2005 Illinois 4-H Alumni Awards
Illinois State Representative Receives 4-H Alumni Award
Illinois 4-H selected Illinois State Representative Monique Davis, Chicago, as a recipient of the 2005 Illinois 4-H Alumni Award for serving as a positive role model for youth.
Rep. Davis was honored during the Saluting 4-H Champions recognition program held in conjunction with Salute to Agriculture Day festivities at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Friday , October 27. The award recognizes 4-H alumni whose contributions to society exemplify leadership, career success and a commitment to community service.
Rep. Davis was a member of the Green Buccaneers 4-H Club in Cook County, where she participated in the club’s performing arts activities.
Rep. Davis is serving her 10 th term as State Representative from the 27 th District in Chicago. She is Chairperson of the Appropriation-General Services Committee and is Vice-Chairman of the Elementary and Secondary Education committee. In addition, she serves on the Appropriation-Higher Education, Financial Institutions, Public Utilities, and Registration and Regulation Committees.
Rep. Davis is a lifelong resident of Chicago and has two children. She was formerly a teacher and administrator in the Chicago Public Schools. She has served as a coordinator for the Chicago Board of Education and as a training specialist with the Chicago City Colleges.
In addition to her involvement with several community and charitable organizations, Rep. Davis is a member of the NAACP, Operation Push, Phi Delta Kappa, Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago Urban League and Beverly Area Planning Association.
Rep. Davis received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Chicago State University. In addition, she is currently working towards a doctoral degree in Education Administration at Roosevelt University.
Three other Illinois 4-H Alumni Award winners were recognized including: Brenda Krause Eheart, executive director for Generations of Hope, Rantoul; David C. Erickson, president of LANDcorp Inc., Altona; and Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught, U.S. Air Force, Retired, Falls Church, Va. Also honored during the event were 2005 Friend of 4-H award, presented to Mike Adams, AgriTalk Radio Show Host, of St. Louis , Mo., the 4-H Partner Award presented to the Paul A. Funk Foundation of Bloomington. Hugh Wetzel, retired State 4-H Office specialist, was recognized for being named a 2005 National 4-H Hall of Fame Laureate.
4-H is the largest out-of-school educational program for youth in the United States. 4-H seeks to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, forming attitudes, and developing life skills that will enable them to become caring, competent , and contributing members of society. In Illinois 286,000 youth participate in 4-H and other youth programs of University of Illinois Extension. More than 26,000 adult volunteers assist in the programming. For more information about 4-H in Illinois, visit: http://www.4-H.uiuc.edu.
Press Release (MS Word)
Adoption Advocate Receives 4-H Alumni Award
Illinois 4-H selected Brenda Krause Eheart, PhD, executive director of Generations of Hope, as a recipient of the 2005 Illinois 4-H Alumni Award for serving as a positive role model for youth.
Eheart was honored during the Saluting 4-H Champions recognition program held in conjunction with Salute to Agriculture Day festivities at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Friday , October 27. The award recognizes 4-H alumni whose contributions to society exemplify leadership, career success and a commitment to community service.
Eheart credits her 4-H public speaking experiences for teaching her how to plan and prepare successful presentations. As a youth, Eheart was a member of the Alabama Busy Bees 4-H Club in Genessee County, New York.
Eheart established Hope for Children (now known as Generations of Hope), an innovative foster-adoptive agency and neighborhood community in Rantoul, Illinois, where older adults become “grandparents” to the children of adoptive families. These families live as immediate neighbors in a planned community called Hope Meadows, which is located on the former Chanute Air Force Base. Generations of Hope’s mission is to create a community of permanent, nurturing families for children in the foster care system.
Eheart has also served as associate director of the Office of Women in International Development and director of the Developmental Child Care Program Institute of Child Behavior and Development at the University of Illinois.
Eheart has served as a consultant to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on foster care and adoption. She also received the Women Who Make A Difference Award from Family Circle magazine, Oprah Winfrey’s Use Your Life Award, President Bush’s Award for Excellence in Adoption, and designated a “PEOPLE first HERO” by PEOPLE magazine.
Three other Illinois 4-H Alumni Award winners were recognized including: Illinois State Representative Monique Davis, Chicago; David C. Erickson, president of LANDcorp Inc., Altona; and Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught, U.S. Air Force, Retired, Falls Church, Va. Also honored during the event were 2005 Friend of 4-H award, presented to Mike Adams, AgriTalk Radio Show Host, of St. Louis , Mo., the 4-H Partner Award presented to the Paul A. Funk Foundation of Bloomington. Hugh Wetzel, retired State 4-H Office specialist, was recognized for being named a 2005 National 4-H Hall of Fame Laureate.
4-H is the largest out-of-school educational program for youth in the United States. 4-H seeks to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, forming attitudes, and developing life skills that will enable them to become caring, competent , and contributing members of society. In Illinois 286,000 youth participate in 4-H and other youth programs of University of Illinois Extension. More than 26,000 adult volunteers assist in the programming. For more information about 4-H in Illinois, visit: http://www.4-H.uiuc.edu.
L-R: Brenda Krause Eheart, executive director of Generations of Hope, and Pennie Crinion, Interim Assistant Dean and Director, Illinois 4-H.
