2011 Mahaska County - Van Engelenhoven

There are so many reasons that Deb is deserving of this great opportunity for recognition.  I have worked on many different projects and activities with Deb over the past 6 years.  She is one of the great smiling faces of the 4-H program in Mahaska County.  Deb has been involved in the Mahaska County 4-H program for….ever.  She was a 4-H member, and then moved onto being a 4-H leader in her 20s-30s.  Deb was a youth leader while in 4-H and she helped her peer members with their projects and understanding of the goals of the program.  Deb has always been very positive and caring when it comes to 4-H and her life.  Deb has the skills it takes to speak to a person on any level and always remain cheerful, positive and informative.  She raised her children through 4-H and now she has 3 grandchildren in Mahaska County 4-H and one granddaughter in Mahaska County Clover Kids. 

Deb has served as a 4-H leader, Horse Project Superintendent, Youth Committee member and currently as a Mahaska County Extension Council member and she is the Secretary for the Council.  Deb can truly be defined as a go-getter!  She sees the best in every situation and in every person.  She has such a warm and happy personality, which is so great and beneficial to the 4-H program.  This past year, Deb went above and beyond and assisted with the Mahaska County 4-H Foundation Silent Auction at our county fair, took photos for the newspaper, made sure that 4-H was given plenty of viewing space in the local newspaper (The Oskaloosa Herald, where she is the advertising and general manager), assisted with our Kidtoberfest Youth and Families event and announced the outstanding 4-H awards at our awards night.  She has assisted with countless 4-H and youth events, including our 4-H Day Camp over Spring Break.  At this camp, she taught the youth participants how newspapers began and are printed and how to write a story.  She ended up getting the children’s stories published in the Herald and is always popping into the office to see if there is anything she can help with or do. 

Deb is just a genuinely sweet person and we would be absolutely lost without her.  She’s even got one of her daughters active in our local 4-H program and she, Johanna, has spent the past 5 years volunteering with the Clover Kids program and now she’s moved on to assisting her children with their 4-H projects.  Deb has created a great 4-H family and has definitely made a positive impact on our county’s big 4-H family.