dillan Dalrymple, Reagan Denning, Lyla DeShields, Cameron Fisher, Stella Hall, Klayton Hamilton, Paislee Hoehn, Ali Lyke, Addison Mathews, Claire Nightingale, Gabriel Parker, Mattison Schenk, Emily Schmitt, Morgan Schneider, Easton Sharber, Olivia Staib, and Parker Wehmer.

There were 18 Seventh Year Members honored and they include Evan Becker, Isabella Benthall, Tyson Boerner, Daphne Fribley, Cristian Galindo, Adam Gray, Monroe Harris, Abbi Hatfield, Derek Lindenschmidt, Charley May, Molly McCutchan, Austin McKay-Gardner, Lucy Mohr, Laney Owens, London Owens, Ella Rainey, Simon Seifert, and Kayleigh Toon.

Fifteen Eighth Year Members honored were Lacey Allyn, Lindsey Allyn, MacKenzie Carrier, Julia Commens, Drew Defur, Gloria Guerrero, Eastin Hall, Lida Isham, Carden Kissel, Jake Lueder, Maya Mauck, Madalyn Nightingale, Libby Reese, Clyde Sharber, and Maelee Yount.

Fifteen Ninth Year Members include Alaina Allyn, Louis Allyn, Gabriella Boerner, Audrey Fisher, Zoey Gray, Kalem Harris, Johnathon Jarvis, Natalie Kuhn, Heidi Lowe, Aubrey May, Sophia Reese, Ciara Schenk, Katelyn Seibert, Hunter Temme, and Matthew Wildeman.

There were 15 Tenth Year Members honored this year and they included Lora Commens, Lia Fifer, Jaley Hamilton, Charles Hargrove, Faith Juncker, Shelby Lang, Jackson Madden, Maggie McCutchan, Madelyn Moore, Brantly Oakley, Kaitlyn Oakley, Kyra Rainey, Jonathan Schmitt, Colten Schneider, and Valerie Wildeman

There were 32 Third Year Members and they include Abigail Austin, Brooke Beuligmann, Ella Branam, Delaney Dalrymple, Finley Dickens, Walker Eisterhold, Sydney Englebright, Lila Fisher, Sadie Gamache, Vivian Kamman, Presley Kuhn, Carson Lupfer, Doyle Motz, Colton Nightingale, Cade Pierce, Veronica Rainey, Rylan Ries, Elaina Russler, Taylor Scheller, Alyssa Scott, Vanessa Shafer, Henry Sharber, Elliana Smith, Jessie Sumbles Juncker, Emmalyn Townsend, Abigail Waninger, Lillian Waninger, Isaac Weber, Sawyer Woods, Sarah Wooten, Raynee Workman, and Ezra Wyatt.

There were 29 Fourth Year Members honored and they included Clayton Addington, Aubrey Becker, Benjamin Beuligmann, Morgan Beuligmann, William Dumond, Kennedy Eisterhold, Layne Ensor, Paisley Fisher, Kaylee Hawes, Layla Hazelwood, Hank Hildenbrand, Kane Huntsman, Kace Jarvis, Jocelyn Kincheloe, Jack Konrath, Lily Meyer, Kathryn Motz, Keegan Mulkey, Ira Muller, Olive Muller, Iliza Ritzert, Eva Schmitt, Meredith Seibert, Lauren Seifert, Sadie Smith, Isaac Underwood, Benton Wehmer, Cora Wildeman, and Zade Wolf.

There were 26 Fifth Year Members honored and they include Emma Axton, Blake Bell, Lilly Benton, Evan Beuligmann, Jaylie Denning, Rowen Englebright, Brookelyn Grabert, Hannah Gray, Madeline Hargrove, Eden Harris, Lyla Hautman, Emma Hazelwood, Wyatt Hoehn, Daxton Konrath, Emma Konrath, Oakley Kuhn, Jayden Lyke, Calvin Millay, Cecilia Mohr, Maggie Moore, Clara Naab, Samuel Oakley, Ellie Reese, Emmelyn Reese, Lane Waelder, and Attalia Wolf.

