Butler County 4-H held its Annual Achievement Banquet at the General Richard Butler Vagabonds hall on Monday, Nov. 6. More than 200 county 4-H volunteers, members and their guests recognized leaders and members for their achievements over the past year and for their influence on the county 4-H program.

Don Patton and Fairground Market were both recognized with the Friend of 4-H Award. Both have generously given and supported the Butler 4-H program over the years in many ways.

Patton has been involved in the Butler County Junior Livestock Sale and Butler County 4-H Benefit Auction, and has served on multiple boards as well as donating water at multiple events. Fairground Market has supported 4-H through the Butler County Junior Livestock Sale, donated food items to the Benefit Auction and offered the use of their dumpsters during 4-H events.

Several dedicated 4-H leaders were recognized for their years of service. First-year leaders are Lynda Christy, Poultry Club; Julie Allard, Poultry Club; Megan Lenz, Town & Country; Lisa LeViere, Town & Country; Virginia Vondran, Town & Country; Sara Mabold, Caprine Connection; Jim Williams, Poultry Club; and Misty Thurber, Kashmere Kids.

Five-year leaders are Tammy Crouthamel, Reins & Roses; Shannon Myers, Lucky 7; Jessie Trimble-Rager, Bunni Bunch and Linda Ealy: Drill Team; Michael Bupp, Travel Club; Deb Bupp, Buttons & Bakehouse and Unionville Sewing; Valeria Amerando, Travel Club; Barb Rugh, Youth Council; and Kristen Bohn, Caprine Connection.

Ten-year leaders are Carole Rost, Alpaca Pack; Gary Costel, Poultry Club; Melisa Costel, Buttons & Bakehouse and Fabulous Fiber; and Laurel Ellenberger, Lucky 7.

Bryan Rager of Bunni Bunch was the 15-year leader.

Outstanding Junior 4-H’er winner was Nolan Thurber, son of Misty Thurber of Fenelton. Outstanding Intermediate 4-H’er was Zephan Samuel, son of Yogi and Dhinesh Samuel of Butler. Outstanding Senior 4-H’er was Daisy Snow, daughter of Mary Snow of Mars.

Butler County 4-H’ers received awards from Pomona Grange, Horizon Farm Credit and the Butler County 4-H Development Committee based on their application and project books.

Grange award winners were presented by Jill Cavalero and Rich and Virginia Mangel. Winners were named in several categories. Horse, Kendall Myers; Goat, Ruth Flock; Rabbits, Sarah Bupp; Beef, Rachel Beacom; Sheep, Rebeccah Rodgers; Swine, Melissa Drake; Poultry, Bella Rossi; Textile Science, Lyndsay Mack; Leisure Ed, Zephan Samuel; Science & Technology, Zephan Samuel; Consumer Science & Expressive Arts, Jennifer Morrison.

Horizon Farm Credit presented awards to the following 4-H members for agriculture related projects: Goat, Dylan Thurber; Rabbits, Sarah Bupp; Beef, Rylee Colteryahn; Sheep, Elizabeth Heck; Swine, Nolan Thurber; Poultry, Bella Rossi; Horse, Chloe McNany.

The Butler County 4-H Development Committee gave out the following awards in these categories: Horse, Junior Elizabeth King, Intermediate Adele Hohn and Senior Kendall Myers; Goat, Junior Eliana Blasko and Intermediate Ruth Flock; Rabbits, Junior Chloe McNany and Intermediate Sarah Bupp; Beef, Junior Alyssa Simmons, Intermediate Rylee Colteryahn and Senior Rachel Beacom; Sheep, Junior Alyssa Simmons, Intermediate Melissa Drake and Senior Mayson Kennedy; Swine, Junior Nolan Thurber, Intermediate Hunter Smith and Senior Morgan Teets; and Poultry, Intermediate Melanie Mitchell.

Winners in the Other Animal Science category were: Junior Madison Blasko and Intermediate Zephan Samuel; Textile Science, Junior Julianna Perotti, Intermediate Sarah Bupp and Senior Lindsay Mack; Leisure Ed, Junior Nolan Thurber and Intermediate Zephan Samuel; Science & Technology, Junior Mia Palamara and Intermediate Samuel Walowen; Consumer Science & Expressive Arts, Junior Eliana Blasko and Madison Blasko, Intermediate Dylan Thurber and Senior Jennifer Morrison; and Environmental and Earth Science, Junior Nolan Thurber and Intermediate Zephan Samuel.

The following 4-H horse project members were recognized for completing: Level 1 Skills, Rylee Sherman, Emma Sasse, Hattie Schwalm, Justice Patterson, Ella Brewster, Melanie Isaacs, Maci Boulanger, Teagan Ballentine and Mia Karenbauer; Level 2 Skills, Adele Hohn, Taylor Miller and Reed Messer; Level 3 Skills, Maggie Schwalm; and Level 4 Skills, Kendall Myers. Also, Taylor Miller was recognized for 300 Hoof Hours.

4-H members receiving their Clover Awards were: Alexis Hewitt, Bronze, Silver & Gold; Julianna Perotti, Green & White; Bethany Scuticchio, Green; Karolina Karner, Green & White; Caleb Blasko, Bronze; Eliana Blasko, Bronze; Madison Blasko, White; Leanne Crawford, Green & White; Emalee Earley, Green, White & Bronze; David Kramer, Green & White; Emily Kramer, Green & White; Philip Kramer, Green & White; Matthew Miller, Green & White; Dylan Thurber, White, Bronze & Silver; Nolan Thurber, White & Bronze; Bailey Jackson, Green; A.J. Snow, Green; Daisy Snow, Gold; Rose Snow, Green; Zephan Samuel, Gold; Samuel Walowen, Bronze & Silver; Emmett LeViere, Green; Jackson LeViere, White; Margaret LeViere, Gold; Elizabeth Littlejohn, Bronze; Cheyanne McDonald, Silver; Colton Schaffner, Green & White; Emmalyn Schaffner, Green & White; Natalie Sheirer, Bronze; Paityn Sheirer, Green; Haley Vorndran, White, Bronze & Silver; Reagan Zanaglio, Green, White & Bronze.

Club award winners were Petting Zoo Participation — Buttons & Bakehouse; Blue Ribbon Club Award — Buttons & Bakehouse; Club Scrapbook Winner — Lucky 7; and Individual Scrapbook winner — Zephan Samuel.

Butler County 4-H is part of the nation’s largest nonformal youth development organization that provides youth ages 8 to 19 the opportunity to “learn by doing” through a variety of hands-on projects.

Butler County has over 30 4-H clubs with more than 330 members in small and large animal projects as well as sewing and baking, environmental sciences and robotics, among others.