Press Release (MS Word)
Knox County Farmer and LANDcorp, Inc., Executive Receives 4-H Alumni Award
Illinois 4-H selected David Erickson, who farms in Knox and Henry counties and is president of the LANDcorp, Inc., farm management company, as a recipient of the 2005 Illinois 4-H Alumni Award for serving as a positive role model for youth.
Erickson was honored during the Saluting 4-H Champions recognition program held in conjunction with Salute to Agriculture Day festivities at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Friday , October 27. The award recognizes 4-H alumni whose contributions to society exemplify leadership, career success and a commitment to community service.
Erickson was a 10-year member of the Cloverleaf 4-H Club in Knox County. He was also active in FFA, serving as state secretary-treasurer for the Illinois FFA Association and received his American FFA Degree. He has also served as Chairman of the Illinois FFA Foundation State Sponsoring Committee and was recognized as an outstanding 4-H alumnus in Knox County in 1994.
Erickson served as past director and president of the Illinois Soybean Association in addition to several other leadership positions with the association. He is a director on the Knox County Farm Bureau Board and served in various statewide Farm Bureau leadership roles. Erickson was appointed to Governor Ryan’s 2002 Farm Bill Task Force.
In 2003, David was recognized as a Master Farmer by Prairie Farmer magazine and Farm Progress Publications. He is currently a member of the Knox County Zoning Board of Appeals, Congressman Ray LaHood’s Agricultural Advisory Committee, Governor Blagojevich’s Agricultural Advisory Council on Farmers and Farm Families, Illinois and National Corn Growers Association, and vice-chairman of the Galesburg Cottage Hospital Board. He is a contributing panelist for Prairie Farmer magazine’s Profit Planners.
Erickson is an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and has served as youth group sponsor, teacher, and chairman of the church council. Erickson, and his wife, Nancy, have a son, Adam.
Three other Illinois 4-H Alumni Award winners were recognized including: Illinois State Representative Monique Davis, Chicago; Brenda Krause Eheart, executive director for Generations of Hope, Rantoul; and Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught, U.S. Air Force, Retired, Falls Church, Va. Also honored during the event were 2005 Friend of 4-H award, presented to Mike Adams, AgriTalk Radio Show Host, of St. Louis , Mo., the 4-H Partner Award presented to the Paul A. Funk Foundation of Bloomington. Hugh Wetzel, retired State 4-H Office specialist, was recognized for being named a 2005 National 4-H Hall of Fame Laureate.
4-H is the largest out-of-school educational program for youth in the United States. 4-H seeks to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, forming attitudes, and developing life skills that will enable them to become caring, competent , and contributing members of society. In Illinois 286,000 youth participate in 4-H and other youth programs of University of Illinois Extension. More than 26,000 adult volunteers assist in the programming. For more information about 4-H in Illinois, visit: http://www.4-H.uiuc.edu.
L-R: David Erickson, farmer in Knox and Henry counties and president of LANDcorp, Inc., and Pennie Crinion, Interim Assistant Dean and Director, Illinois 4-H.
Press Release (MS Word)
Retired U.S. Air Force General Receives 4-H Alumni Award
Illinois 4-H selected Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught, retired, U.S. Air Force, as a recipient of the 2005 Illinois 4-H Alumni Award for serving as a positive role model for youth.
General Vaught was honored during the Saluting 4‑H Champions recognition program held in conjunction with Salute to Agriculture Day festivities at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Friday , October 27. The award recognizes 4‑H alumni whose contributions to society exemplify leadership, career success and a commitment to community service.
General Vaught credits her membership in the Prairie Township 4-H Club in Edgar County for providing positive camaraderie with youth peers in her rural community.
During her military career, General Vaught, who retired in 1985, held various positions in the comptroller field at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana; Zaragoza AFB, Spain; McCoy AFB, Orlando, Fla.; Headquarters, Military Assistance Command, Saigon, Vietnam; Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Daytona, Ohio; the Air Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.; and she was Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller, Air Force Systems Command, Andrews AFB, Md.
General Vaught served as Chairperson of the NATO women in the Allied Forces Committee from 1983 to 1985 and was the senior woman military representative to the Secretary of Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service. General Vaught was the Air Force's first female general. Her last military assignment was as Commander, U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command, North Chicago.
General Vaught was the spearhead and driving force to ensure the building of the Women of the American Military Memorial at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. On October 16, 1997, the memorial was dedicated in honor of the commitment, sacrifice, and dedication of women who served in the United States Armed Services.
General Vaught has had numerous distinctive achievements throughout her military career, including being one of the most-decorated military women in U.S. history.
Three other Illinois 4-H Alumni Award winners were recognized including: Illinois State Representative Monique Davis, Chicago; Brenda Krause Eheart, executive director for Generations of Hope, Rantoul; and David C. Erickson, president of LANDcorp Inc., Altona. Also honored during the event were 2005 Friend of 4-H award, presented to Mike Adams, AgriTalk Radio Show Host, of St. Louis , Mo., the 4-H Partner Award presented to the Paul A. Funk Foundation of Bloomington. Hugh Wetzel, retired State 4-H Office specialist, was recognized for being named a 2005 National 4-H Hall of Fame Laureate.
L-R: Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught, U.S. Air Force, Retired, and Pennie Crinion, Interim Assistant Dean and Director, Illinois 4-H.
Press Release (MS Word)
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