Posted on August 23, 2020 at 12:00 PM by Global Reach
This year’s Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame nominee comes from a long line of 4-H history. She comes from a big, 4-H loving family. Her mother was a leader of the girls’ club for many years until she passed away. Her father was a boys’ club leader for at least 15-20 years. When her father remarried, he married a 4-H leader from the Swea City area and 4-H became a bigger part of this family. Not only was doing your best good enough, but learning and doing better was the key for any project. 
This nominee was in 4-H for nine years and became very much involved as did her parents before her. She showed cattle at the county fair as well as took many static projects. She participated in various trips including the Washington, D.C. trip (which her kids have also participated in), and received many outstanding awards and honors She also received the outstanding food and nutrition award and received a silver-serving tray that she still uses today.
She has shown great experiences and accomplishments throughout her 4-H career. When her first child was interested in 4-H, she became a leader of the local 4-H club and changed the meaning of 4-H for this club. 4-H was fun, interesting, a way to meet new friends, and was full of endless possibilities. Membership jumped tremendously making it for many years (and still is) one of the biggest clubs in Kossuth County. She has been a 4-H leader for 28 years. She enjoys it very much and likes working with the members. The club does many club activities, events, and projects. One thing the club started when she became leader was baking Christmas cookies and taking them to shut-ins at surrounding towns. With there being as many as 30-50 members at times, this is a big task to take on. Another activity that has become routine is the malt barn at the fair, various community service involvements, and has at least 2-3 club members that participate at the county level. She gets all the kids involved and connects the school system with 4-H in some way. That is why being a secretary of the school and being a 4-H leader has become a big part of her life and has made many positive changes for the kids in the Northwest area of Kossuth County. The kids are outgoing, courteous, always ready to volunteer, and outstanding members as well as students. She enjoys working with all types and ages of kids and can help kids succeed for the better!
Not only has she been an outstanding 4-H leader helping youth in Kossuth County, but she has three kids that have also lived and breathed by the 4-H motto ~ To Make the Best Better! As the tradition continues, she also watches and/or leads four out of her eleven grandkids as they start their journeys in 4-H. She continues to lead the Fenton Forwards club in Kossuth County as well as being a fair judge at surrounding counties. We would like to congratulate this year’s Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame Nominee, Judi Bruhn.
