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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Lancaster County 4-H is proud to announce Jon and Taryn Vanderford of Lincoln as co-winners of the January “Heart of 4-H Award” in recognition of outstanding volunteer service.
They have volunteered with 4-H in a variety of ways for several years:
- As parent volunteers with the Pick-A-Pig 4-H club, which gives urban youth the opportunity to work with pigs.
- As emcees of the 4-H Rabbit Specialty Show at the Lancaster County Super Fair.
In addition, as anchors of the TV show Pure Nebraska, Jon and Taryn feature a segment about Nebraska 4-H every Friday morning.
Taryn says, “It’s fun to have my daughter involved in 4-H showing pigs. As a family, we enjoy helping her with her project and helping the Pick-A-Pig club as a whole. Whether it’s feeding the pigs, taking them to the fair and shows, or helping the other club members grow in their knowledge of caring for livestock, the 4-H journey has been a rewarding one for our family.”
Jon says, “I like being a 4-H volunteer because I get to see kids find their passions and possibly zero in on what they’d like to do in the future as a career. The Pick-A-Pig club has opened up many doors for our daughter, Olivia, and because of her experiences with the club, she is going to pursue a degree in agricultural communications at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.”
4-H staff member Calvin DeVries says, “Jon and Taryn Vanderford are superior advocates for Nebraska 4-H. Through their efforts with Pure Nebraska, 4-H youth are heard and recognized throughout the state! Both are always willing to lend a hand during the Lancaster County Super Fair, especially helping the Pick-A-Pig 4-H club behind the scenes.”