In 1935, at the age of 12, Betty Wolken, along with her mother, helped organize the Lovell Happy Helpers 4-H club in their home area. Betty served as President of the Jones County 4-H Girls and also was named Outstanding Jones County 4-H Girl. She won the opportunity to compete at the National Dairy Cattle Congress and Iowa State Fair 4-H events.
Her interest in 4-H continued after marriage. Even though she had no daughters, she was a leader of the Wayne Willing Workers Girls' 4-H Club for several years. Betty judged at Jones County Achievement Shows and helped chaperone Jones County 4-H activities including an exchange trip to Montana. Betty also assisted her husband, Carl, in his leadership role with a local boys' 4-H club.
Betty encouraged her three sons to be very active in 4-H until they left for college. One son was elected State Boys' 4-H President in 1961. Two sons and a daughter-in-law have also served as local 4-H leaders, and seven grandchildren have been very active in 4-H. Recently, the next generation of Wolkens became involved in 4-H when a great grandson joined the local 4-H Clover Kids group.
For many years, Betty was the Wayne Township General Election Board supervisor and served on the Jones County Rural Womens' Day planning committee for several years. Betty is active in the womens' functions at her church- mainly the weekly pie-making committee over the last few years. She also enjoys playing bridge.
Betty, and her husband, Carl, have been married for over 70 years. They have participated in foreign trips sponsored by farm groups, and they have also hosted foreign visitors. They have received a donor recognition from the State 4-H Foundation. Betty and Carl very much appreciate their farm life and feel that 4-H has been a very important part in the life of their family
