82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 15,1986
4-H Is A Top Priority With The Myers Family Of Ashville
BY MARGIE FUSCO
Cambria Co. Correspondent
ASHVILLE - When 8.J., a
steer, took off across the arena at
the Cambria County Fair dragging
12-year-old Billy Myers behind
him, there was gasp from the
crowd. A drag is dangerous enough
for any youngster, but for Billy,
who recently underwent kidney
surgery, the accident could have
done serious damage.
The steer won the tussle, and
Billy dropped the line. The
audience was relieved to see him
get up with no more visible pain
than a sprained ankle. But down in
the arena, Billy was more con
cerned about his animal and how
the show was going, than about any
danger to himself.
But the Myers family of R 1
Ashville, who have been active as a
4-H family for several years, have
learned to take the hazards in
stride. Theresa admits they were
unlikely candidates for 4-H in
volvement. Although she was
raised on a farm, Theresa was
never a 4-H member. Bill grew up
in Cresson and spent time on his
uncle’s farm but was not from a
farm himself. But both Theresa
and Bill like to be active in the
community, and it seemed natural
to them to share their children’s
interests.
Their involvement began when
Jennifer, now 13, started horse
back riding lessons before age 3.
By age 6, she was showing horses
for the first time at the Cambria
County Fair and Billy was right
behind her.
From horses, it was easy to get
interested in showing livestock.
The Myers children raised veal
calves for several years, but when
problems with stress and
chlorinated water at the
fairgrounds cost them their calves,
they decided to move on to bigger
animals.
Three years ago Bill, who stays
with the youngsters at the
fairgrounds for the week, heard
that a new beef club was forming.
The county already had a beef 4-H
unit, but the new organization was
going to focus on county-bred beef
rather than animals brought in
from outside.
Jennifer poses with one of the family horses, Nakema
“I liked the idea,” he recalls. ”1
think good stock should begin at
home, and 1 liked the thought of the
kids being involved with their
animals from birth on.”
Billy and Jennifer joined the
Cloverleaf County-Bred 4-H Beef
Club in its first year and have been
pleased to be part of its growth.
But the Myers’ involvement didn’t
stop at the children; Bill and
Theresa have been active in the
parents’ group from the start.
“Bill and Theresa are terrific,”
says Janet Mayer, who founded the
club. “They’re committed to the
organization and to helping the
kids help themselves. The Myers
are a really special family.”
The Myers themselves refuse to
take much credit for their work.
They stress that the Cloverleaf
club is a special group of kids and
parents with a unique cooperative
spirit. “Our kids have made so
many friends there,” Theresa
says.
“At the fair, all the parents pull
together,” Bill adds. They’re on
the sidelines and in the arena to
keep the kids going. They’re
around to chaperone them on the
midway. Everyone gets involved.”
Jennifer and Billy have a dozen
stories to tell about the past year
alone, how they had a sled riding
party one dark night when tem
peratures were -20 degrees, how
they not only staffed their own
display but helped out other farm
groups during the recent Farm
Awareness Days at a local mall,
how they have some private jokes
shared only by club members.
“These are party kids/’ Theresa
teases. She notes that whenever
possible the youngsters in the club
get together socially as well as for
club meetings.
The strength of the dub is
especially evident on sale night at
the fair. “Kids who graduated
were back in the stands this year,”
Jennifer says. “They weren’t in
the club anymore, but they came
back because they cared how we
all did.”
She points out that the club
members get to know their
sponsors and many of the buyers
throughout the year. During the
sale, they become a cheering
The Myers family of Ashville has been an active 4-H family for several years. They are
Bill and Theresa Myers and their two children, Billy and Jennifer.
section for the bidders.
“No matter what happens, we
always gather together and start
crying during the sale. Kids from
other clubs come over and ask if
we’re OK. We really are. We just
care that much about the sale and
about how everyone does.”
That pulling together was
especially touching for the Myers
this past year. During a routine
scoliosis screening, the school
nurse noticed a problem and
suggested the Myers get Billy
checked. Subsequent tests
revealed that he had a blocked
ureter-, causing an enlarged kid
ney. After a bout with flu delayed
surgery, Billy finally went under
the knife in late February.
Theresa recalls, “When he went
into the operating room, we didn’t
know if he’d be able to keep his
kidney or not. It was the longest
four hours of my life.” The surgeon
was able to save the kidney by
removing the blockage, which took
up 3V4 inches of his ureter.
Billy awoke from the long
surgery to a room filled with
balloons. In his 13 days in the
hospital, he received 160 cards and
letters. He still grins when he
remembers that the walls of his
room were papered with all the
support his friends showed.
The Myers consider themselves
fortunate. Billy was able to return
to school after two months and to
complete the year with his class. In
May he was given a clean bill of
health and was allowed to resume
normal activities.
Although the event at the fair
was frightening, the Myers have
learned to get over their fears and
let Billy resume his favorite ac
tivities. He’s proud of the Penn-
Cambna Middle School football
team he joined this year for the
first time. And he’s looking for
ward to joining the wrestling squad
this winter.
In addition to following 4-H
activities and Billy’s sports, the
Myers support Jennifer in the band
and agree with her decision to go
out for track next spring. Both
Theresa and Bill have been active
as well in Pee Wee baseball and
softball, and Theresa has been a
Brownie leader.
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This past summer was their last
in the Pee Wee league, and Bill and
Theresa are proud of the plaque
they were awarded for their in
volvement. "We had a lot of fun,
but we wanted to move on to other
things, to spend more time with
our own kids as they grow older,"
Theresa says.
The Myers are already looking
torward to next year’s beef show at
the fair. "It’s something special,”
Bill says “The kids can follow
their calves from the start. They
can see them get born, pick the
~m
ones they want, and raise them for
the year.” He adds, “Of course it
isn’t always easy to get them to do
the work.”
Jennifer and Billy laugh and
admit there are times when they
want to escape the chores and
responsibilities. But in the next
breath they’re talking eagerly
about how they helped out on the
farm this past summer and how
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Billy walks Biskit, the calf he's preparing for the 1987
show.
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they’ll enjoy raising pigs again,
stock the Myers sold off when Billy
was hospitalized.
Bill smiles a knowing grin.
“People don’t see what goes on
behind the scenes at the fair, what
goes into turning that newborn calf
into a show animal. It’s a lot of
work, but it’s also the best reward
on earth,” Bill says. “That’s why
we’re involved in 4-H.”
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