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4-H ambassador gears up for Douglas County Fair

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Contributed by: Erin Feese/YourHub.com on 7/30/2008

Maggie Weinroth rolls out of bed at 6 a.m. to feed her animals -- eight sheep, three goats, nine chickens and a horse.

"I may have overdid it a bit this year," said the 16-year-old with a laugh. Weinroth is raising the animals in preparation for the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo, Aug. 2 through 10 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. The Sedalia resident has been participating in the fair since she was a 4-H "cloverbud" at 5 years old.

Once her morning chores are done, Weinroth said she usually spends time working on her 4-H projects, then she might have a couple hours to relax before it's time to tend to the animals again.

This year, Weinroth is serving as the Douglas County 4-H ambassador at the fair, an honor she received for earning the most Rick Kelty points out of Douglas County 4-H members. Sara Lippold, of Parker, is the ambassador runner-up with the second most points.

Rick Kelty was a 4-H leader in Douglas County who died of cancer. The family created a memorial for him in 1992 by donating money to be used for the 4-H member that earns the highest number of points each year. The winner receives a $50 savings bond funded by the family's memorial donation and also earns the title of ambassador.

The points are accumulated for completing various projects, participating in community service and other 4-H activities, said Melody Jones, communications specialist for the Douglas County 4-H program. The ambassador is announced in October, and his or her duties throughout the year include attending various functions and "putting a face on 4-H wherever they can," Jones said.

At the fair, the ambassador helps out wherever needed and hands out ribbons during the events.

"I've seen the ambassadors wandering around the fair since I was 8 years old, and I'm excited for the whole experience," Weinroth said.

In addition to her ambassador role, Weinroth is working on six 4-H projects to display at the fair, including vet science, foods, leadership and range management. Participants create display boards for each project, which the public can view on 4-H Exhibit Day on Aug. 2.

Also as part of the projects, kids have a 15-minute interview with a judge where they are asked questions, Weinroth said.

"At first I was intimidated, but now I really enjoy telling about my project and explain what I've been doing throughout the year," she said.

In addition to raising animals, 4-H projects can range from cake decorating to computers to photography. Projects involving shooting sports are gaining popularity, Jones said. Kids can live anywhere and participate in 4-H; it's not necessary to have land or animals, she added.

"We are trying to spread the word that if you live in an area that is not rural, such as Highlands Ranch, you can still be involved in a large number of projects," she said.

For Weinroth, participating in 4-H has given her the opportunity to travel to events in Atlanta, Ga., and Washington, D.C. 4-H teaches kids to be responsible, which helps them succeed at careers later in life, Weinroth said.

"It takes discipline," she said. "When your alarm rings at 6 a.m., it's not rolling over and hitting snooze, but getting up to feed your animals."

For the Weinroths, the Douglas County Fair is an opportunity to spend family time together, said Sue Weinroth, Maggie's mother. She is participating in the fair by serving as goat superintendent, which means she oversees the goat show.

Maggie's interest in raising animals was sparked by seeing her older brother, JT, raise a sheep, and this year Maggie is helping her younger brother, Ben, show a goat, Sue Weinroth said.

"It's really fun for me to see the older kids helping out the younger kids," she said.

For more information about the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo, go to www.douglascountyfairandrodeo.com. For more information about 4-H in Douglas County, go to www.douglascountyextension.org.

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