AWARD RECIPIENTS — Honorees at the 2022 Jefferson County 4-H Advisers Appreciation Banquet held Oct. 10 at Le Chateau Pier in Smithfield were, from left, Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla Jr., accepting the Heart Award given in memory of his father, the late Fred Abdalla Sr.; Colte Sines, News Reporter of the Year Award; Heather Hoover and Shana Wydra of Steubenville City Schools, Friend of 4-H Award; Karen Hill, Head Award; Leila Sudvary, Most Outstanding Senior 4-H’er Junior; Corissa Griffith, Most Outstanding Senior 4-H’er Senior; Makara Eick, Hands Award; and Kurt Johnson, Health Award. -- Janice Kiaski

SMITHFIELD — The 2022 Jefferson County 4-H Advisers Appreciation Banquet held Oct. 10 at Le Chateau Pier in Smithfield honored supporters of the youth development program impacting about 450 local children and 4-Hers for their achievements.

Cindy Stingle and Gretchen Bonecutter, president and vice president, respectively, of the Jefferson County 4-H Committee, welcomed attendees being celebrated for their support of the county 4-H program.

“No matter if it is judging for eight hours at a still project judging day or cooking rigatoni for a horse subcommittee fundraiser, you are often being asked to give of your time and resources to support this program,” Stingle noted. “You all meet that call regularly and without complaint. For that we say thank you and that this effort does not go unrecognized,” she added.

The two noted that the partnership between 4-H club leaders and youth, OSU Extension, the county fair board and junior fair and the Jefferson County commissioners constitutes “the heart and soul of our youth development program. Our clubs are tiny incubators in which we instill the character qualities represented by the 4-H pillars in our county youth.

“Trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness and caring are not just taglines to be thrown around loosely,” the two noted. “They are the foundation of the 4-H program and what we hope all youth take away from our program beyond graduation. Our 100 advisers have been chosen to lead clubs, specifically to instill these principles in our youth. Tonight, we recognize and applaud your efforts for setting the example as advisers.”

Top photo, from left, Erin Ogden, Leslie Aftanas, Gretchen Bonecutter and Cindy Stingle -- Janice Kiaski

Leila Sudvary, Broken Fences, and Corissa Griffith, Windy Ridge, led in the Pledge of Allegiance and 4-H Pledge, respectively. Tom Graham, Jefferson County commissioner, sang the national anthem.

Several 4-H’ers gave brief presentations about their favorite programs or projects from the 2022 4-H year, including Corissa Griffith, state leadership camp; Shane Griffith, Sea Camp; Maddie Granatir, horse project; Coleman Granatir, tractor restoration project; and Alayna Starr, Ohio birds project.

Angie Allison, 4-H educator, OSU Extension, shared on behalf of Delaney Johnson of the Country Classics, who was unable to attend, reading the following:

“This year for 4-H I completed a market chicken project as I have done many times before. I was honored to represent Jefferson County at the Ohio State Fair and much to my surprise, of all the entries, my pen of market chickens was chosen as the state grand champion pen of chickens. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience participating in the Ohio State Fair Sale saleboard record for pen of chickens, and I earned the Ohio Expositions Commissioner’s Scholarships as well. I am now a freshman at Ohio State University, majoring in agribusiness and applied economics. I want our 4-H’ers and advisers to know that anything is possible if you work for it. I want to thank my 4-H family and friends who have helped me along the way.”

Carl Glenn, county 4-H committee, gave the invocation for the buffet-style dinner, which was followed by adviser recognition led by Allison Boyd, Bonecutter and Stingle.

Carl Glenn, left, 4-H committee, and Ray Hilderbrand, Jefferson County Fair Board president -- Janice Kiaski

Advisers were recognized for their varying years of service, including:

FIRST YEAR: Brandon Defrank, Michael Ann Kuester, Heather Hoover, Heather Morrison, Gina Skatula, Ross Smith, Jessica Sudvary, Julie Thompson and Alicia Ziarko.

SECOND YEAR: Kyleigh McConnell, Allison Lamantia Boyd, Emily Lamantia, Tonnie Fomenko, Katrina Scaffidi and Ashley Thompson.

