PULLMAN, Wash. — Thirteen 4-H workers represent King County in the newly created Washington State 4-H Hall of Fame.
Inducted in ceremonies Oct. 18th in Ocean Shores were: Barb Baguhn, 720 4th St. S.E. No. 1, Auburn; Bee Belshaw, 11468 S.E. 86th, Renton; Don Bennett, 3230 Point White Drive N.E., Bainbridge Island; the late Melba Dupar, Bellevue; Peter Fisher, 2000 43rd E. No. 402, Seattle; the late Al Humphrey, Vashion; the late John Little, King County; John Riese, 8432 Midland Road, Medina; Jeff Shushan, 1836 W. Lake Ave N., Seattle; Joseph Slye, 5037 44th Ave. S., Seattle; Nancy Stewart, 14665 154th Place S.E., Renton; Elizabeth Tennison, 16101 126th Ave. S.E., Renton; and Chuck Todd, 18017 S.E. 340th St., Auburn.
Baguhn is the superintendent for the King County Fair guide dog program.
Belshaw was a long time extension agent in King County who devoted countless hours to working with youth in the area. She was involved in 4-H activities at every level in the state.
Bennett served on the Washington State 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees, and was President for three years. He also has been a significant donor to the Washington State 4-H Program.
Dupar was a volunteer leader from 1959 until her death in 1991. In addition to club activities, she was also a chaperone for statewide events. She served on the Board of Trustees of the Washington State 4-H Foundation, including service as vice-president. An endowment was established in her name with the income being used to market 4-H. In addition to her volunteer work on club and state events, Dupar volunteered in the foundation office where she worked on marketing and fund development.
Fisher was elected to the Washington State 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees in 1972 and served until his death in 1995. He served as President in 1977-78. The Peter Fisher Endowment helps 4-H members participate in national events, which reflect Fisher’s interest in government, citizenship, and the political process.
Humphrey was a very active 4-H volunteer during his career as a Seattle police detective, and in retirement. He was involved in the King County 4-H Program, the King County and State 4-H Fairs, and promoted the Ag-in-the-Classroom program. Humphrey also served for several years on the Washington State 4-H Fair Board.
Little began his career to benefit youth in the 1940s. His youth work experiences extended to the public and private school systems, the City of Seattle, various community organizations and churches, as well as WSU Cooperative Extension.
He organized the Seattle Urban 4-H Program in 1979. Little’s two proudest achievements in 4-H were the Challenge Program and Urban 4-H Fair. The Franklin High School 4-H Challenge Club participated in the construction of the Bonney Lake Rope Course and organized an annual cycling and camping trip to Hurricane Ridge.
This led to the securing of a seven-year grant to operate a satellite 4-H office in the city of Seattle and run an extensive Challenge Job Readiness Program. The Urban 4-H Fair started in 1984, and continues today with as many as 200 urban youth participating each year. Little received many honors and awards. His most prized awards were King County’s first Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award and the WSU President’s Award for Community Service.
Riese was an attorney and a long time member and significant donor to the Washington State 4-H Foundation. When he retired from the Board of Trustees in 1987, John was made an Honorary Trustee in recognition of his long and significant contributions to the Washington State 4-H Youth Development Program.
Shushan started with 4-H as a consultant and volunteer for the 4-H Challenge program. He wrote the first Ropes Course curriculum and manual. Much of that work is still being used today. Shushan was the first trainer of facilitators on the Challenge Course and was the lead trainer through 1986.
He maintained his certification on the Challenge Course through 1995. Shushan remains an active leader with the Franklin High School 4-H club. He has led several climbs of Mt. Rainier and participated in other adventures with the club. He has volunteered time to middle management committees for the Seattle 4-H program.
Slye helped develop the model for the Seattle Challenge Program. He is the football coach and PE teacher at Seattle’s Franklin High School and helped develop the Bonney Lake Challenge ropes course. Eventually Slye developed a three-week Challenge class that all 9th graders participate in. He also helped develop a 4-H Water Quality curriculum for 10th and 11th graders. Each year Slye leads bicycle trips from Seattle to Hurricane Ridge and has co-led several trips to Mt. Rainier.
Stewart is a long time 4-H leader in King County. She is most known for her dedication and support of the 4-H Cat Program. It was under her leadership that the Washington 4-H Cat curriculum was developed and put into use statewide. She has spent long hours at county and state fairs giving leadership to cat exhibits and contests.
Tennison started her 4-H career in 1980 as a mother of kids in the Cat project and became a club leader in 1983. She formed her own club in 1984 and still leads it today.
She makes yearly trips to the fabric store with five or more kids, turns her kitchen upside down for cooking classes, holds late night poster making parties for procrastinators, and transports kids to and from meetings.
Tennison organizes the Fashion Revue weekend at the Seattle Center House. She has held numerous positions for county and state 4-H programs and events. Last year she rallied together 4-H members and leaders to make a show of support when I-695 passed.
As a result, 2/3 of the money was reinstated into the county 4-H program. She and two other leaders have set up county Super Saturdays for three years. In 1996 she co-chaired the Western Regional 4-H Forum. In 1998 she was awarded Leader of the Year.
Todd has worked in the State 4-H Ambassador program. He is one of the founders of the State Teen Tech Corps program and helped write the curriculum for the Computer Project. He is a member of the 4-H State Advisory Board, and a long time donor and member of the Washington State 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees.
Induction of the first one hundred people was announced at a State 4-H Forum in Ocean Shores. The hall of fame was created as part of the 4-H centennial celebration.
More than 93,500 Washington youths are enrolled in 4-H programs; over 20,300 are enrolled in 1,733 clubs. Another 73,000 participate in a variety of other 4-H activities, such as the school enrichment program, day camps and overnight camping.
More than 10,300 adult volunteers support 4-H, which is Washington State University Cooperative Extension’s informal, educational program for today’s young people. The program combines the cooperative efforts of youth, volunteer leaders, WSU faculty, federal, state, and local governments, and businesses.
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FOR LOCAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL:
(206) 296-3900 for Carris Booker, 4-H Agent, or
Sonia Morales-Osegueda, 4-H Agent, or
Susan Lerner, 4-H Faculty