Siblings Turn Rivalry Into ‘Making The Best Better '
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
CLAY (Lancaster Co.) —Mae
than 5.4 million youth celebrate
4-H Conference Week from March
14-21.
The sky is the limit as far as
opportunities 4-H’crs can take
advantage of doing, but few go as
far as Gerald Boyd.
The 18-year-old is die Superior
Achievement Award winner. He
has been selected as the most out
standing Lancaster County 4-H’er
who has best achieved all-around
growth in project skills, leadership
abilities, improvement in life
skills, decision making, citizen
ship, and participation in club,
county, regional, state, and nation
al 4-H events and in school and
community service.
The soft-spoken Gerald candid
ly talks about his beginning years
in the 4-H program, and how he
weathered bouts of envy and dis
appointment along the way. It was
a maturing process that he believes
has well-prepared him for life in
the working world.
Gerald seems to shrug off his
achievements as inconsequential
Instead, he praises the 4-H prog
ram, extension agents that worked
with him such as Zoann Parker.
Chet Hughes, and Glen Shirk, and
his Uncle Darvin Boyd for being a
great inspiration and encourage
ment to him.
Ironically, the fund for the
Superior Achievement Award was
first established in honor of Ger
ald’s grandparents. Elmer and
Pauline Boyd, 14 years ago. His
grandfather had been a 4-H leader
for 29 years.
Although Gerald doesn’t recall
much about his grandfather who
died when Gerald was a toddler, he
does remember his grandmother
wliq shared a lot of family history.
As a shy eight-year-old, Ger
ald’s confidence was greatly
boosted when he showed the grand
champion junior yearling at the
county roundup.
“My dad had given me a really
good animal” he said.
V / —-j| CLOSED SUNDAYS, NEW YEAR,
EASTER MONDAY, ASCENSION DAY,
WHIT MONDAY, OCT. 11, THANKSGIVING,
CHRISTMAS & DECEMBER 26TH
FISHER’S FURNITURE, INC.
NEW AND USED FURNITURE
USED COAL & WOOD HEATERS
COUNTRY FURNITURE & ANTIQUES
BUS. HRS. BOX 57
MON.-THURS. 8-5 1129 GEORGETOWN RD.
FRI, 8-8, SAT. 8-12 BART, PA 17503
Chiropractor |
To Your Poor|
Dr. George
/ 0 Years Experience
Licensed And Insured
In Pennsylvania
$15.00 Adult
$lO.OO Children Under 12
$50.00 Family Plan (immediate family)
(Father, Mother & Children)
Lancaster Co., Berks Co., Chester Co
and Surrounding Areas
Call Locally 717-396-9694
Or
Call Toll Free 1-888-396-9694
Monday-Friday 7 am - 7 pm
Saturday 7 am - 1 pm
Clay View Farm Is home for Gerald and Sarah Boyd and
the place where they raise dairy, beef, goat, and sheep 4-H
projects.
Much to his chagrin, winning
didn’t come easily the next year.
Things became even worse the fol
lowing year when his little sister
started showing hogs in competi
tion. That was the year that Sarah
won grand champion hog at four
different fairs.
“That is the year that our family
found out die way siblings can act
when one is winning and the out
lier isn’t,” Sarah said.
Gerald smiles in retrospect, but
admits, “When she was winning I
got jealous and I really despised
her at times.”
Estate Planning
for the Farm
Family.
cosponsored by
Ephrata Community Hospital Foundation
James R. Clark, Attorney at Law
James & Clark, LLP
Wednesday, March 25
12 p.m. - 2 p.m
Hospital Board Room
(lunch included)
Reservations needed. Call 717-738-6569
But the sibling bickering was
shortlived. By the end of the lair
season, Gerald realized that when
his sister won, he got half of die
earnings.
“So we made up and became a
team instead of individuals ready
to kill each other " Gerald said. “It
taught me to learn to share even if
was difficult.”
While winning is an objective,
Gerald soon decided that other
objectives were also important,
such as encouraging and helping
out other members. “You also feel
good about the knowledge that
you’ve gained, which is what mat
ters most, and not the winning,” he
said.
But that philosophy didn’t pre
vent Gerald from winning. Tro
phies, ribbons, and banners fill his
bedroom and a portion of the
downstairs family room. Again
and again, Gerald showed champ
ion hogs, dairy animals, sheep, and
last year, goats.
Throughout the years, the
siblings spurred on each other with
friendly competition. Each worked
individually on their project books
by trying to outdo each other. Then
they critiqued each other’s book.
(Turn to Pago B 12)
"Designed specifically to
meet your tax saving
needs."
and
Surrounded with trophies and ribbons Gerald gives his
sister Sarah a hug. They candidly share how sibling Jea
lousy turned Into love and respect for each other. “We
bonded together to make the motto ‘Make the best Better,’”
Sarah said. “We stuck together.” This Is only a small portion
of the many trophies and ribbons Gerald has earned.
While winning Is an objective, Gerald stresses that
encouraging and helping out other members Is rewarding.
“You also feel good about the knbwledge that you’ve
gained, which Is what matters most, and not the winning,”
he said.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 14, 1998-B3