2024 Pocahontas County Eileen Stoulil

Eileen Mehl Stoulil began her lifelong 4-H journey in 1944. Her participation and leadership roles lasted over 62 years. She joined the Williams Wide Awake Club in Calhoun County at age ten. In 1946, she moved to Pocahontas County and joined the Dover Doers Club, and a year later joined the Grant Glisteners 4-H Club, which her mother started. She enjoyed honing her crafts, exhibiting in 4-H for nine years. Eileen was continually active as a 4-H member, excelling in cooking and sewing. In high school, when they had “Wear Your Clothes Inside Out Day” for Homecoming week, she still looked neat because she sewed her clothes using French seams. Eileen earned awards and honors at the county, state, and national levels. In 1948, she won a trip to the National Dairy Cattle Congress in Waterloo for a demonstration on making homemade ice cream. She was elected as the Iowa State Girls 4-H vice-president in 1953. In 1954, Eileen participated in the Iowa State Fair Style Show; won the state and national clothing record awards; and had one of her most memorable life experiences attending the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago. She even received marriage proposals in the mail from the publicity!

Eileen continued her service when she became a volunteer leader in 1956. Over the next five decades, she led her members in several project areas and even coached in a 4-H basketball tournament. She started as a leader for Grant Glisteners and then the Central Stars in Pocahontas County. In 1977, she and her family moved to California, and she continued her 4-H leadership there for twenty-three years in Glenn County, California. Before Eileen passed away in December 2023, she was notified that she would be inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame. Eileen continued her dedication to the 4-H program long after being a 4-H leader. She baked pies for the annual Pocahontas County 4-H Endowment auction and continued her financial support to the 4-H Foundation.