County 4-H honors volunteers and leaders

Hampton Township — The annual 4-H Volunteer Appreciation Dinner was held recently at the Baleville Church Fellowship Hall in Hampton Township. Lois Chammings, chair of the Sussex County 4-H Advisory Council, Dave Foord, 4-H program associate, and Michelle Teitsma, 4-H program assistant, distributed the awards, pins and certificates to 4-H leaders and volunteers in attendance. The Baleville Church Ladies Aid group prepared and served a turkey dinner. Joy Ricker received the Youth Development Award to an Individual. She has served as a local 4-H leader for 50 years. In addition to leading a thriving 4-H club, she has been an advocate for the 4-H program in the county. She serves on the 4-H Advisory Council, judges public presentation every year and donates trays for the annual 4-H Tricky Tray. The Chatterbox Restaurant and Don Hall received the Youth Development Award to a Business. Hall, owner and operator of the Chatterbox Restaurant, is a strong 4-H supporter. He regularly sponsors 4-H events and allows the 4-H program to advertise these events in his restaurant. Tammy Hayes received the 4-H Alumni Award. She grew up in the Dairy Project of the 4-H program. Since then she has become an unsung hero of the NJ State Fair/Sussex County Farm & Horse Show. She organizes all the 4-H shows and entries for the fair each year and is an authority on every show’s rules and regulations. Stephen Komar received the Friend of 4-H Award. He is the Sussex County Agricultural Agent who began his work with the 4-H program while serving as an agricultural agent in Georgia. Since coming to Sussex County he has aided the 4-H Program every year in many ways, including judging public presentations, volunteering his time at fundraisers, working with the youth directly at educational programs, and acting as MC at many 4-H events. Chammings received a special recognition from the 4-H program this year. The program wishes to acknowledge he many years as a dedicated volunteer for this program. She has served on the 4-H Advisory Council for seven years and has recently joined the Sussex County 4-H Foundation. She donates the use of her riding arena every year to the 4-H Horse Project, assists with organizing fundraisers and events for the program and judges public presentations.