4-H honors state award recipients

4-H honors state award recipients

Friday, August 9, 2024

Media Contact: Dakota Ballard | 4-H Communications Coordinator | 405-744-9645 | [email protected]

The Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development program recognized its 2024 Outstanding Alumni and State Partner Award winners at the Honors Night Banquet during the 103rd State 4-H Roundup in Stillwater on July 25.

Betty Gardner, Outstanding Alumni Award

At 80 years old, Betty Gardner has been involved with the 4-H Youth Development program for most of her life.

Growing up on a farm in Woodward County as one of five children, 4-H gave her an opportunity to develop new skills and contribute to her family.

"I wanted to learn how to sew. I wanted to learn how to cook," she said. "My dad died when I was 8 years old, so we were a busy family on this farm."

In the late 1950s, Gardner attended the Oklahoma State Fair as a 4-H participant. She fondly remembers the week of workshops and judging contests and having fun with other 4-H'ers in the evening, calling it a highlight of her life during high school.

When her oldest daughter joined 4-H, Gardner began volunteering for the organization.

"We were a 4-H family," she said.

Her husband, Louis, also participated in 4-H.

"I liked learning, and I wanted my kids to learn how to do things," she said.

Each of her five children was an active club member and became a state 4-H officer.

Once her children left the house, Gardner continued serving the 4-H community, volunteering her judging expertise at local and county fairs, cooking the 4-H Achievement Night Banquet meal for Dewey County, serving more than 20 years as chairperson for the gardening department at the Woodward County Fair and more.

She spent countless hours contributing to youth development, encouraging kids to participate in 4-H, helping them prepare for activities, inspiring them to be their best and raising money for their travel to national competitions.

Gardner said that parents still come up to her to tell her how much of an impact she had on their children.

Steve Bomhoff, Outstanding Alumni Award

Steve Bomhoff was encouraged to join 4-H in Kingfisher County when he was 9 by his mother, who also participated in 4-H while growing up.

Although he was involved in 4-H until his freshman year of college, his experience with the organization reached a new level once he had children.

"Whenever I started having a family, my kids took an interest in doing some of the things we could do in 4-H, so I started trying to get them involved in the organization," he said.

Bomhoff's son, Rob, joined 4-H to show horses, and Bomhoff took the opportunity to volunteer as a 4-H leader, reviving the Horse Club for Kingfisher County, which had been idle for several years. He also became involved in the 4-H Foundation, the West District North Region Horse Council and the State 4-H Horse Council.

He volunteers at the State 4-H Horse Camp, the Northwest District 4-H Horse Show and the State 4-H Horse Show. He leads the Okarche 4-H and Kingfisher County 4-H horse clubs and is a member of the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation Board of Directors.

"I'm a firm believer in 4-H because it does establish those ground-level skills you won't necessarily get through an education program," Bomhoff said.

Once 4-H'ers develop those skills, he said they have the foundation to become leaders.

He hopes more adults and former 4-H members will follow his lead and volunteer their time to the organization.

"It's never too late to get back involved as a volunteer," Bomhoff said. "4-H does not exist without volunteer help. We need a lot of volunteers to make it work."

Rodd and Dona Moesel, State Partner in 4-H Award

Husband and wife Rodd and Dona Moesel own American Plant Products and Services Inc., a wholesale company specializing in greenhouses, horticultural equipment, supplies and services.

Rodd Moesel joined 4-H in Oklahoma County when he turned 9, following in the footsteps of his mother,who was an active member and longtime supporter of the organization.

"I grew up the first few years having my 4-H club at the governor's mansion," he said.

At the time, Gov. Henry Bellmon's daughters were the president, vice president and secretary of the club.

Moesel's project areas included horticulture and leadership. He was a member of 4-H Key Club, attended the National 4-H Congress, received a national 4-H scholarship and Oklahoma 4-H Hall of Fame award, and he served as Oklahoma 4-H state vice president in 1972.

Moesel met Dona during high school, and the couple began their business in 1974 with a $500 4-H scholarship. They have dedicated their time to the organization ever since.

In the past 25 years, the Moesels and American Plant Products and Services have contributed more than $40,000 to the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation to support a variety of 4-H programs. Moesel has also been a member of the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation Board of Directors since 2003, serving as chairperson in 2009.

The Moesels regularly attend 4-H fundraising events and activities at the county, district and state levels. They have provided support and training for horticultural judging teams and helped rural 4-H'ers travel to Oklahoma City for Capitol Camp. Oklahoma County Extension and 4-H recognized the couple with the Outstanding Supporter of the Year Award in 2022.

"Even though I never was a part of 4-H, I love 4-H," Dona Moesel said. "I think that I will continue to love it because it involves just amazing young people."

Moesel said he looks forward to seeing what young members do with their careers in the future and the impact they will make in the state and country.

William 'Billy' Haltom, State Partner in 4-H Award

William "Billy" Haltom has served as the youth program manager for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Agriculture Youth Program in Okmulgee County since 2012.

"I'm proud to say that we are the only tribal government within the state of Oklahoma and one of the very few that have an agricultural-based youth program," he said.

Haltom has supported 4-H through involvement at county fairs, competitions and educational camps. One of his biggest roles includes organizing the Archery Club and taking members to county, district and state 4-H shooting sports competitions.

He hosts educational trips each summer to Washington, D.C., where 4-H'ers visit their legislators and tour the U.S. Department of Agriculture to learn more about careers in agriculture through tribal governments. Haltom also helps 4-H participants travel to Alabama and Georgia to learn about their cultural heritage.

He said it's rewarding to see kids as young as 8 or 9 years old grow up and become outstanding public speakers with fulfilling careers in agriculture and many different areas.

"The way that I can be involved in agriculture is through helping young people, and that's my calling," Haltom said. "That is one of the things the good Lord has really blessed me with some talent in, and I try to use it to the best of my ability."