Berks County 4-H Dairy Club members were recognized during the recent Berks County 4-H Dairy Banquet at Virginville Grange Hall.
The Joyce Miller 4-H Career Advancement Award was awarded to Kristin Johns of the Western Berks 4-H Dairy Club. The award recognizes an outstanding club member for leadership experiences, participation in club and county events, and community service. The award will be used for higher education, career training or career investment. A nine-year member of Western Berks 4-H Dairy Club, Kristin has served as club treasurer and Scrapbook Chair for many years and active in 4-H dairy judging. Her most meaningful 4-H leadership experience has been helping her fellow 4-H members with their project animals before and during the fairs.
The Charles D. Care Memorial Rookie Award is presented to a first or second year member from each dairy club. Each club nominates a member who attends club meetings, participates in projects, helps out at the fair with good housekeeping and participates in showmanship and fitting. Rookie of the Year were Justin Keller from Eastern Berks 4-H Dairy Club, Wyatt Koller from the Northern Berks 4-H Dairy Club and Ben Zeller from the Western Berks 4-H Dairy Club. The overall county Charles D. Care Rookie of the Year was Wyatt Koller.
Records on their cattle are kept all year long, which are then judged and the top 3 in each division are recognized. The 4-H Dairy Record Books were judged by Diana Dietrich a former Berks County 4-H leader. Winners were Beginner Division 1st place James Moyer, Eastern Berks; 2nd place Allison Younker, Northern Berks; 3rd place Madison Hetrick, Eastern Berks; Intermediate Division 1st place Mackenzie Blatt, Northern Berks; 2nd place Paige Bechtel, Western Berks; 3rd place Peter Rohrbach, Eastern Berks; Senior Division 1st place Isaac Rohrbach, Eastern Berks; 2nd place Stephanie Younker, Northern Berks; 3rd place Jason Moyer, Eastern Berks.
Beginner 4-H Herd Journals were judged by Ashley and Kevin Buch and the Intermediate and Senior Division were judged by Kacey Rice. The winners were Beginner Division 1st place Danica Rhoads, Northern Berks; 2nd place Nicholas Brown, Western Berks; 3rd place Sara Haag, Northern Berks; Intermediate Division 1st place Autumn Gamler, Eastern Berks; 2nd place Natalie Grumbine, Western Berks; 3rd place Morgan Hillegas, Eastern Berks; Senior Division 1st place Kristin Johns, Western Berks; 2nd place Samuel Angstadt, Eastern Berks; 3rd place Joel Younker, Northern Berks.
Officer book awards were presented to Secretary Book – Olivia Lesher, Western Berks; Treasurer Book – Paige Bechtel, Western Berks; Scrapbook – Eastern Berks 4-H Dairy Club.
Berks County 4-H Extension Educator Jennifer Koller presented crocks to Donna Werley and Susan Younker thanking them for their dedication to the 4-H dairy program. Both Donna and Susan stepped down this past year. Donna has been an Organizational Leader with Northern Berks 4-H Dairy Club for the past 30 years, as well as past 4-H dairy bowl coach. Susan was a 4-H leader with Northern Berks 4-H Dairy Club and Berks County 4-H Dairy Council Treasurer for the past 11 years.
Members were recognized for participation in dairy judging at the Penn State Spring Contest, dairy bowl at State Achievement Days and the National 4-H Dairy Bowl Contest, the Pennsylvania Junior Dairy Show, the All-American Dairy Show Showmanship Contest, and as Teen Leaders in the Berks County 4-H Program.
Brooke Wengert, Joel Younker and Samuel Angstadt all graduated out of the 4-H program this past year and were given a small token of appreciation.
Entertainment was by Taylor Pool, Berks County Dairy Princess and Malaina Rhoads, Berks County Li’l Miss Dairy Princess. Taylor played dairy trivia musical chairs with members and parents. Malaina sang her song and told a joke.
Program participants included Master of Ceremonies Joel Younker and Madison Knepp of Northern Berks; Invocation was given by Samuel Angstadt of Eastern Berks; Pledges were led by the “Rookies of the Year.”
