Posted on August 23, 2020 at 12:00 PM by Global Reach
If there was a list of truly special 4-H volunteers in Iowa, Gordon and Shirley Morrice of Battle Creek, in Ida County would be included. 
Both Gordon and Shirley were 4-H members in their youth. As parents, they lovingly instilled the value of 4-H into their two children, Ginger and Dennis. They guided their children in full 4-H experiences for 10 years each, which included exhibiting state fair quality projects, livestock projects, successful participation in the communications department, County and Area Youth Councils, county project and record book awards, 4-H camps and conferences, exchange programs, 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus, etc. Their dedication to the program led them to become 4-H leaders on the local club level in Ida County in the later 1970’s and into the 1980’s. Gordon was a leader of the Maple Huskies 4-H club for 10 years, and Shirley served the Maple Farmerettes girls club as leader for 12 years.
Gordon and Shirley also volunteered at the county level. Gordon was a dairy superintendent for six years and was a Fair Board member for a short time. Shirley served on the adult Ida County 4-H Committee. The Morrices sponsored the “Pride of Iowa” trophies for several years. Through the Exchange program, the Morrices hosted 4-Hers from Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
The Morrices selflessly participated in the “4-H Calf Project,” assisting a 4-Her to have and exhibit a calf at the county fair, without having the facilities available to do so.
On the area and state levels, Shirley chaperoned a 4-H Citizenship Tour to Washington, DC. and contributed to the Iowa 4-H Foundation Fund yearly. Furthering their 4-H service with the International Foreign Youth Exchange (IFYE program), they hosted IFYE students from Japan (1980), Belgium (1982), England (1987), and Australia (1990).
The vast number of hours Gordon and Shirley Morrice dedicated to the 4-H program on various levels could never be recorded, but these volunteers are greatly appreciated by Ida County, and are well deserving of receiving the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame honor.
