Page 11 - Dresden Buzz 08-23-24

AUGUST 23 - SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 FAIR | PAGE 11
Montgomery honored as part of 4-H Award

Ceremony for 70 years of volunteer service by Lynette Dotson

Dorothy Montgomery was honored for 70 years as a 4-H volunteer during the 4-H Awards Ceremony held Sunday evening, August 11. Addy Weck presented a white binder filled with pictures and notes from
several of the people who she has impacted throughout her 70 years as a volunteer. Lynette Dotson

A 4-H Awards Ceremony was held this year the 4-H committee put out a re- lady who still gets around. And 4-H and community and for the kids of 4-H, God
immediately following the official Grand quest for cards letters and photos, Addy what 4-H means to these kids as I said Love You.”
Opening of the 178th Blue Ribbon Fair. Weck from the 4-H committee put that earlier, I’m an Adamsville Mixed Farmer Montgomery spoke before the enor-
Jamie McConnell a 4-H educator together and we are going to present and I can tell you who my 4-H advisors mous crowd, “I can’t think of a more per-
with the Ohio State University Extension Dorothy with that scrapbook of memo- were then, I won’t mention their names fect day for the Muskingum County fair
Office led the ceremony recognizing a ries from those that she has impacted. but it’s just fun to look back, (Ronny to start, the sky so blue, the clouds so
long list of volunteers for their years of What do you give a volunteer who has Shirer) ok I’ll do it, Bobby Bowden, and fluffy, and I hope folks that you got to be
dedication to the organization. After an- given 70 years and has every plaque, the list goes on, and 4-H is game chang- in the coliseum this morning with us for
nouncing 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 45, every pin, everything that you can imag- ing for kids and in the world that I am in our worship service, for me it was over-
and even a 50-year award recipient, Mc- ine, also we give our tenured volunteers right now nothing more than I can advo- whelming, it was packed, only God can
Connell introduced a very special person a pin, Shop4H doesn’t sell a 70-year pin cate for is kids coming out of 4-H they make those things happen, and thank
who has made a huge impact on the lo- so we had to come up with something are the best of the best and we have to goodness we live in a community where
cal 4-H community. else.” continue to encourage our kids to con- we know who is in control, and it’s him.
“Everybody up there probably knows McConnell continued, “The other nect with people like Dorothy Montgom- Thank you all for your love, your support,
this gem of a woman who has given 70 thing that we did was the committee ery who will give us and give our children and your volunteering, God Bless!”
years, 70 years! of volunteer service to asked folks in the community to donate good guidance, God bless you Dorothy
Muskingum County 4-H,” said McCo- in Dorothy’s honor to our Muskingum for everything you have done for this
nnell. “I am supposed to tell you she County 4-H endowment which is held at
doesn’t know how this is possible be- the Ohio State University Foundation and
cause she is not even 70 years old yet. those annual earnings come back here
So, without a doubt this is the longest to Muskingum County to support our
tenured volunteer that we’ve had here program in a number of ways. We did
in Muskingum County and I think it goes this at 65 years for Dorothy we had $65
without saying that it would be nearly for 65 years, this time we did $70 for 70.
impossible to quantify the number of We had $3,435 collected at 65 years.
lives that Dorothy has touched in those So 40 donors contributed $10,005 so
70 years as an advisor for junior lead- far in honor of Dorothy, which is an awe-
ers, and she has not only been involved some way to extend Dorothy’s legacy,
here in Muskingum County but she has and the church service offering which is
also been involved at Regional and State usually around $1,500 also will go to the
level things for OSU extension and 4-H endowment fund in Dorothy’s honor.”
and one of the things that I read in the State Representative Troy Balder-
article about this achievement that son attended the ceremony and issued a
the Dresden Buzz wrote that I thought proclamation to Dorothy for her achieve-
was really cool was that Dorothy met ment and spoke in honor of her saying,
A.B. Graham who is the founder of the “When I realized that this wonderful lady
4-H program. 4-H started here in Clark had put in 70 years to the kids of Musk-
County and has grown to not only a na- ingum County and beyond Muskingum
tionwide program but something that County even, I was elated without hesi-
is across the world and how cool is it in tation, that I wanted to be here for her,
the early 1900’s (Dorothy is not that old, we did get a proclamation from the US
that is not what I am saying, she wants house of representatives in honor of Dor-
me to make that clear!) but she had othy, and I can’t say enough and Dorothy
the opportunity to meet A.B. Graham has been instrumental to me in several
and there are not that many of us that life changes that have happened to me,
can say that. She also met her beloved and some of you may know those life
husband John at 4-H camp Ohio so they changes, but I am blessed and honored
have quite the 4-H story to tell! So earlier to be here today to honor this wonderful Dorothy Montgomery smiles at State Representative Troy Balderson. Lynette Dotson