There were 55 First Year Members honored and they include Isaac Addington, Jaselyn Anslinger, Adam Austin, Raelyn Beste, Bo Beuligmann, Cruz Boyer, Serenity Branson, Skyla Branson, Barrett Brass, Jailyn Burton, Reid Carroll, Addyson Chamberlain, Emma Clowers, Savannah Cox, Jameson Davis, Benjamin Doughty, William Doughty, Henry Dumond, Tucker Eisterhold, Ashlyn Gansman, Jerusha Hammond-Kelley, Joelle Hammond-Kelley, Joshua Hammond-Kelley, Judah Hammond-Kelley, Benjamin Harter, Lincoln Hertel, Nolan Hoehn, Carson Hulsey, Chelsea Hutton, Kinze Kohlmeyer, Hannah Kolley, Myka Kueber, Georgia Lange, Ty Lange, Bo Levings, Isabel Long, Paige Lyke, Sydney Martin, Hallee Mayes, Ty Millay, Solomon Muller, Antonina Nawrot, Breanna Nellis, Claire Nellis, Rhiannon Nellis, Reed Ray, Emma Renshaw, Sean Schmidt, Ellen Schneider, Kenzie Seibert, Gunner Sholders, Dawson Spilman, Owen Staib, Rosalie Toon, and Aubrey Wright.

Fifty Second-Year 4-H Members were honored and they include Gage Abell, Kailee Alldredge, Lacy Baehl, Bo Beste, Kaydence Briody, Jolene Burkett, River Cole, Tyler Cole, Sydney Deckard, Brayden Denning, Aiden DeShields, Rylan Dick, Greg Droege, Brynn Eisterhold, Brayden Fribley, Chloe Hancock, Hyleigh Harter, Nora Hautman, Abby Head, Emmett Head, Case Hoehn, Clara Jones, Logan Kissel, Luke Konrath, Hannah Lashley, Ginny Levings, Sadie Martin, Charlotte Marvel, Loralynn Mayes, Uriah Meyer, Bentley Moore, Heidi Naab, Kendall Neaveill, Brooklyn Phelps, Madison Pollard, Mason Pollard, Olivia Rasche, Braxtyn Saum, Emma Schmitt, Karter Schnautz, Emma Schroeder, Celia Seifert, Avery Sincroft, Ashlyn Smith, Elena Smith, Kylynn Thomason, Eli Thompson, Henley Towers, Alivia Williamson, and Chesley Wyatt.

To highlight the year, there are 285 4-Her’s enrolled (275 in 2023-2024); 64 Mini 4-Her’s enrolled (56 in 2023-2024); 55 Approved Volunteers (71 in 2023-2024); 19 Seniors; Fifteen 10-year 4-Her’s; Four Last Year 4-Her’s, 1,088 4-H exhibits at Posey County Fair; 30 Livestock Grand Champions and Reserve Grand Champions, 101 Static Grand Champions and Reserve Grand Champions.

There were 234 Champion Ribbons this year along with 111 Reserve Champion Ribbons; 495 Blue Ribbons; 86 Red Ribbons; 31 White Ribbons; and 95 static projects delivered to the Indiana State Fair. There were 15 Special Merit Ribbons earned along with 64 Blue Ribbons, 13 Red Ribbons, and three White Ribbons.

Honored in their categories were Beef--Grand Champion Heifer- Aiden DeShields; Reserve Grand Champion Heifer- Ali Lyke; Grand Champion Steer- Glenn Bender; and Reserve Grand Champion Steer- Paige Lyke.

