Great Neighbor: Teresa Pratt

The fair marks the culmination of many 4H projects young people have worked on all year. It’s all made possible by adult volunteers.

This is what these 4H kids have worked up to all year – the sheep show at the fair with a chance at a blue.”

For twenty-five years, 4H volunteer, Teresa Pratt, has helped young people like these to get to this point.

“It’s been a wonderful experience,” volunteer Teresa Pratt said. “I think 4H is one of the most wonderful programs there is. It teaches the youth about so many things about life in general.”

It’s not an easy job to plan 4H meetings every other week throughout the year to teach these kids. That’s why there’s a shortage of 4H leaders.

“It takes a lot of time to be a 4H leader, and there’s just a lot of people that don’t have the time or want to put out the time so it’s really hard — we do need a lot more leaders,” said Pratt.

With all the time and commitment involved in being a 4H leader, there must be something rewarding about the experience that keeps leaders like Teresa coming back year after year.
She says there is.

“My kids are all grown so this way I still get to be a part of it and still get to help other kids — that’s the rewarding part,” said Pratt. “The rewarding part is seeing the smile on their face when they do well.”

It’s a valuable experience for the kids involved as this year’s sheep show winner, Emily Fraser explains, “I learned how to show and how to be responsible.”

“Those animals aren’t like us, they can’t just go get something out of the fridge. They have to be taken care of a couple times a day; they have to have water and food, and so it teaches them responsibility,” said Pratt.

So we salute Teresa Pratt and all the other 4H leaders to volunteer their time to run this valuable program.