The annual 2009 Cass County 4-H Recognition and Awards Celebration was held Sept. 20 at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds in West Fargo. The celebration recognized young people for their outstanding accomplishments in project work and 4-H leaders for their years of volunteer service.

Those receiving awards were:

• Citizenship Washington Focus: Rachel Baumann, Fargo, Golden Kids, and Hannah Klinnert, Kindred, Kindred 4-H Friends.
• Above and Beyond Scholarship: Jocelyn Baumann, Fargo, Golden Kids.
• Leadership Award: Laura Roach, Wheatland, Golden Clovers.
• North Dakota Camp Award: Ryder Belgarde, Horace, Horace Stars; Brandon Bohmert, Fargo, Harwood Helpers; Brant Bohmert, Fargo, Harwood Helpers; Taylin Flom, Argusville, Harwood Helpers; Kenyon Koch, Fargo, Rainbow Kids; Ashley Stoppleworth, Horace, Horace Stars.
• State 4-H Youth Conference: Nicole Bruse, Horace, Independent.
• National 4-H Club Congress: Nicole Bruse, Horace, Independent.
• National 4-H Conference: Hannah Klinnert, Kindred, Kindred 4-H Friends.
• North Dakota 4-H Ambassadors Recognition: Brett Levos, Chaffee, Wheatland Pioneers, and Logan McLean, Wheatland, Golden Clovers.
• Graduating 4-H Members: John Grieger, Erie, Greenfields; Kendra Krueger, Casselton, Independent; Luther Tegtmeier, Grandin, Greenfields.
• The Rotary Club Award of Merit: Golden Kids, north Fargo; Harwood Helpers, Harwood; Horace Stars, Horace area; Page Power, Page; The Uniters, south Fargo; Valley Adventures, West Fargo; Wheatland Pioneers, Wheatland area.
• North Dakota 4-H Foundation Club “Helping 4-H Grow” program: Golden Kids, Fargo – Lori Baumann, leader; Triple “C”, West Fargo – Kathy Plehal, leader; and Wheatland Pioneers, Wheatland – Lisa Berg, leader.
• Healthy North Dakota 4-H Clubs: Harwood Helpers, Harwood; Kindred 4-H Friends, Kindred area; Page Power, Page; the Uniters, south Fargo; Valley Adventures, West Fargo; Wheatland Pioneers, Wheatland area.
• Money Smart 4-H Clubs: Golden Kids, north Fargo; Harwood Helpers, Harwood.

