4-H-ers show off projects, animals

For Jasper County’s youth, preparing projects and animals for the county fair is a process of hard work for 4-H members who are pursuing a blue ribbon.

Summertime for 4-H members and club leaders means a few things — humidity, showing off fair projects and spending quality time with friends and family.

As the Jasper County Fair hits the halfway mark in its schedule of activities, several 4-H members reflected on their projects and the ribbons they received.

Korie Campbell, 15, is in her fifth year as a 4-H member with the Jolly Workers club. Campbell said the week has been successful for her and her club as they participated in the annual skit and earned a blue ribbon.

“We worked as a team and voted on a theme and ideas,” Campbell said. “We worked with the Sprouts and they are really cute to work with.”

Campbell is the club’s treasurer this year and was the club’s president the year before.

Campbell’s mom, Stephanie, said the Jolly Workers club has challenged her daughter in many ways, one being to think outside the box.

Korie said she submitted several photographs this year that hold sentimental value. One of those photos was of her car’s passenger side mirror with an Iowa sunset shining down on the countryside.

“I volunteer with the Kellogg Fire Department and so this picture brings back memories,” Campbell said.

Korie said the judges didn’t see the photograph in the same way as she does, and she didn’t receive the ribbon she was hoping for, that is something she will try to remember when submitting future photographs.

“I have learned how to take the negative with the positive,” Korie said. “You have to take it in strides and learn from it.”

Jolly Workers club leader Pam Zaabel has been a leader for three years, along with Sara Van Manen.

Zaabel said she is proud of high school students who help the young kids with their annual skit.

“The skit is for all ages to interact,” Zaabel said.

The chain of retired club members returning to speak and mentor is a big part of what the Jolly Workers is all about.

“This year’s (Jasper County Fair) grand marshal, Jeannie Boettcher, was a member of the Jolly Workers. She and other retired folks have come back and speak. It’s pretty cool,” Zaabel said.

Jolly Workers member Allison Bollhoeffer has been a Jolly Workers club member for six years. Bollhoeffer, of Newton, typically shows rabbits and her dogs at the fair.

Aside from being the club’s historian, Bollhoeffer said she enjoys the friends and the memories she has made while being in the club.

“I like the club because it’s like family,” Bollhoeffer said. “We like to to show our projects and we meet together pretty often, we work as a team.”

The Jasper County Fair will contnue through Thursday with the Market Beef Show, a bottle calf show and a hula hoop contest Wednesday. The fair will conclude Thursday with a Farm Credit Services Sale supper, a livestock auction and the teen dance.

Contact Kayla Langmaid at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or klangmaid@newtondailynews.com