The Antelope County 4-H Program celebrated a 4-H Kick-Off Party Sunday, January 10 at the Neligh American Legion Club. 4-H’ers from the county were honored for their accomplishments during the 2009 4-H year and introduced to new and exciting events for 2010.
Serving as Mistresses of Ceremonies were 4-H’ers Abby and Danielle Larson, Tilden. Allen Miller, Oakdale, led the Pledge of Allegiance and 4-H Pledge. Brieann Grosserode, Oakdale, gave the invocation.
The highlight of the afternoon was the naming of the Outstanding 4-H Girl and Boy for the 2009 4-H year – Carlie Redding and Alex Heithoff.
Carlie Redding, 18-year-old daughter of Jim and Chris Redding of Elgin is an 11 year 4-H member of the Way Out West 4-H Club. She has been a very active participant in many of her club meetings and activities. She helps other 4-H’ers with her knowledge in showing animals and with the 4-H shooting sports project. She has represented Antelope County at the state and national level in shooting sports competitions. She has taken a keen interest in the field of archery and with the guidance of an excellent coach and a lot of discipline and determination, has honed her skills and made great progress. After becoming proficient at compound archery and competing nationally in that discipline, she took on the challenge of recurve archery, so she could have another chance to compete at the National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational. She thoroughly enjoyed her two trips to this shoot where she was able to meet and shoot with fellow 4-H’ers from all over the United States, who shared her enthusiasm for 4-H and shooting sports.
Carlie has been extremely active in state 4-H livestock judging contests, as well as having many exhibits selected for State Fair competition in photography, foods, sewing, and quilting. She has won many county awards in shooting sports, photography and horse.
Carlie was very active in school activities, especially FFA where she competed in range and livestock judging as well as the Career Development and Leadership Skills events where she represented her program in both district and state competitions. She was a member of Elgin Public High School’s National Honor Society and was a participant in one act plays and speech.
Carlie is very artistically gifted and chooses to express her creativity through quilting traditional art, leather craft and writing.
Carlie prefers to lead by example, rather than being the center of attention. She is passionate, kind, caring, hardworking, confident, compassionate, and talented. She attends Wayne State College where she is majoring in print journalist and minoring in graphic design. Carlie is a member of Park Congregational United Church of Christ.
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