THIRD YEAR: Makara Eick, Steve Griffith and Marcella Jarman.

FOURTH YEAR: Jodi Miller.

From left, Trevor Hennis, Gretchen Bonecutter and Karen Hill and standing, Cindy Stingle -- Janice Kiaski

FIFTH YEAR: Anna Ault, Kevin Bailey, Kendra Bray, Julie Camp, Paden Wood, Tabitha Bednarek and Kylie Malechowski-Williams.

SIXTH YEAR: Erin Ogden, Henry Carter, Teresa George, Trevor Hennis, Heather Merkel, Heather Miller, Joelle Moran, Melissa Griffth, Heather Parker, Brooke Stingle and Cobin Hoffman.

SEVENTH YEAR: Melissa Cooley, Julie Boring, Megan King, Jeanette Roberts and Kelly Valuska.

EIGHTH YEAR: Leslie Aftanas, Erin Best, Jane Bodo, Dana Meadows, Douglas Meadows, Jennifer Stenger, Barbara Anderson and Christina Frank.

NINTH YEAR: Christina Crawford, Kimberly Hawthorne-Burek and Cindy Stingle.

Debbie Hukill, Jefferson County Fair Board treasurer, and Tom Graham, Jefferson County commissioner -- Janice Kiaski

11 YEARS: Aimee Glenn.

12 YEARS: Tammy Mazzaferro.

13 YEARS: Thomas Arnett, Alana Doyle and Cordelia Russell.

14 YEARS: Jamie Wiley, Ronald Wiley and Melissa Zifzal.

15 YEARS Joelle Bensie and Kathy Supanik.

Angie Allison, left, 4-H educator, OSU Extension, with Corissa Griffith -- Janice Kiaski

16 YEARS: Carl Glenn and Robert Vein.

17 YEARS: Carl Bonecutter, Marlene Lamantia and Monica Wetherell.

18 YEARS: Robin Bittner, Gretchen Bonecutter and James Zorbini.

21 YEARS: Clint Finney, Deborah Roth and Duayne Wetherell.

25 YEARS: David Ramsey.

27 YEARS: Dawna Kale.

29 YEARS: Amanda Roach.

30 YEARS: Darla Sue “Suzie” Zorbini.

31 YEARS: Gail Rine.

36 YEARS: Cliff Wood.

37 YEARS: Karen Thomas.

38 YEARS: Debra Grimes.

41 YEARS: Robin Wedlake.

42 YEARS: Karen Hill.

48 YEARS: Carolyn Piergallini.

52 YEARS: Joyce Wetherell.

Noted as honorary advisers, volunteers and helping hands were Mollie and Tom McConnell, Judy Saiter, Elwyn Saiter, Tammy Mazzaferro, Crystal Eshbaugh, Betty Ann Jasper, Stella Puskarich and Donelle Tonner.

Listed as 2022 honor clubs are 4-H Varieties, Broken Fences, Buckeye Variety Livestock, Country Kids, Country Classics, Country Rangers, Cross Creek Tomahawks, the Dirt Diggers, Free Spirits, Friends and Neighbors, Golden Horseshoe, Happy Hooves and Fancy Feathers, Liberty Gals and Guys, Purple Circle, Steubenville City Seedlings, Town and Country, Warren Ridge Wranglers, Wildwood Critters and Windy Ridge.

An election to choose members to the county governing committee followed with the results announced at the end by Debbie Grimes.

Carolyn Piergallini, 4-H committee secretary, introduced special guests on hand.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of several awards with Carl Glenn explaining that the 4-H Committee each year presents the Head, Heart, Hands, Health and Friends of 4-H awards.

Karen Hill of the Cross Creek Tomahawks was the recipient of the Head Award, singled out for her “decades of endless support” to the 4-H program.

“Our Head Award this year goes to our behind-the-scenes organizer, a person who has served on the 4-H Committee many times and keeps a most accurate record of our events. This woman can be asked to provide information regarding the historical events of 4-H back many decades and will not only remember what happened, but have the documentation to prove it,” Glenn commented.

“She leads an active Steubenville-based 4-H club whose members always thrive at state fair events and are very active in the community,” Glenn added.

