2010 Clay County - Jim and Joyce Spieker

Jim and Joyce Spieker have been volunteers for the Clay county 4-H program for over thirty years.  They have been involved in almost every aspect of the 4-H program from being parent volunteers, committee members, and being leaders of the Meadow Motivators 4-H Club. work in his schedule.  His son, Justin remembers that his dad always held 4-H events to a higher standard in their household.  Jim would never turn down the opportunity to help the leaders of tomorrow grow and succeed through the 4-H program. 

Joyce was a member of 4-H while growing up, competing in the market steer division.  Joyce has been a member of the Clay County 4-H Swine and Beef Committees, as well as a member of the Clay County Agricultural Extension District Council.  Joyce and Jim have been leaders of the Meadow Motivators 4-H club for over 25 years.  Joyce is always helping kids in her club with various home improvement activities and is good at thinking of creative ways to get kids involved in 4-H programming.

While their sons Bob, Jeremy and Justin were growing up, Jim and Joyce encouraged them in their swine, poultry and other projects.  They knew that 4-H helped build and develop kids into better adults and their children believe that their involvement in 4-H has taught them many life skills.  Now that they have six grandchildren, a new generation of the Spieker family is getting their start in 4-H programming.  Their sons have joked with them that if they wait till their youngest granddaughter is done with 4-H before they retire as leaders, they will have been volunteering for over 40 years.  We wouldn’t be surprised if they did.

Someone once said, “too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”  Through the countless hours of volunteer time, and the many lives they’ve touched as leaders, Jim and Joyce Spieker have been invaluable to the Clay County 4-H youth development program, and we thank them for their dedication.