Heart of 4-H Award Winner: Ruth Lantis

Heart of 4-H logo.

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 serice. The purpose of this award is to recognize volunteers who are, indeed, the heart of 4-H.

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April 2003
Ruth Lantis
Ruth Lantis holding balloons.
Ruth Lantis

Ruth has been the organizational leader of the Star City Kids since it formed six years ago. Star City Kids is one of Lancaster County's largest 4-H clubs with 62 members. All of the members are homeschoolers. The mothers of the members are all very involved as project leaders and try to attend all the meetings. Ruth coordinates the meetings and project leaders.

Cathy Hurdle, a Star City Kids parent and project leader, nominated Ruth, saying, "Ruth is the 'heart' of our 4-H group. Even though the group has grown to 22 families, she has managed to maintain order and a freshness to the group."

"I love watching the kids learn and grow," Ruth says of being a 4-H volunteer. "I also enjoy working with all the moms in our club."

Her favorite experience as a 4-H volunteer was watching club members develop, practice and perform skits for last year's Music Contest which they took to the State Fair.

She attends the State 4-H Volunteer Leader Forum whenever possible. She says, "It is a wonderful experience and opens my eyes to all the opportunities within 4-H."

Ruth and her husband Tom homeschool their children: Julie (age 16), Katherine (age 15), Jordan (age 14), Tommy (age 13) and Josh (age 11).

Ruth also helps out at the annual 4-H Clover College (last year, Katherine, Jordan and Tommy also assisted).

She works at Martin Luther Homes and is active in her church. Ruth and her children deliver Meals on Wheels.