11 Michigan Volunteers Celebrate 50 Years with 4-H

Imagine showing up for young people in your community not just for a year or two, but for five full decades.

That's exactly what 11 Michigan volunteers have done through the state's 4-H program. During National Volunteer Week in April, Michigan State University Extension honored these remarkable individuals who have each given 50 or more years of service to Michigan 4-H.

The volunteers come from counties across Michigan, from Barry to St. Clair, and include couples like Beverly and Gary Koppelman and Linda and Peter Preston who dedicated their lives to youth development together. Others like Kay Booth, Joyce Goerge, and Mary Yeomans have spent half a century as solo champions for young people in their communities.

Michigan 4-H reached 139,000 young people ages 5 to 19 last year alone. The program helps kids find their interests, build real world skills, and grow into confident, resilient adults through hands-on activities at summer camps, after-school programs, clubs, fairs, and special events.

None of this would be possible without volunteers. More than 11,000 people gave their time to Michigan 4-H last year, serving as mentors, instructors, and trusted adult role models who do far more than teach skills.

"Michigan 4‑H would not exist as it does today without the dedication of volunteers who generously share their gifts," said Quentin Tyler, director of MSU Extension. These 11 individuals have been sharing those gifts since the mid-1970s, when many of today's parents weren't even born yet.

The Ripple Effect

Think about how many young people cross your path in a single year. Now multiply that by 50 years, and you begin to grasp the profound impact these volunteers have had.

Each child they mentored grew up carrying the skills, confidence, and memories those volunteers helped create. Many likely became volunteers themselves, creating ripples that spread through generations.

The volunteers received gifts of appreciation and personal thank-you notes from MSU Extension leadership. But the real gift flows both ways—50 years of watching young people discover their potential and grow into capable adults.

Anyone inspired by their example can learn more about volunteering with Michigan 4-H at the MSU Extension website, where the next generation of long-term mentors might just be getting started.