Posted on August 8, 2013 at 11:16 PM by Global Reach
Teresa Widmer Huedepohl has always been a part of a 4-H family. Both her parents were 4-Hers. You had to be 10 years old to be a 4-Her at that time (1968) and Teresa was an eight (8) year member of the Deep River Lassies 4-H Club in Poweshiek County. She held all of the 4-H offices in her club and was on the Poweshiek County Council for two years. Her 4-H projects included beef, clothing, home improvement, horses, and photography at the Poweshiek County Fair. Teresa was the Poweshiek County Fashion Revue winner and participated in the Iowa State Fair 4-H Dress Revue wearing her green wool maxi coat she had sewn (yes it was 1975!). Teresa showed horses in the 4-H and open shows at the Iowa State Fair for 6 years.
Over the years Teresa has seen changes and challenges of the 4-Hexhibit judging process. The first 4-H years of judging the members too their exhibit to the club fair booth, had it judged and finding out what the ribbon was after all exhibits were judged. Later conference judging was introduced. The member had a conference with the judge and the ribbon was awarded. Currently members write out their goals and what they learned and you talk with the judge about your learning experience and the judge determined the ribbon rating. This is today’s 4-H conference judging process.
She was a 4-Her in the ‘old days’ when each member HAD to give a 4-H presentation at the club level achievement show and was judged on that! Teresa attended 4-H Camp at Madrid, went on the 4-H Citizenship- Washington Focus trip (President Nixon was impeached when she was there) and was a Poweshiek/Jasper County 4-H exchange delegate to Canada.
Teresa became a 4-H leader in 1991 following in the footsteps of her Grandmother, Martha Wiedemeier, a Lincoln Loyal Leaders 4-H leader and her mother, Lois Widmer Winegarden, who was a Deep River Lassies 4-H Leader.
Teresa was a leader of the Hilton Willing Workers for 15 years serving from 1991-2006. During those leader years she served 4 years on the Iowa County Extension Council promoting the Iowa County referendum and was the Extension representative on the Iowa County Fair Board for two years.
Teresa was a ‘4-H mother’ to their children Amy, Chad and Emily Huedepohl.
She lived through those dreaded record book due dates of August 30th when she was a
4-H member, as a 4-H parent and now as a 4-H aunt. Teresa continues to serve
4-H’ers as a 4-H achievement show judge and judging photography at the Muscatine County Fair
Categories: Iowa
