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County 4-H representative praised at Solvang dinner

By Raiza Canelon/Staff Writer/rcanelon@syvnews.com

Zelda Hughes, longtime 4-H Youth Development Program representative for Santa Barbara County, was honored Sunday with a surprise dinner at the Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort Clubhouse in Solvang.

“I am so surprised. I can’t believe they went to all this trouble,” Hughes, of Santa Barbara, said after she learned the dinner was in her honor.

Many people at the dinner called Hughes the glue holding the 4-H program together.

Mary Ann Christensen, president of the 4-H Lucky Clover Foundation, met Hughes 20 years ago in a panic about being a new leader, but Hughes provided reassurance that everything would come together.

“I believe the 4-H program does a lot for youth by instilling values and training them to be good citizens. I guess that’s why I stayed in it for so long,” laughed Hughes recalling her time with the program.

Hughes has been involved in 4-H since she was 10 years old, when she participated in the foods and sewing programs.

“Since I was a child, there have been a large scope of additions to the different types of projects members are able to take,” Hughes said.

After she graduated from Santa Barbara High School, Hughes continued her 4-H involvement, working as a leader and volunteering when her children were old enough. She then took a position in the 4-H office in Santa Barbara.

“I did a range of duties from office type work, planning programs and enrollment as well as working with council leadership by coordinating programs with the leaders and attending policy meetings. I simply loved being there,” Hughes said.

She became involved with the UC Cooperative Extension as a 4-H youth development representative. Hughes worked with volunteer leaders and 4-H members facilitating paperwork that needed to be relayed back to the state level. She also coordinated enrollment of programs, exhibit days, leader training programs and state programs regarding conferences for members and leaders.

“I have attended conferences from the local level all the way to Washington D.C., and it was a wonderful experience meeting people from all over the country involved with 4-H. I have made some of my best friends through this program,” she said.

Hughes recalled some of her favorite memories were participating and coordinating Exhibit Days, held every year at Nojoqui Falls County Park just south of Solvang, where members display their projects for the year, or show off their animal leadership skills.

“It is wonderful that so many families get together and appreciate the work the kids have done throughout the year,” Hughes said.

Mary Jackson, past president of the 4-H Council, said she believes that Hughes bleeds green — the symbol of 4-H is a green clover — because of all her hard work and involvement through the years.

“Zelda is 4-H in Santa Barbara County, she held this institution together,” Jackson said.

Even though she officially retired in July, Hughes will continue to volunteer with 4-H passing along information, organizing meetings and planning leadership trainings. She also will still participate in the Four Leaf Clover Foundation, which helps raise funds to support 4-H programs.

“Part of the reason I stayed in the program for

so long, in addition to helping youth, is gaining know-ledge about myself and

how far I could take this,” Hughes said.

The 4-H Program began in 1913 in California with the first 4-H groups organized in Santa Barbara County in 1925. Some 130,000 youths in California are involved with 4-H currently and are supported by 20,000 adult volunteers, according to the UC Cooperative Extension Web site.

For more information on 4-H programs in Santa Barbara County log onto www.groups.ucanr.org/SB4H/index.cfm, or www.4lcfoundation.org.