Lancaster County 4-H presents a Heart of 4-H Award to a Lancaster County 4-H volunteer each month in recognition of outstanding volunteer service. The purpose of this award is to recognize volunteers who are, indeed, the heart of 4-H.
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The Henshaws have volunteered for the 4-H program for more than 20 years. Jim is a long-time member of the County Fair Livestock Booster Club, is Nebraska State Fair assistant superintendent of 4-H Dairy Goats and has been County Fair superintendent of 4-H Poultry. Bonnie is Lancaster County superintendent of the 4-H Dairy Goats and has been a presenter at the Ag Awareness Festival. Both have also participated on the Livestock VIPS committee.
They live on an acreage south of Lincoln. Their four children have all been 4-H members (youngest daughter Emily is still in 4-H). They have a large garden and sell produce at the Haymarket Farmers' Market.
The Henshaws have provided goats to 4-H youth living in Lincoln who want to learn about goats but don't have room to raise them. These 4-H'ers "adopt" a goat and then come to the Henshaws' acreage on a frequent basis to help care for their goat and practice their showmanship skills.
"Jim and Bonnie have hearts of gold," says 4-H staff member Deanna Karmazin. "They are so willing to help and will do anything to make the 4-H goat program bigger and better. For the Ag Awareness Festival a couple years ago, they made 500 bars of goat-milk soap to give each fourth grader!"