Cat--Grand Champion Cat- Elaina Russler and Reserve Grand Champion Cat- Aubrey Wright

Dairy--Grand Champion- Lora Commens; Reserve Grand Champion- Jackson Madden

Egg--Grand Champion- Ellie Reese

Goat--Grand Champion Breeding Doe- Aubrey May; Reserve Grand Champion Breeding Doe- Jolene Burkett; Grand Champion Market Goat-Colten Schneider; Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat- Colten Schneider

Horse & Pony--Grand Champion- Abbi Hatfield and Reserve Grand Champion- Avery Sincroft

Poultry--Grand Champion- Zoey Gray; Reserve Grand Champion- Iliza Ritzert

Rabbit--Grand Champion- Sarah Wooten; Reserve Grand Champion- Zoey Gray

Sheep--Grand Champion Breeding Ewe- Case Hoehn; Reserve Grand Champion Breeding Ewe- Elaina Russler; Grand Champion Market Lamb- Louis Allyn; Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb- Case Hoehn; Grand Champion Jr. Ram Lamb- Lacey Allyn; Reserve Grand Champion Jr. Ram Lamb- Lindsey Allyn and Grand Champion Wool Breed- Lyla DeShields.

Swine--Grand Champion Gilt- Benton Wehmer; Reserve Grand Champion Gilt- Walker Eisterhold; Grand Champion Barrow- Karter Schnautz; Reserve Grand Champion Barrow- Isabel Long

