B2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 3,1981
Two reap benefits 4-H offers
BY SALLY BAIR
Staff Correspondent
Gretchen Doner and Hal Enders
are pioneering new territory as
they undertake activities as the
first-ever Outstanding 4-H Girl and
Boy in Lancaster County. Gret
chen is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Claude Doner, New
Providence, R 2, and Hal is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Hal Enders, Sr.
3203 Horizon Drive, Mountville.
The two 4-H’ers were selected to
represent Lancaster County 4-H at
the annual Achievement Day in
August and are now beginning to
make appearances to boost 4-H.
The Outstanding Boy and Girl
contest was initiated this year to
replace the 4-H Junior and Senior
Queen contest that had been a part
of Achievement Day for many
years.
Gretchen, 17, Hal, 17, share an
enthusiasm for their new role and
an ability to express themselves
about 4-H’s virtues.
Although she served for one year
as the Junior 4-H Queen, Gretchen
approved the move to a Boy and
Girl contest. She states, "I thought
it was a good idea to change. The
D* x *e gets some Playful attention learn more about the care of her horse,- and
n . . l- ancas ter County’s had a whole new world of activities opened to
Outstanding 4-H Girl. Gretchen jointed 4-H to her.
guys should have as much of a
chance to be recognized. It is a title
which can be used to promote 4-
H.”
Hal responds, “1 liked the
queens, and the guys did get in
volved as escorts. But this is'more
fair and equitable for both. 1 was
pretty happy when 1 won. Although
I was really tired that night from
helping to set up for Achievement
Day, I mostly felt rejunevated
when I won and was ready to go.”
Both these teenagers make it
clear that they consider 4-H a very
valuable part of their total ex
perience. Gretchen expresses her
reasons for liking 4-H this way,
“There are all kinds of ways to
develop yourself and to gam
confidence. And all the kids are
just super.
“I learned so much I know 1
would not have my horse now if it
were not for 4-H. It keeps me
riding. But no matter what your
interest, you gam so much. It gives
you a good feeling.”
Hal adds, “People is what makes
4-H. I have gamed a lot and made a
lot of friends.. You see people from
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different events oyer and over
again.
“I think 4-H is meeting a lot of
needs. It gives you acceptance and
is a way of getting a pat on the
back when you do well. It offers
friendship and allows you to be a
part of something. You can
achieve something not related to
school, and you learn about other
people.”
On a personal basis Hal feels 4-H
has enriched him tremendously. "I
have learned to take responsibility
and to channel it and challenge
others to get a job done. I have
gained self-confidence and learned
how to conduct myself in front of a
large audience. It has made me a
better person and has made me a
better influence on others.”
As part of the contest, each
participant had to present a radio
commercial before the audience.
Gretchen did a take off on the 4-
H’s, head, heart, handls and health,
substituting her own words. She
said to her, the 4-H’s mean home,
hard work, help and happiness,
explaining, "No matter where you
go you find lots of friends and 4-H is
like one big family. Hard work
pays off with a ribbon or the
satisfaction of learning. Help
comes from leaders willing to give
a helping hand and you can return
the favor by helping younger
members. Happiness in 4-H comes
from making friends, gaining
knowledge and seeing 4-H’ers grow
as individuals.
For Hal’s commercial he spoke
as Chris Clover, a character he
often assumed when he wore the
plywood frame of Chris at many
area parades and events over the
summer. As Chris Clover, he of
fered his listening audience and
"irrestible offer,” saying, “For a
small part of your time, your
enthusiasm, and your fun and
learning spirit you can belong to 4-
H”, He. told young people, ages 8-
18, to jom 4-H as a member, and
encouraged those over 18 to
become involved as a leader of one
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Hal Enders, Lancaster County’s Outstanding 4-H Boy,
models the latest in backpacking equipment, necessary for a
hike through the wilds. Backpacking has become one of Hal’s
favorite 4-H projects.
of the 100 projects available to 4-H
members.
Gretchen has been a member of
the 4-H Rough Riders for five years
and has served as vice-president,
president and secretary. She
participated in Capitol Days in
Harrisburg and in Leadership
Congress at Penn State as well as
serving as recreation leader for
county 4-H day camp.
She has been a member of the 4-
H horse judging team for two
years, an experience which she
consides very valuable in helping
her learn to speak well and in
improving her memory. “You
have to be able to defend what you
said. That’s quite a task and I’ve
really learned about horses. v
Gretchen feels that being m 4-H
has helped her improve her riding,
something she tries to do daily.
About horse shows she says.
“Winning is not everything. I just
like to place well. I’m very happy
with the horse I’ve got. ’ ’
A member of the Mountville
Community Club for eight years,
Hal has had a variety of projects
including dogs, gardening, pet
care, bicycle, electric and gasoline
engines, woodworking, leather
craft, wildlife, chef’s league and
backpacking. '
He has also served as teen leader
in dogs, gasoline engines, wildlife
and pet care.
He has been vice-president,
president and co-game leader in
his club. He has participated in
county and regional demon
strations, county day camp,
regional teen leader retreat,
served as senior counselor at 4-H
camp at Camp Nawakwa, and
attended a regional dog leader
training workshop. He has also
attended 4-H Capitol Days,
Leadership Congress at Penn State
and the Citizenship Washington
Focus in our nation’s capital. In
addition, he has spoken on local
television twice and represented 4-
H at the local bankers’ banquet.
Hal is enthusiastic about most of
the projects he has had, saying, “4-
H is full of surprises.” Back
packing is one of his current
favorites. He says, “It is a totally
different dimension, and you see
people in a new light when you go
backpacking together.”
Gretchen can remember that she
joined 4-H specifically to gam '
information about the -horse she
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owned. She is an eager teen leader,
saying that she enjoys watching
the young members learn and
grow. '
Hal talks about why he enrolled
in 4-H. "1 was lucky. My mom was
organizational leader and she
wanted more guys in the club and.
wanted to get projects which were
interesting to guys. At first 1 was
just going along and doing,
projects, but in the last few years
I’ve had my own reasons for
belonging. I feel teen leadership is
very rewarding. I know how it feels
to learn how to do something, and
now I find kids who can finish a
project in one week instead of
being able to do nothing.”
Both Gretchen and Hal have
found time in their busy schedules
to work with the 4-H therapeutic
nding program. Gretchen says,
“It was a neat experience to work
with those kids. It gives you a
tremendous feeling to watch their
progress.”
Hal also likes working with the
handicapped riders and adds, “I’d
like to see everybody be more
responsible to people who are not
so healthy.”
While these outstanding 4-H’ers
feel that 4-H is a terrific program,
they can also see some room for
improvement. Hal says, “1 think
one shortcoming of 4-H is that we
don’t keep the older youth, and it is
then that they can see the value of
it. Once they are out, they lose
contact.”
He also wants to see more
community involvement in 4-H.
“They know about 4-H, but we
don’t make them appreciate us
very much. We could be more
involved in community pride and
help with community spirit. Spirit
is something we’ve got lots of. ’ ’
While in Washington, Hal
became interested in conservation
and said he would like to see 4-H
more involved in picking up trash
and recycling, perhaps as a fund
raiser.
Gretchen agrees that there is a
need to keep the interest of young
people through high school, and
agrees that it takes a lot of
motivation and support from home
to maintain that interest. She said
she frequently comes home from
hockey practice, shoves down her
supper and goes off to a meeting.
(Turn to Page B 4)
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