National 4-H Week in Washington County

For more than a decade now, the mother-daughter team of Kathy and Jodi Ebert have been leading the Washington Hustlers 4-H club together.

Their involvement in 4-H, though, stretches back much further.

Kathy's mother – Jodi's grandmother – Marie Hora was actively involved in 4-H for more than 60 years as a member, a volunteer and as photography superintendent.

'My mother used to run the photography department,” Kathy said. 'She was involved until she was probably 95 years old. That was great fun.”

Hora, who died in 2015 at the age of 99, is now a member of the Washington County 4-H Hall of Fame.

She passed on her dedication to 4-H to her daughter and granddaughter.

Kathy was 10 years old when she joined the 4-H club in Jackson Townshop. She recalled that, back then, children had to join the 4-H club in their communities.

'You couldn't choose which 4-H club to be in,” Kathy said.

Having grown up on her family's farm, Kathy had a great interest in livestock, which was not considered a 'girls'” activity by the 4-H at the time.

'Back at that time, if you wanted to do livestock, you had to join both a boys club and a girls club,” she said. 'They wouldn't let you just be in one club. I had several friends in the neighborhood who all wanted to do it. We ended up convincing Iowa State to let us have one of the first all-girls ‘boys' 4-H club.”

Kathy was able to show pigs and cattle during her time as a 4-H member, as well as take part in 'girls'” activities like cooking, sewing and home improvement.

Toward her later years as a 4-H member, the organizations started including photography projects.

'That's how I got my start in photography,” Kathy said.

Jodi recalls helping both her mother and her grandmother with 4-H projects even before she was old enough to join a club.

'Before I could officially be a 4-H member, my grandmother was the photography superintendent,” Jodi said. 'I was helping her with things long before I could even be in 4-H.”

When Jodi reached the fourth grade, she joined the Washington Hustlers club.

'I would say one of my best memories is helping my grandma as photography superintendent,” Jodi said. 'Then, my mom took over as photography superintendent, and I helped her.

'I remember when my first picture got selected to go to State Fair. That was a really big deal to me because that was an area that I had worked so hard in and been a part of so long.”

Kathy became the leader of the Washington Hustlers club while Jodi was a member.

'The leaders were ready to retire, and I said I'd be glad to help them out,” Kathy said.

Jodi eventually graduated from high school and went on to the University of Northern Iowa.

UNI did not have a college 4-H program, and Jodi felt like something was missing in her life during that time.

After college, she moved back to Washington to teach at Lincoln Elementary School.

About the same time, Kathy was looking for someone to help her lead the Hustlers.

'When my daughter came back from college, I was still the 4-H leader,” Kathy said. 'The other leader was ready to no longer help. So, my daughter said ‘well I can help you.'”

Jodi was ready to get back into 4-H.

'It was such a big part of my life for so long, it felt weird not to have that there,” Jodi said. 'When I had the opportunity to help, I couldn't pass it up.”

Both Kathy and Jodi said one of the most rewarding parts of being a 4-H leader is watching the kids grow up.

'It is so neat to see those kids grow up,” Jodi said. 'We have lots of kids who join our club in fourth grade and stay in it until they graduate.

'It's been fun to see them transform from the shy, quiet kid who comes and hardly says anything to the kid who nominates themselves to be treasurer this year.”

Now, they are not only both leading the Hustlers, but also they are the 4-H photography superintendents.

Jodi treasures the fact that she is able to continue her 4-H journey with her mother.

”It's been a part of our life for so long, and the fact that we get to do it together is just awesome,” Jodi said. 'It makes me proud because I was able to grow into the person that I am because of 4-H experiences with my family. Now, we're doing it together, and it's just priceless.”