—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Oct. 16, 1976 50 Sheep showman has many talenfs By SUSAN KAUFFMAN Feature Writer A bright smile, a quick-thinking mind, coupled with easy, fluent speech, and a seemingly limitless abundance of youthful energy and determination are the out standing characteristics Linda Ebaugh unconsciously displays to all who come into contact with her. She is a remarkably busy and poised young woman who gives much of the credit for her long list of achievements and self-confidence to her eight years of 4-H experience. “I have learned more about organization of time and energy and ease Jn public speaking from 4-H than from my classes in school,” she says. “4-H has a lot to offer young people,” she adds. Keeping Up with Linda’s achievements lately requires a constant watch. Among recent outstanding awards was her selection as the York County 4-H Girl at the York Fair in Sep tember. In early October she was chosen as one of 40 state winners in the 4-H National Awards Program. As a state winner in achievement she was judged on all her projects since 1969 when she first started in 4-H at the age of nine, all the honors she has received, all the programs in which she participated, her efforts in community services, and'a personal in terview conducted by the state judges. This award was the result of years of working with projects to achieve quality, hours of compiling accurate records, and an ever-increasing awareness of her own capabilities and the confidence they bring. Linda jokes that she got off to an early start in 4-H work because at the age of six months her mother used her as part of a demonstration in a child care project she was leading in the Aindlle 4-H Club. Having a mother who is dedicated to the almost fulltime work required in leading a community club, helped Linda become involved. But, her own determination and effort account for her long list of awards and honors. Since 1969 Linda, the daughter* of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ebaugh, Delta, R 2, has had projects in clothing construction, foods, horse, child care, dairy, vegetables, tractor, veterinary science-beef, sheep, candles, handicrafts, physical fitness, and teen leadership. Her work with Holstein calves and heifers, Hereford beef, Hampshire and Suffolk sheep, and a pony and quarter horse has shown her a need for large animal veterinarians and pointed the way to her own interest in these animals’ care. She is in her senior year at Red lion High School enrolled in the accelerated program in preparation to study animal science and veterinary medicine in college. „ “If I could be as good a vet as James Herriot in All Things Bright and Beautiful, After her rather large, eventful with a few of her many. In her hand, years in 4-H Linda has quite a few she holds her favorite plaque, awards to her name. She ts shown (an autobiography by a British veterinarian) I will have reached my goal,” she remarks. So farthere have been few, if any, goals she has set for herself that she has not reached. A‘ partial list of her ac complishments in the past eight years includes holding nearly every officer’s position in a local club and the York County 4-H Council, placing as second individual in the state and 16th individual in the nation in meats judging contests, being named the Outstanding Individual in the Junior Stockman Judging Contest at the Eastern National livestock Show at Timonium, Md„ in 1975, Keystone 4-H Sheep attd Agriculture winner. Out standing Girl in local and county 4-H clubs, and the Pa. Distinguished Junior Holstein Member. There's more to raising sheep than taking part in shows. Here, Linda Along with her ability to show top quality animals and finished products of projects, Linda has also developed skill in verbally communicating her knowledge of these projects. Her 4-H sheep demonstration entry captured the county and district prizes and the state gold award. Later she presented it at the Keystone Livestock Exposition before the Junior Suffolk Association and went on to place first at the Chicago International Livestock Exposition. Yet another honor given to her which attests to her ability to share her un derstanding of 4-H programs is her selection this year as couselor for the 1977 state leadership camp. '"7frr t ?g- '' * v /jj? This is Linda’s famous pose which can be found with nearly any article on a sheep show in which she has goes about her daily chores of feeding her market lambs and ewes. Linda has 17 trophies and several plaques awarded to her by community fairs and service organizations such as die Grand Champion Dairy Showman at the Dallastown Fair and the Outstanding 4-H Girl presented by the Kiwanis Club. Her favorite trophy is the one presented to her at the 1975 Farm Show. Placing first in the state in sheep blocking and grooming was a special accomplishment to Linda. As with her other projects, she read all she could and foUowwed instructions for showing her projects. When reading material wasn’t available, she found 4-H leaders or other adults in the community who could instruct her. One such adult helper, not a 4-H leader, showed her how to groom and fit her sheep but she could never seem to get as smooth a line as she liked. He told her he would-will her his shears, and after bis death his wife gave them to Linda. She said, remembering the preparations for the Farm Slow judging, ‘ ‘I had my friend’s shears in my bands and I realized I had the purpose, the in spiration, and the desire to place this time.” Linda’s determination to do quality work in a number of activities requires her to budget her time wisely between school activities, 4-H projects, and church in volvement. “I always find time to do the things I like,” she explains. “What you get out of anything depends on how much you put in. I don’t belong to many activities in school entered. The animal's name is Hezikiah, and is her 1976 showing and fitting sheep. because I have taken more advanced courses for college preparation, and I have to work harder at my subjects than some of the others in my classes do.” Then she added, “I have plenty to do with 4-H ac tivities outside of school." hi her 4-H experience she discovered something she suggests other young people follow: ‘.‘Absorb what your qualified leaders show and tell you. Learn by watching, listening carefully, then doing. Organize your work. Set priorities; divide your time into worthwhile projects, and don't procrastinate.” At one time she may have been guilty of the last fault, but says now, “I’m not such a procrastinator, anymore. Putting off until later doesn’t! work very well when keeping project il books, and keeping good, accurate records; is a necissUy for jusf about everyone who is' serious about his work.” " Although Linda goes about her school, work and 4-H undertakings with a serious-" minded purpose she is neither narrow minded nor unsympathetic to others. While working*hard at her own projects she readily sees and acknowledges ex cellence in others. She quickly gives credit to the '‘many highly qualified club leaders in the Airville club" and her mother - “She’s a remarkable woman - a really great person. Mom has been the organizational leader for our local club for 16 years,” she explains. Mrs. Ebaugh says of Linda, “She makes me dizzy sometimes with all her activities. She always has to be doing something.” If the something Linda is doing isn’t 4*h|< or school work related, it is probably singing. Linda is an alto in the High School Concert Choir, the Salem United Methodist Church Senior Choir, a combined com munity choir which presents cantatas, and the Bicentennial Choir of the Delta-area. She teaches the primary Sunday school classes and has served as vice-president and secretary of the Youth Fellowship at Salem. Linda helps her 12-year-old brother, Mark, and her mother care for the 170 sheep on their 78 acre farm and works on Saturdays at her father’s grocery store in Stewartstown. No matter where Linda is headed, she will be going with determination and confidence because she has learned to watch others, listen carefully, absorb all she can from others’ experience, then do it herself - a sure formula for success. Homestead Notes r i - I
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