State’s largest youth development program reports 5,586 volunteers in the past year
MANHATTAN, Kan. – A Shawnee County woman who helped a youngster overcome allergies to be able to show sheep and goats, and a Harvey County woman who says she’s inspired by the joy she sees in youngsters’ faces when they win awards for their projects, have received recognition from the Kansas 4-H Youth Development program as outstanding volunteers.
Kate Langworthy of Topeka is the 2024 Kansas 4-H Volunteer of the Year, while Lisa Golubski of Newton has received the 2024 Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer Award.
The Kansas 4-H program, which has its headquarters on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan, reports that 5,586 Kansans provided direct volunteer service in the program year that ended on Sept. 30, 2024.
“Volunteers are critical to our organization; we can not deliver the 4-H program without them,” said Kansas 4-H Youth Development Program Leader Sarah Maas, noting that the 2024 North Central Regional 4-H Volunteer Survey indicates that the top reasons volunteers give their time is to make a difference in their communities and support their children.
More than 90% of those who responded to the survey reported that they taught youth new skills and had planned learning experiences. Also, 88% said they had made a connection within their community as a result of their volunteer experience.
Kansas 4-H Volunteer of the Year
Langworthy has volunteered for the Silver Lake 4-H Club each year since 2018. She said she’s inspired by having had adults who helped during her own 4-H years: “I want to repay the investments that were made in me.”
Langworthy has volunteered for the county fair, a livestock sale, craft fair, Operation Christmas Child, homecoming float committee and more. She has mentored youth who have documented the history of the club and helped youth prepare for speech competitions and presentations.
She is also a trainer for officer leader training and co-superintendent of the Round Robin Showmanship competition.
Langworthy recalls a time when a young girl wanted to show sheep and goats in the showmanship event, but was allergic to both animals. Langworthy and her sister – who were the superintendents – developed a scoring metric to designate points for knowledge and handling that allowed the youngster to participate safely.
“The real value of volunteerism is helping to form productive adults,” Langworthy said. “Youth who build relationships, learn skills and engage in their community become adults who do the same, and those are the building blocks of a successful society. Volunteers who invest time and energy into teaching the next generation are figuratively and literally shaping the world of the future.”
“I credit my time in 4-H as a large part of my success in my personal and professional life, and to have my contribution to the futures of others recognized is a wonderful feeling.”
2024 Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer
Anne Pitts, the Harvey County 4-H and Human Development agent, says she wouldn’t be able to reach the number of youth the county does without volunteers like Golubski.
“Lisa is a great volunteer and one that I can call upon to help work out problems,” Pitts said.
Golubski was a nine-year 4-H member with the Neosho Valley 4-H Club in Morris County, and has been the 4-H leader or co-leader in Harvey County since 2013.
“I am very humbled and honored to receive this award,” she said. “4-H was an extremely important part of my life growing up, so I am thrilled that I get to witness and assist other families that choose 4-H to be part of their lives.”
In 2017, Golubski helped to lead her club through a merger with another club. She is lauded by 4-H members and families for her organizational skills, as well as a commitment to community service, leadership, knowledge and fellowship.
She has helped to lead or organize such events as Club Days, the county achievement banquet, the county food booth, Taste of Newton Fundraiser Dough Maker and various family recruiting events.
“With 4-H, I think one of the neatest and most joyful parts of volunteering comes in a couple of ways,” Golubski said. “The first is when new families with young children decide to join 4-H. The children are often shy or quiet…seeing these young ones overcome those fears and develop confidence as motion makers or even club officers is awesome to witness.”
“The second part that comes to mind is the pure joyfulness the 4-Hers of all ages get when they have earned a blue or purple ribbon. That definitely never gets old.”
To learn more about opportunities available to Kansans through 4-H, visit www.kansas4-h.org.
-30-
FOR PRINT PUBLICATIONS: Links used in this story
Kansas 4-H Youth Development, www.kansas4-h.org
K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Story by:
Pat Melgares
More information:
Sarah Maass
785-532-5800
