2022 Keokuk County 4-H Awards Night held

On Sunday, November 6, 2022, the Keokuk County 4-H Awards Night was held at the Expo Fair Grounds in Sigourney. The award ceremony started with the Pledge of Allegiance and was hosted by the Keokuk County 4-H County Youth Council. The meal was a potluck with pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches provided by the Keokuk County Extension and Outreach.

2022-2023 County Youth Council Members

Autumn Belvel, Makenzie Belvel, Ellie Berg, McKinley Chittick, Mason Clarahan, Cael O’Rourke, Haylea Oostra, Kylee Reed, Madelyn Sieren, Lexi Swearingen, Zoe Webb, Nathan Wehr, Brayden Wood

Special 4-H Volunteer Awards

Family of 4-H Award: The Family of 4-H Award was presented to the Shane and Meg Cason Family.

Friend of 4-H Award: The Friend of 4-H Award was presented to Logan and Faith Lee.

Partner in 4-H Award: The Partner in 4-H Award was presented to Staci Shettler of Keokuk County Farm Bureau.

4-H Leader of the Year: The 2022 4-H Leader of the Year Award was presented to Trisha Parizek. Trisha is the 4-H club leader of the Foods Club and is the co-leader for the Keswick Klover Leaves. Trisha has gone above and beyond to ensure she has strong clubs and that she is setting the youth up for success as 4-Hers.

2022 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame – Keokuk County Award: Sharon Fritchen was honored and recognized as this year’s inductee into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame at the Iowa State Fair, representing Keokuk County. Sharon has supported the Keokuk County 4-H Program her whole life and has a club leader for 39 years. Thank you Sharon for you dedication and commitment to the Keokuk County 4-H program.

Recipients of the Special 4-H Volunteer Awards all received an Award Brick. Each Brick will have the winner’s name and award received engraved on it and will be placed in the brick patio out front of the Extension Office.

4-H Club Awards

Club Communications Awards were sponsored by Keokuk County Farm Bureau. Nathan Fritchen of the Keokuk County Farm Bureau presented awards to the top clubs for communications involvement. This year’s recipients were: First place to the Patriotic Panthers club; second place to the Riverside 4-H club.

Individual Recognition Awards

4-H members who are presented with the following awards must apply or be nominated for them. Their efforts are evaluated by the Keokuk County Extension Council. This year’s award winners were:

Outstanding 1st Year 4-H Member:

Drake Seeley

Outstanding Member Award:

Junior- Madison Fry

Intermediate- Carley Clarahan

Senior- Gabrielle Kustes

Leadership Award:

Junior- Madison Fry

Senior- Chloe Zittergruen (see photo #14)

Citizenship Award:

Junior- Madison Fry (see photo #12)

Senior – Gabrielle Kustes (see photo #13)

Individual Herdsmanship Awards

The Keokuk County Expo Board sponsored the Individual Herdsmanship Awards. These awards are given to members who were present to help with Expo set-up, Expo clean-up, and are around to help others during the fair. They are all hardworking individuals who take pride in their livestock during Expo. The following individuals received awards presented by Ben Fox, Expo Fair Board Representative: (see photo #15)

Beef: Kylee Reed - Patriotic Panthers

Llama: Zane Kustes – Liberty Leaders Sheep/Goat: Adalynne Tremmel - Riverside

Small Animal: Nathan Wehr – Stick To It

Swine: Conner Reed – Patriotic Panther

Record Book Awards

Lafayette Feeders 4-H club members receiving 2022 record book awards were: Kearney Greiner, Tierney Greiner, Isaac Striegel, Dylan Weber, Jax Weber (see photo #16)

Riverside 4-H club members receiving 2022 record book awards were: Gamble Fry, Madison Fry, Ella Haines, Levi Myers, Brody Seeley, Drake Seeley, Eli Snakenberg, Emerson Snakenberg, Gabe Thompson, Ashtyn Tish, Levi Weber (see photo #17)

Liberty Leaders club members receiving 2022 record book awards were: Anna Gehrking, Ava Gehrking, Noah Gent, Gabrielle Kustes, Layken Lee, Trig Lee, Owen Mather, Allie Morrison, Conner O’Rourke, Lucy O’Rourke, Sam O’Rourke, Madelyn Sieren, Aubrey Zittergruen, Chloe Zittergruen (see photo #18)

Stick-To-It club members receiving 2022 record book awards were: Autumn Belvel, Brianna Belvel, Makenzie Belvel, Jayde Snakenberg, Nathan Wehr

Patriotic Panthers club members receiving 2022 record book awards were: Sawyer Cason, Carley Clarahan, Erica Clubb, Sam Loper, Cole Millikin, Haylea Oostra, Colt Reed, Conner Reed, Kylee Reed, Iris Steinhart, Lexi Swearingen, Teagan Swearingen (see photo #19)

Seamrippers United club members receiving 2022 record book awards were: Brianna Belvel, Makenzie Belvel, Carley Clarahan, Madison Fry, Ella Haines, Layken Lee, Emerson Snakenberg (see photo #20)

Hot Shots club members receiving 2022 record book awards were: Gabe Thompson

Llama Club members receiving 2022 record book awards were: Gabrielle Kustes, Madelyn Sieren

First Year 4-H Members

Olivia Annis, Abe Axmear, Sawyer Cason, Addalee Chittick, Elly Corbin, Isaac Dehne, Ethen Echelberry, Izaak Echelberry, Maleigh Eiben, Gamble Fry, Riley Gann, Anna Gehrking, Noah Gent, Miles Goltz, Griffin Hall, Memphis Hastings, Harpyr Hinnah, Brecken Hoylman, Trig Lee, Allison Mather, Owen Moore, Alli Morrison, Allie Morrison, Lucy O'Rourke, Brody Seeley, Drake Seeley, Luke Sieren, Jayde Snakenberg, Iris Steinhart, Lee Walden, Kellen Webb, Kinley Weber, Quinton Wehr

2021-2022 4-H Graduated Seniors

Hannah Alderson - Seamrippers United, Kaeley Axmear - Liberty Leaders, Addison Baumert - Lafayette Feeders, Hope deRegnier - Stick To It, Kristen Fisher - Liberty Leaders, Taylor Gambell - Patriotic Panthers, Bryson Grove - Liberty Leaders, Madison Mikesell - Liberty Leaders, Lauren Molyneux - Riverside, Conner Reed - Patriotic Panthers, Claire Svenby - Riverside