• 5-year-old Cloverbuds: Anakin Bruesch, Amenia, Absaraka Crows; Carmen Degges, Fargo, Fargo Fun; Denton Diegel, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Kaelyn Farha, Fargo, Dragonflies; Bryce Grabanski, Kindred, Horace Stars; Trever Greiger, Erie, Greenfields; Arthur Kaese, Fargo, Cloverbud Buddies; Tia Kindem, West Fargo, 4-H Rockers; Autumn Kramer, Kindred, Horace Stars; Simley Ritter, Casselton, Golden Hawks; Maddie Robinson, Fargo, The Uniters; Olivia Ryland, Fargo, Cloverbud Buddies; Erica Stave, Chaffee, Wheatland Pioneers; Will Steffes, Arthur, Greenfields; Natalie Tegtmeier, Grandin, Greenfields.
• 6-year-old Cloverbuds – Parker Belgarde, Horace, Horace Stars; Cormac Gibney, Fargo, Fargo Fun; Braydon Johnson, West Fargo, Valley Adventures; Kim Kadrmas, Fargo, Green Bandannas; Tyla Maddock, Davenport, Kindred 4-H Friends; Tyler Marschke, Alice, Wheatland Pioneers; Lucas Metzger, Grandin, Triple “C”; Josie Mohror, Fargo, Golden Kids; Brianna Mohs, Horace, Horace Stars; Jennifer Nasers, Fargo, 4-H Rockers; Katlyn Piechowski, Fargo, Cloverbud Buddies; Mattasyn Romo, West Fargo, Valley Adventures; Jorian Russiff, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Grace Ryland, Fargo, Cloverbud Buddies; Jacob Sahl, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Casey Schaefer, West Fargo, Triple “C”; Lahni Stachler, Kindred, Kindred 4-H Friends; David Steedsman, West Fargo, Valley Adventures.
• 7-year-old Cloverbuds – Gracie Bohmert, Fargo, Harwood Helpers; Tyler Burlingame, Hunter, Greenfields; Ellia Dalzell, Horace, Horace Stars; Bailey Farha, Fargo, Dragonflies; Joslin Forness, West Fargo, Valley Adventures; Kaitlyn Gaulrapp, Leonard, Sandburrs; Zaryn Hansen, Fargo, 4-H Rockers; Grace Heinen, Fargo, Dragonflies; Nishita Gaba, Fargo, Rainbow Kids; Miro Herrera Grant, West Fargo, Harwood Helpers; MaKayla Janssen, West Fargo, Valley Adventures; Trey Johnson, Fargo, Four Leaf Clovers; Rebecca Kaese, Fargo, Cloverbud Buddies; Paige Kosienski, Fargo, The Uniters; Andrea McClary, Fargo, Dragonflies; Kaylee McClary, Fargo, Dragonflies; Shawn McClary, Fargo, Dragonflies; MacKenzie McKinnon, Embden, Wheatland Pioneers; Aurora Pederson, West Fargo, Valley Adventures; Kariann Sahl, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Matthew Truax, Erie, Page Power.
• Rookie Award: Anna Astrup, Fargo, Green Bandannas; Annie Dunnuck, Fargo, The Uniters; Emily Durgin, Fargo, The Uniters; Elisabeth Ehnert, Horace, Horace Stars; Morgan Foss, Harwood, Triple “C”; Felicity Hauff, Hunter, Triple “C”; Peter Grieger, Erie, Greenfields; Zarissa Hansen, Fargo, 4-H Rockers; Chloe Horton, Fargo, The Uniters; Carlie Kieffer, Wheatland, Absaraka Crows; Lexi Kleespies, West Fargo, Fargo Fun; Theresa Klinnert, Kindred, Kindred 4-H Friends; Mikayla Koenig, Page, Page Power; Brianna Maddock, Davenport, Kindred 4-H Friends; Megan Metzger, Grandin, Triple “C”; Thomas Metzger, Grandin, Triple “C”; Hope Roeber, West Fargo, Golden Kids; Emily Sahl, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Skylar Schaefer, West Fargo, Triple “C”; Lili Serquina, Erie, Greenfields; Anna Skarpohl, Fargo, Four Leaf Clovers; Jack Steffes, Arthur, Greenfields; Anna Stoppleworth, Horace, Horace Stars; Violet Tegtmeier, Grandin, Greenfields; Remington Vannett, Fargo, Green Bandannas; Erica Weinmann, Fargo, The Uniters; Kathryn Weinmann, Fargo, The Uniters.
• Clover Achievement Award: Zoe Alvarez, Kindred, Sandburrs; Ellyssa Barr, Casselton, Golden Hawks; Christopher Blegen, Colfax, Sandburrs; Cody Blegen, Colfax, Sandburrs; Traci Diegel, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Allison Eberhardt, Casselton, Golden Clovers; Sheyenne Freitag, Walcott, Kindred 4-H Friends; Abigail Kasian, Embden, Wheatland Pioneers; Emma Maddock, Davenport, Kindred 4-H Friends; Megan Mathias, Kindred, Kindred 4-H Friends; Zach Myers, Georgetown, Red River Riders; Grace Robinson, Fargo, The Uniters; Thomas Robinson, Fargo, The Uniters; Danielle Roeber, West Fargo, Golden Kids; Bailey Schock, Kindred, Kindred 4-H Friends; Karli Schulz, West Fargo, Valley Adventures; Alexis Vannett, Fargo, Green Bandannas.