In honoring the late Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla Sr., presenter Kyle Koehnlein explained that the committee annually recognizes a person who exemplifies the 4-H program in action, words and heart, “a person who at their core is trustworthy, respectful, responsible, fair and caring, a person who sets the gold standard in being a role model for our county youth.”

It was presented to Sheriff Fred Abdalla Jr. and family in memory of “our forever hero.”

OSU Extension Program Assistant Leslie Aftanas presented the Hands Award to Makara Eick of the Broken Fences 4-H Club. The award is given to an individual “who is quite literally a hands-on person, a person who we can call all hours of the night, who is in the thick of planning and volunteering for all of our events. This year the 4-H Committee chose to recognize a volunteer who has been instrumental in preparing for and running 4-H Camp. She also has done the same for Junior Fair. Even though she is working her way through college this semester at Mount Union, she is here tonight to sign in attendees and to collect and count ballots,” Aftanas said.

Clint Finney presented the Health Award to “a local dad and veterinarian — our last-minute, get-us-out-of-this-jam doctor for all things animal related. Kurt Johnson has spent many years supporting 4-H through veterinary recommendations, serving on the 4-H Committee, attending the state fair and providing guidance for those who attend. He is always in the shadows trying to make sure that our county youth are bringing great, healthy projects to market.”

The Friend of 4-H Award was presented by Angie Allison, who explained it is given to an organization or business that supports 4-H. “When I started this position four years ago, I had some goals in mind. One of those goals was to help our county program grow for the future. I was hoping that with the help of our community leaders, we could put our county program on a path where member retention was not a necessary conversation as it was for many counties across the state — a program so lively and well respected that youth were clamoring to get in and that enrollment numbers were healthy and that the backgrounds of those involved youth were diverse,” Allison commented in presenting it to Steubenville City Schools.

“The district leaders have been open minded and forward thinking. They have implemented a district-led 4-H club, allowing students to participate in hands-on STEM programming and agriculture-based programming in their city school,” Allison continued, noting the club had 32 members in its first year. “The school officials have even implemented a program allowing our horseback riding youth the availability of earning an athletic varsity letter for their hours spent competing.”

Accepting the award were Heather Hoover of the Steubenville City Seedlings and Shayna Wydra, STEM director.

The 4-H News Reporter of the Year Award went to Colte Sines of the Wildwood Critters. “Every year 4-H youth send to me news reports that help to provide recognition for all of the wonderful things your clubs do in our community,” noted presenter Janice Kiaski, community editor for the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times. “One special 4-H’er is recognized each year for submitting the most reports. This year’s awardee wrote by hand the most reports and the most accurate reports of any 4-H’er in the county,” Kiaski said.

While the evening brought honors for many community members and 4-H’ers, the annual event is occasion to single out two 4-H’ers who rise above all else, according to presenter Crystal Pasco, who explained, “Our Most Outstanding 4-H’ers are youth who have excelled in many areas. They have excelled in speeches and presentations, interviews and community service, showing animals and/or project completion.”

Pasco presented the Most Outstanding 4-H’er Senior Award to Corissa Griffith of the Windy Ridge 4-H club. “She exemplifies what a career in 4-H can be — whether she was volunteering to speak at an event, attending a far-off camp or driving to Columbus for a state committee meeting, Corissa has done it all in 4-H.”

“Although older youth often see the value in participating in many different areas, it takes a special young person to realize this early on in their 4-H career, presenter Anna Ault said in recognizing Leila Sudvary with the Outstanding 4-H’er Junior Award. “She exemplifies our up-and-coming leaders. Leila is active in junior leaders and with her goat projects. She also completes still projects and has competed at state fair,” Ault commented.

Rounding out the evening was an auction led by Harry Grafton, with proceeds benefiting the 4-H program.

4-H leaders, from left, Chrissy Crawford and Kathy Supanik of the Dirt Diggers and T.J. Arnett, Cross Creek Tomahawks -- Janice Kiaski

Shana Wydra, left, and Heather Hoover, Steubenville City Seedlings -- Janice Kiaski

Kim Hawthorne-Burek, left, and Carolyn Piergallini, a 4-H adviser for 48 years, check out auction items. -- Janice Kiaski

Stella and Dennis Puskarich -- Janice Kiaski