Who’s
BY LOU ANN GOOD /
Zoann Parker is an energetic
dynamo as she oversees the 4-H
Fair which began Tuesday at the
Solanco Fairgrounds. 4-H activi
ties fill her life and this three-day
roundup is the highlight of her
year.
With pride, Zoann points out
that when she first took on the
responsibility as county 4-H coor
dinator 3 Vi years ago, the round
up lasted only one day. Yet she is
quick to add that Lancaster Coun
ty’s 4-H success of ranking 2nd in
the state is not entirely her doings.
She said the parents are extremely
supportive. “They give time being
4-H leaders, they transport their
kids to each event and donate
handcrafted projects to the benefit
auction.”
Zoann attributes the parent’s
cooperation to the culture. “They
are so family-oriented compared to
those in other communities. They
know the importance of 4-H.” “It’s
a great place to live,” she said, but
Lancaster County 4-H Coordinator.
* August 28
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Behind
she feels that people who grow up
here do not realize what a gold
mine they live in. “The work ethic
is beautiful,” she remarked.
Although Zoann grew up in
New York, she certainly doesn’t
lack Lancaster County’s work eth
ic. She often works 80 hours a
week as she trains and recruits over
600 adult leaders and makes it a
point to visit every club at least
once throughout the year. Zoann
jokes, “You can’t have a family
and have this job.”
Yet Zoann has managed to find
time for marriage. Two years ago
she married Terry Schuck who
works at Lancaster Labs. Although
Terry was not raised a 4-H’er,
Zoann has established 4-H com
mitments as a normal part of their
life. Either by force or by choice
Terry now leads a 4-H air rifle
club.
For career purposes, Zoann has
chosen to maintain her maiden
name. “Imagine,” she said, “pco-
“I want a kid in every category
er duties as 10 ma * ce t 0 the nat| onais.”
She is digging to discover the
cause for their not yet making it to
the top. She knows their projects
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Nutritionist From Well Known Companies On Hand
Lancaster 4-H Success
pie having to learn a new last name
for me. It was difficult enough for
them to leam Zoann. I didn’t want
them wailing time hunting my
number up in the phone book and
saying, “Now let’s see - what’s
her name?”
Marriage for Zoann meant mov
ing out of her apartment to a small
farm. The farm was a dream come
true for this country girl who was
raised on a 1000 acre New York
farm. Then, showing steers at fairs
and farmshows was a major part of
her lifestyle. And when she moved
into the area, she missed having
her own animals.
“Now,” she said with obvious
pride, “we have steers, ducks, and
chickens.” Zoann finds it relaxing
to spend lime with the animals. “I
love people and I love my job, but
sometimes I need to get back to the
basics.” And spending time with
her animals docs that for her.
One project that Zoann feels has
eased 4-H leaders’ responsibilities
has been a how-to book she formu
lated to explain all the pertinent
information that leaders need to
know in order to fulfill 4-H respon
sibilities. “Before this book, we
were losing 60% of our leaders
after the first year. That makes it
difficult to recruit-afterwhile you
run out of people. Now with the
book, leaders know exacdy what is
expected of them and how to
accomplish it.”
The time required to put the
book together has paid off. “This is
a time when other counties are los
ing enrollment. We are gaining.
We have a terrific program.”
Zoann isn’t content to have
merely a terrific program. She
wants to have the best in the state.
“There is no reason we can’t,” she
explained. “We have the leaders,
the kids, the values and the craft
manship. Three of our girls ranked
first, second, and fourth in the
Fashion Revue State competition.”
Every year Lancaster has con
sistently been at the top statewide,
but it has been Zoann’s disappoint
ment that no county 4-H’er has
won national recognition. She’s
determined to change that record.
& 29
Custom
1525 S. King St.
Lebanon, PA 17042
Call Glenn, 717-272-3225
Parents like Karen Lehman, Manhelm, enable 4-H to
carry on a successful program. Karen leads a 4-H sew
ing club transports 3 of her children to area clubs &
appliqued this farming scene for the benefit auction.
Her husband, Dennis made the frame.
deserve it. She thinks the weak
area might be in filling out the
required blue forms. “We usually
use a one page form called baby
blue which asks all the necessary '
questions,” but the winners evi
dently impress the judges by filling
out 14 pages on the standard blue
forms plus 5 typewritten pages
telling about their 4-H career.”
Zoann wants the community to
realize all that 4-H offers. She
believes, “The scholarships and
career opportunities are fantastic.”
Zoann graduated from Cornell
University in 1973. She planned to
be an ag teacher and before taking
her present position, she worked
for the government as a dairy
inspector.
Zoann said she couldn’t be as
successful without the help of the
other agents in the office who
assist her in 4-H duties. Still, it’s
Zoann who has her fingers into
everything, her mind is constantly
thinking up new and better ideas.
A priority at this point is selling
up 4-H clubs in suburban com-
Mixing
munities. “It’s tough. Nobody has
time to lead them anymore. The
parents are more willing to drive
their kids to the country for a club
than lead them.”
. Zoann brims with future plans
but as she elaborated on them
someone yelled,” Hey, Zoann, PM
magazine is here. Come quickly.”
“See what I mean?” Zoann said,
throwing her arms outward, “In
Lancaster County the whole com
munity cares!” She continued,
“Today two TV stations, two radio
newscasters and four newspapers
showed up to interview us. This
doesn’t happen in any other county
- there you need to pull teeth to get
a little publicity. But Lancaster
County - they know the impor
tance of 4-H; it’s right up there
with church and family
responsibilities.”
So, you see, the force behind the
county’s successful 4-H program
is not the coordinator alone, but
Lancaster countians who join their
time and talents to make each year
the best 4-H program ever.
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