• Young Achievers Award: Wade Berg, Chaffee, Wheatland Pioneers; Rachel Danielson, Fargo, Rainbow Kids; Jeffrey Donegan, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Isabetta Herrera Grant, West Fargo, Harwood Helpers; Brooke Hiatt, Kindred, Kindred 4-H Friends; Mackenzie Hoffer, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Brittney Johnson, West Fargo, Valley Adventures; Sydney Johnson, Fargo, Golden Kids; Taylor Johnson, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Elizabeth Krueger, Reiles Acres, Harwood Helpers;  Jaelyn Lardy, West Fargo, Kindred 4-H Friends; Blake Lindemann, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Kelsey Marschke, Alice, Wheatland Pioneers; Derek Phelps, Fargo, Rainbow Kids; Emily Ritter, Casselton, Golden Hawks; Joshua Russiff, Harwood, Harwood Helpers.
• Junior Awards Trip: Arianna Alvarez, Kindred, Sandburrs; Lane Berg, Chaffee, Wheatland Pioneers; Taylor Christensen, West Fargo, Harwood Helpers; Talia Dalzell, Horace, Horace Stars; Patrick Donegan, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Raelle Dunn, Arthur, Greenfields; Shelby Grabanski, Kindred, Horace Stars; Danielle Judisch, Hunter, Greenfields; Ethan Kieffer, Wheatland, Absaraka Crows; MacKenzie Koenig, Page, Page Power; Jarrett Lardy, West Fargo, Kindred 4-H Friends; Ben Longlet, Arthur, Greenfields; Shania Myers, Georgetown, Red River Riders; Rachel Ruliffson, Harwood, Golden Clovers; Mackenzie Ste Marie, Fargo, Harwood Helpers; Anna Truax, Erie, Page Power.
• Purple Ribbon Achievement Award: Elizabeth Barr, Casselton, Golden Hawks; Mikayla Cramer, Amenia, Golden Clovers; Melany Fagre, Georgetown, Red River Riders; Harshita Gaba, Fargo, Rainbow Kids; Ean Grieger, Erie, Greenfields; Christopher Hockert, Fargo, South Side Super Stars; Greta Klinnert, Kindred, Kindred 4-H Friends; Kaleen Krueger, Casselton, Independent; Brooke Levos, Chaffee, Wheatland Pioneers; Michaela Liebl, West Fargo, Triple “C”; Emily Meyer, West Fargo, Harwood Helpers; Kyle Schultz, Wheatland, Wheatland Pioneers; Michael Truax, Erie, Page Power; Paige Verwest, Argusville, NC Go Getters.
• Senior Awards Trip: Travis Bruse, Horace, Independent; Bryan Cramer, Amenia, Golden Clovers; Charlie Cummer, Durbin, Golden Hawks; Toni Diegel, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; April Faught, Arthur, Absaraka Crows; Dacotah Faught, Arthur, Absaraka Crows; Thea Klinnert, Kindred, Kindred 4-H Friends; Jacob Lardy, West Fargo, Kindred 4-H Friends; Jenni Moore, Arthur, Greenfields; Elizabeth Myers, Georgetown, Red River Riders; Brian Nipstad, Kindred, Sandburrs; Reilee Ruliffson, Harwood, Golden Clovers; Austin Rust, Harwood, Golden Clovers; Michaela Ste Marie, Fargo, Harwood Helpers; Caitie Stroup, Fargo, Rainbow Kids.
• Sweatshirt Award: Erin Bjerke, Page, Page Power; Daniel Deyle, Fargo, South Side Super Stars; Karissa Deyle, Fargo, South Side Super Stars; Tiffany Grieger, Erie, Greenfields; Tiffany Nipstad, Kindred, Sandburrs; Beth Osman, Fargo, South Side Super Stars; Katie Power, West Fargo, 4-H Rockers; Stephanie Raguse, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Hailey Verwest, Argusville, NC Go Getters; Joseph Wright, Leonard, Sandburrs.
• Award of Excellence: Kieran Barr, Casselton, Golden Hawks; Brittany Betterly, West Fargo, 4-H Rockers; Elise Eberhardt, Casselton, Golden Clovers; Matthew Hockert, Fargo, South Side Super Stars; Abigail Judisch, Hunter, Greenfields; Kaylyn Lindstrom, Amenia, Golden Clovers; Nathan Longlet, Arthur, Greenfields; Sara Rustad, Kindred, Sandburrs; Dorothy Tegtmeier, Grandin, Greenfields.
• The Letterman Award is given to youth at least 16 years old who have been involved in club, community and leadership activities. Recipients were: Alaetra Alvarez, Kindred, Sandburrs; Ariel Gray, Fargo, Red River Riders; Christina Lammers, Fargo, Golden Kids; Brett Levos, Chaffee, Wheatland Pioneers; Jacob Longlet, Arthur, Greenfields; Christina Metcalf, Amenia, Triple “C”; Chelsey Schmitz, Fargo, South Side Super Stars; Brittany Splettstaszer, West Fargo, 4-H Rockers; Jenna Wright, Leonard, Sandburrs.
• Platinum Achievement: John Grieger, Erie, Greenfields; Kendra Krueger, Casselton, Independent; Logan McLean, Wheatland, Golden Clovers; Brandon Rust, Harwood, Golden Clovers; Cody Schultz, Wheatland, Wheatland Pioneers; Mary Youngs, Moorhead, Red River Riders.