Static Project Awards

Aerospace: Grand Champion- Reed Ray; Reserve Grand Champion- Maggie McCutchan

Americana: Grand Champion- Brantly Oakley

Soybean Production: Grand Champion- Keegan Mulkey

Reserve Grand Champion- Benjamin Beuligmann

Sports: Grand Champion- Jessie Sumbles Juncker

Reserve Grand Champion- Isaac Addington

Tractor: Grand Champion- Jessie Sumbles Juncker

Reserve Grand Champion- Bentley Moore

Travelogue: Grand Champion- Lucy Mohr

Reserve Grand Champion- Ella Branam

Veterinary Science: Grand Champion- Lyla Hautman

Reserve Grand Champion- Abbi Hatfield

Weather: Grand Champion- Lyla DeShields

Reserve Grand Champion- Eli Thompson

Wildlife: Grand Champion- Jessie Sumbles Juncker

Reserve Grand Champion- Hannah Lashley

Woodworking: Grand Champion- Mattison Schenk

Reserve Grand Champion- Isaac Underwood

Forestry: Grand Champion- Clara Naab

Garden Collection: Grand Champion- Hannah Lashley

Reserve Grand Champion- Ciara Schenk

Herb: Grand Champion- Lyla DeShields

Potato: Grand Champion- Hannah Lashley

Genealogy: Grand Champion- Lucy Mohr

Geology: Grand Champion- Loralynn Mayes

Health: Grand Champion- Libby Reese

Reserve Grand Champion- Aubrey May

Home Environment: Grand Champion- Audrey Fisher

Pet Pals: Grand Champion- Elaina Russler

Reserve Grand Champion- Oakley Kuhn

Photography: Grand Champion- Sophia Reese

Reserve Grand Champion- Chelsea Hutton

Recycling: Grand Champion- Jessie Sumbles Juncker

Reserve Grand Champion- Addison Mathews

Scrapbooking: Grand Champion- Ciara Schenk

Reserve Grand Champion- Hannah Lashley

Sewing: Grand Champion- Brynn Eisterhold

Reserve Grand Champion- Zade Wolf

Soil & Water: Grand Champion- Ciara Schenk

Reserve Grand Champion- Charley May

Animal Education

Beef

Grand Champion- Lyla DeShields

Reserve Grand Champion-Aiden DeShields

Cat

Grand Champion- Aubrey May

Reserve Grand Champion- Lyla DeShields

Dairy

Grand Champion- Lyla DeShields

Dog

Grand Champion- Lyla DeShields

Reserve Grand Champion- Nora Hautman

Goat

Grand Champion- Lyla Hautman

Horse

Grand Champion- Abbi Hatfield

Reserve Grand Champion- Brooklyn Phelps

Poultry

Grand Champion- Elaina Russler

Reserve Grand Champion- Iliza Ritzert

Sheep

Grand Champion- Lyla DeShields

Arts & Crafts

Candlemaking

Grand Champion- Maya Mauck

Reserve Grand Champion- Maelee Yount

Fine Arts

Grand Champion- Madelyn Moore

Reserve Grand Champion- Layla Hazelwood

General

Grand Champion- London Owens

Reserve Grand Champion- Molly McCutchan

Giftwrapping

Grand Champion- Jaley Hamilton

Reserve Grand Champion- Clayton Addington

Model Craft

Grand Champion- Molly McCutchan

Reserve Grand Champion- Katelyn Seibert

Needlecraft

Grand Champion- Cecilia Mohr

Reserve Grand Champion- Cade Pierce

Beekeeping: Grand Champion- Calvin Millay

Cake Decorating: Grand Champion- Molly McCutchan

Reserve Grand Champion- Vivian Kamman

Child Development: Grand Champion- Katelyn Seibert

Reserve Grand Champion- Elliana Smith

Collections: Grand Champion- Abigail Austin

Reserve Grand Champion- Jonathan Schmitt

Computer: Grand Champion- Reed Ray

Reserve Grand Champion- Gabriella Boerner

Construction Toys: Grand Champion- Jonathan Schmitt

Reserve Grand Champion- Carson Lupfer

Consumer Clothing: Grand Champion- Aubrey May

Reserve Grand Champion-Ella Branam

Corn: Grand Champion- Mattison Schenk

Reserve Grand Champion- Ciara Schenk

Creative Writing: Grand Champion- Isabella Benthall

Reserve Grand Champion- Chelsea Hutton

Cupcake Decorating: Grand Champion- Zoey Gray

Reserve Grand Champion- Eva Schmitt

Electric: Grand Champion- Keegan Mulkey

Reserve Grand Champion- Emily Schmitt

Family Camping: Grand Champion- Ellen Schneider

Reserve Grand Champion- Elaina Russler

Farm Scene: Grand Champion- Jessie Sumbles Juncker

Reserve Grand Champion- Gabriel Parker

Fashion Revue Consumer Clothing: Grand Champion- Emma Clowers

Reserve Grand Champion- Oakley Kuhn

Fashion Revue Sewing: Grand Champion- Brynn Eisterhold

Reserve Grand Champion- Carson Hulsey

Floriculture: Grand Champion- River Cole

Reserve Grand Champion- Lacy Baehl

Foods Baked: Grand Champion- Maggie McCutchan

Reserve Grand Champion- Calvin Millay

Foods Preserved: Grand Champion- Mattison Schenk

Reserve Grand Champion- Ciara Schenk

Project Superintendents volunteer their time to answer 4-H members questions about the projects and assist them and their families as they prepare for the fair. Livestock

Superintendents wear many hats both before fair and during fair week at check-in, shows and the Livestock Auction. Project Superintendents are:

Jeanette Head- Cake Decorating

Chris Mulkey – Electric

Dave Morlock- Farm Scene

Mike Clem- Garden

Amanda Addington- Photography

Chris Woods- Tractor Driving

Cody Pate- Beef

Shirley Wentzel- Cat

Al Schmitz – Dairy

Kate Weintraut – Horse and Pony

Eric and Stephaine Sharber – Goat

Shawn and Robin Price – Poultry

Emma Motz – Rabbit

Kurt and Amy Hoehn – Sheep

Jeremy and Monica Welder – Swine

4-H Council Members: President – Denise Seibert Townsend; VP- Arin Commons

Treasurer – Kamhi Underwood; Secretary – Amy Fisher

Members of the Council are Andy Eisterhold, Hannah Lang, Chris Kaufman, Jason Lyke, Mike Mohr, Daniel Motz, and Theresa Sumbles.