4-H youth recognized by commissioners

Winners have been involved in club for a combined 15 years

Even though the Lake County Fair wasn’t held this year due to the novel coronavirus, the pandemic didn’t preclude 4-H participants from having an opportunity to display their projects.

The Lake County 4-H Livestock Sale took place Aug. 1 on the Breeders’ World website, as the current restrictions did not allow a traditional live auction.

In a letter issued earlier this month, the Lake County Senior Livestock Committee noted an online auction was the best solid plan to have in place.

“Our members with beef projects have been working on their projects since August of last year and the rest of the projects were purchased this past spring just prior to the pandemic changing our lives, the 2020 show season and fair,” the letter stated.

“Our 4-H members have continued to raise quality market projects in hopes that there would be a show of some sort. We are grateful to that the Lake County Fair Board for supporting a Junior Fair.”

Adding to that, and in recognition of their efforts, the Lake County commissioners last week adopted a resolution congratulating Anya Demshar, 17, and Justin Miller, 18, as Outstanding Youth of the Year 2020 honorees, named by the Ohio State University Extension of Lake County.

Miller has been active in 4-H for eight years and has been a part of the Young Guns Club, Dog Club and Wings and Things Club.

His numerous honors and awards include Grand Champion Heifer at the fair, Best Hen and second in Market for his steer in 2019. He also recently won the honor of Grand Champion for his beef carcass.

Miller told the commissioners his foray into 4-H was a bit of a foreign experience.

“I’m a first-generational 4-Her, so I wasn’t sure what to do, but I ended up starting out with chickens,” he said. My mother grew up in Eastlake not really knowing much about it. I worked my way up and slowly progressed year after year to build up to one final year, and COVID has been a little bit of a different experience, but it’s still been a good experience.”

Addressing the board, Demshar said she’s been active in 4-H for seven years. She has held various leadership positions during her tenure, including vice president of the Lake County Flyers Travel Exchange Club, recreation leader of Giddy Up Woah and treasurer of Jr. Market Livestock.

She’s won numerous honors and awards as well, including the Ohio Youth Challenge, participating as both delegate and mentor. Her team is currently the 2020 State Champion.

Knowing the fair will be different this year, Anya said she and the other members are making the best of the compromised situation.

“From a livestock view of things, the fair is where all final projects are shown off and all the work you’ve put into it,” she said. “We get to make a lot of new memories.”

Commissioner Ron Young added that the 4-H Club deserves the county’s appreciation.

“Anyone out there interested in supporting, in many ways, the best young people we have in Lake County, and getting some great chicken, this auction is the place to do so,” he said. “It’s the best food provided by the best people.”

Lisa Siciliano-Miller of OSU Extension, Lake County believes the club provides another niche in the educational and social development of youth.

“The kids learn and use feed that’s free of chemicals or hormones,” she said. “We’ve had pork, chicken and turkeys from 4-H-bred projects. It tastes phenomenal.

“Not everyone can play sports or learn an instrument, and 4-H is another strong endeavor for our kids to learn valuable and transferable skills, from interaction and problem-solving to teamwork and interviewing.”