Pictured below are a few of the individual leaders. Front row (L to R): Brant Bohmert, Brandon Bohmert, Ashley Soppleworth, Kenyon Koch. Back row (L to R): Jocelyn Baumann, Rachel Baumann, Nicole Bruse and Hannah Klinnert.

4-H Leaders recognized were:

• One-year leaders: Shelia Faulkner, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Vijay Gaba, Fargo, Rainbow Kids; Kerry Hauff, Hunter, Triple “C”; Julie Levos, Chaffee, Wheatland Pioneers; Sara Metzger, Grandin, Triple “C”; Heidi Rasmussen, Wolverton, Rag’s Army; Christy Ridley, Fargo, Dragonflies; Dawn Romo, West Fargo, Valley Adventures; Kevin Romo, West Fargo, Valley Adventures; Erika Serquina, Erie, Greenfields; Kathryn Truax, Erie, Page Power.
• Three-year leaders: Virjean Cramer, Amenia, Golden Clovers; Ginger Erickson, Fargo, Rainbow Kids; Sheila Frisco, West Fargo, 4-H Rockers; Anne Kaese, Fargo, Cloverbud Buddies; Susan Kieffer, Wheatland, Absaraka Crows; Matthew Klungtvedt, Glyndon, Outdoor Skills; John Koch, Fargo, The Uniters; Paul Kosienski, Fargo, The Uniters; Cindi Metcalf, Amenia, Triple “C”; John Oelke, Fargo, Outdoor Skills; Sara Olson, Fargo, Independent; Kathy Plehal, Harwood, Triple “C”; Sue Rasmussen, Wolverton, Rag’s Army; Larry Ressler, Fargo, Rock n’ Robots; Melinda Ruliffson, Harwood, Golden Clovers; James Troska, Ulen, Cloverbud Buddies; Jenifer Troska, Ulen, Cloverbud Buddies; Janet Weinmann, Fargo, The Uniters; Todd Weinmann, Fargo, The Uniters; Carol Yonke, Fargo, Rock n’ Robots.
• Five-year leaders: Beth Astrup, Fargo, Green Bandannas; Lisa Berg, Chaffee, Wheatland Pioneers; Lori Bjerke, Page, Page Power; Harley Blegen, Kindred, Sandburrs; DeAnn Diegel, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Charmaine Gray, Fargo, Red River Riders; Sue Kadrmas, Fargo, Green Bandannas; Stephanie Landstrom, Horace, Horace Stars; Lori Liebl, West Fargo, Triple “C”; Aura Lee Mohror, Fargo, Golden Kids; Bernadette Raguse, Harwood, Harwood Helpers; Jeff Rasmussen, Wolverton, Rag’s Army; Susan Ray-Degges, Fargo, Fargo Fun; Leslie Schellack, Moorhead, Triple “C”; Beckie Youngs, Moorhead, Red River Riders.
• Ten-year leaders: Karin Andersson, Arthur, Country Kids; Tracy Roche, Fargo, Shooting Stars.
• Fifteen-year leaders: Magaret Klindworth, Fargo, Resource Leader; Cindy Swenson, Fargo, Shooting Stars.
• Twenty-year leader: Ladonna Faught, Arthur, Absaraka Crows.
• Twenty-five-year leader: Kari McLean, Wheatland, Golden Clovers.

  The Cass County 4-H Leader’s Council also recognized individuals that have gone the extra mile in their contributions to the Cass County 4-H Program. The Friend of 4-H Award is a way for the county to say thank you for their endless contributions of time, support and genuine enthusiasm for the 4-H program. This year the recipients were: Ron Fraase, Buffalo, and Dave Larson, West Fargo. Pictured below is Fraase and 25-year 4-H leader Kari McLean.

In other event news:  

Tiffany Kindem, daughter of Doug and Sue Kindem, West Fargo, from the 4-H Rockers was presented a Baby Lock Sewing Machine that was sponsored by J & R Sewing Center, Fargo. Cody Freitag, son of Nicki Zurn, Walcott, from Kindred 4-H Friends, received a digital camera sponsored by the 4-H Council. Kindem and Freitag are pictured below.

   Page Power 4-H Club hosted the ice cream social, with ice cream donated by Cass-Clay Creamery, and the Green Bandannas hosted bingo at the event. A slide show of 4-H events and activities throughout the past year was presented by Dorothy Tegtmeier, Grandin, Greenfields. The Greenfields 4-H Club, under the leadership of Louise Tegtmeier, served as the facility host. The event was hosted by Rachel Baumann, Cass County 4-H Council President and Maxine Nordick, Extension Agent/4-H Youth.
Featured speakers at the event were: Logan McLean, Wheatland, spoke about his award trip to National 4-H Congress in Atlanta. National 4-H Congress is the flagship event of the 4-H program. Luther Tegtmeier, Grandin, and Logan McLean, Wheatland, shared experiences about their award trip to Citizenship Washington Focus, which is a six-day citizenship conference in Washington, DC and at the National 4-H Center.
   This year’s event was sponsored by the Cass County Financial Institutions and the 4-H Leader’s Council. Ryan Bohnsack, Wells Fargo, Casselton was responsible for coordinating the financial institutions sponsorship. The sponsors for the awards program were: Ag Country Farm Credit Services, Fargo; Dakota Heritage Bank of ND, Hunter, First State Bank of ND, Arthur; Bremer Bank of Casselton/’Fargo; State Bank & Trust, Fargo; Union State Bank, Fargo; Wells Fargo of ND, Casselton; Harwood State Bank, Harwood; Kindred State Bank, Kindred; Fargo Rotary Club; Cass County Farm Bureau; Roger and Deb Hagen, Fargo; Roger and Bernice Kram, Fargo; North Dakota 4-H Foundation; and the Cass County 4-H Council.