Posted on August 8, 2013 at 11:07 PM by Global Reach
Tom & Pat Rittscher have been a very active couple during the time their children were involved in the Iowa 4-H program and now with their grandchildren.
Pat was an eight-year 4-H member. She attended the last all Girls’ State 4-H Conference and the first coed State 4-H Conference in Ames, Iowa. She served 2 years as a camp counselor at the State 4-H Camp in Luther, IA. She has experienced many county 4-H programs being a 4-H member in Calhoun County and serving as a 4-H leader in Montgomery, Marshall and in Hamilton Counties. Her 30 years of service to the Iowa 4-H program left an impact on many young people. She served for 15 years as the State 4-H Conference Nurse. She got her wish to participate in the Citizenship-Washington Focus Trip in 2000 as a chaperone. She says that she was the last member of her family to experience this 4-H opportunity and it was GREAT! After all these years of service this leader finally took the time to experience State 4-H Leader’s Retreats. She and her husband experienced the North Central Regional 4-H Forums as well as the State Leaders Forums. Not only is Pat still a club leader, she serves on the Hamilton County 4-H Foundation Board, the 4-H & Youth Committee and is the nurse of the Iowa 4-H Photo Camp.
Tom has always been involved more than just a “parent and honey-do mate.” He served as chaperone for many of the county and club activities in which his children were involved. As Pat’s long-term nursing skills were been used as the State 4-H Conference nurse, Tom was Hamilton County’s long-term male chaperone for state conference. He says one of his highlights was our CWF Trip where the Iowa delegates created their own WAVE and we could find our kids very easily once they performed their actions. It really worked out quite well for the whole trip. He also has been very instrumental in assisting at the Iowa 4-H Photography Camp for the past eight years. He is quite handy with duct tape, JD Weld and a few simple tools. As a result kids refer to him as the Mr. FIX IT MAN.
Tom and Pat are volunteers who have impacted the Hamilton County 4-H program and the Iowa State 4-H program with a lasting impression. They both BLEED GREEN for keeping this 100 year tradition alive and well. Hamilton County proudly selects them as our inductees for 2013.
Categories: Hamilton
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