News : Greg Svoboda among Iowa Hall of Fame inductees

Eighty-two county volunteers, including Greg Svoboda of rural Vinton, and two state level Iowa 4-H volunteers were inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame during the 2014 ceremony at the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, Aug. 17. About Greg's involvement in 4-H

Greg Svoboda has been an amazing asset to Benton County 4-H and to the youth in Benton County. It’s a little known fact that he spent summers at his grandparents working with livestock, but he was never involved in 4-H in his youth.

It wasn’t until his children started their 4-H careers that he became involved. Greg is a former 4-H club leader who was going to “just help out” because his children were involved, but ending up being a club leader for over 10 years.

Greg is also a 4-H committee member and swine superintendent who can be seen in every weigh-in or tagging as well as in the show ring each year at fair, wearing bibs, holding a clipboard and keeping track of classes, placings and ribbons.

He has a great passion for working with the youth in Benton County. It’s volunteers like Greg that are the backbone of the Iowa 4-H Program and make the positive differences in the lives of our youth.

Click HERE to see the entire list of Benton County 4-H Hall of Fame honorees.

About the 4-H Hall of Fame inductees

Inductees or their surviving family members were presented a certificate by the Iowa 4-H Foundation as they were introduced on stage. In alphabetical order, Adair to Jackson Counties were recognized at 1:30, while Jefferson to Wright County were recognized at 3:30. A reception, sponsored by donors to the Iowa 4-H Foundation, was held shortly after each of the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame presentations. County honorees were selected by their respected counties for their outstanding service and dedication to 4-H, while the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa 4-H Programs office nominated two honorees this year for their service to Iowa 4-H and beyond. Inductees are selected for their exceptional work in contributing to the lives of 4-H members and the overall 4-H program. Many inductees served as club leaders, youth mentors, fair superintendents, fair board members, Iowa State University Extension county council members, county youth council members, fair judges, financial supporters, chaperones, Iowa 4-H Foundation Trustees, or ISU Extension and Outreach staff members. The inductees have demonstrated dedication, encouragement, commitment and guidance to Iowa’s 4-H’ers through the years. “This is a wonderful opportunity for county and state 4-H volunteers and 4-H staff to recognized and celebrated for their outstanding service and dedication to Iowa’s 4-H program,” said Albert Grunenwald, More information about this year’s inductees to the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame also is available on the Iowa 4-H Foundation website, organized by year and by county. Go to http://www.iowa4hfoundation.org/hof. The Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame was established in 2002 to help commemorate the 100th anniversary of 4-H. A summary of previous honorees are also available on the Iowa 4-H Foundation’s website. This year’s honorees by county: Adair County - Deb Stalter Chickasaw County – Ron Zelle Adams County – James (Jim) Stalcup Clarke County – Joyce Branson Allamakee County – Betty Toendle Clay County – Roger & Kay Zieman Appanoose County – Jerald & Judi Lawson Clayton County – Sandy Ruckhaber Audubon County – Ed Ahrendsen Clinton County – Marvel Smith Benton County – Greg Svoboda Crawford County – Dick & Rona Bromert Black Hawk County – Louis & Pat Beck Dallas County – Chuck & Lorinda Inman Boone County – Jim Magee Delaware County – Martin & Joann Kruse Bremer County – Kevin & Peney Rasing Des Moines County – Andy & Lyn Brader Buchanan County – Rustie & Lori Kane Dubuque County – Betty Pins Buena Vista County – Marty Olsen Emmet County – David & Carol Solberg Bulter County – Doug Schueler Fayette County – Don Bahe Calhoun County – Jamie Buenting Floyd County – Joe & Sue Paulus Carroll County – Julie Clancy Franklin County – Dr. Richard Flickinger Cass County – Eleanor Hoover Fremont County – Phillip Wing Cedar County – Teri Baird Greene County - Doug Hawn Cherokee County – Jim & Peggy Corrington Grundy County – Bill Noteboom Guthrie County – Jim & Jo Laughery Montgomery County – Wanda Johnson Hamilton County – Pan Henderson Muscatine County – Irene Lary Hancock County – LaVern & Della Veau Page County – Harold & Shirley Anderson Hardin County –Jackie Tibbsr Palo Alto – Roberta Hersom Harrison County – Paul Lane Plymouth County – Carol Schneider Henry County – Deborah Sinclair Pocahontas County – Nancy Jenson Howard County – Lowell & Merge Dohlman Polk County – James & Judy Nelson Humboldt County – Marilyn Hundertmark Pottawattamie (East) County – Boyd M. Nilan Ida County – Dale & Sandy Ullrich Poweskiek County – Larry Sears Iowa County – Theresa Heitman Ringgold County – Cindy Schlapia & Cheryl Whittington Jackson County – Larry & Mary Lou Johnson Scott County – Jeanette Korthaus Jefferson County – Eileen Pickard Shelby County – Linda Heflin Johnson County – Richard & Joyce Oberman Sioux County – Cheryl Palsma Jones County – John Harms Story County – Doris Olson Keokuk County – Terry & Marsha Steinhart Union County – Paul & Verna Bailey Linn County – Marilyn Butler Van Buren County – Norma Whitacker Louisa County – Mike Hendrickson Wapello County – Sue Wasson Mahaska County – Eileen Blom Warren County – Jason & Kim DeLay Marshall County – Tom Hemesath Washington County - Robert Emde Mills County – Robert Moore Wayne County – Jan Winslow Mitchell County – Marlene Weis Webster County – John & Sandee Bonner Monona County – Dave Hausman Winneshiek County – Norbert Lovstuen Monroe County - Dean & Nathalie Lathrop Woodbury County – Maggie Locke Worth County – Paul Nerley Wright County – Dale Haugland