(Guthrie Center, Iowa; Article submitted) – The Guthrie County SESS Range Finders 4-H club held their annual awards night on Sunday, December 4 at the Guthrie Fairgrounds Events Center. Huge thank you to the Guthrie Fair Board for allowing us to use their facility! All club member families were invited to attend this event and we had 11 members present. The evening started off with a potluck dinner with some amazing food. Next, we inducted our new 2022-2023 club officers of: President Emma Rutledge, Vice President Michelle Brooks, Secretary Kaylee Oberholtz, Treasurer Max Owen, Reporter Corrie Knapp, Photographer Piper Downing, Historian Gracie Hodges. It was then time to have our new officers run the monthly meeting. We welcomed our new club members of Dalton Carney, Payson Downing, and Ian Griffith. We ended the night with our club award presentation from the 2021-2022 4-H year.

Emma Rutledge, President, started off with recognizing and thanking SESS volunteers with year of service pins.

Left to right in front row: Max Owen, Alala Derry, Payton Downing, Ian Griffith, Corrie Knapp
From left to right in back row: Trever Derry, Aries Derry, Emma Rutledge, Kaylee Oberholtz, Michelle Brooks, Piper Downing (Photo submitted)

The instructors then took turns reading and handing out club awards. SESS awards recognize the following: Officers, Committee Participation, Club Presentations, Club Tour Participation, County Fair Participation, Community Service Event Participation, Discipline Safety Awards, Postal Shoot Participation, State Shoot Participation, Nationals Participation of Eli Madsen and Max Owen, Graduation, Perfect Attendance of Trever Derry and Max Owen, and most importantly our Member Excellence Award. Although all SESS awards are an honor, the Member Excellence is our highest award and the following members received it: Trever Derry, Corrie Knapp, Jalen Michaelson, Kaylee Oberholtz, Max Owen, and Emma Rutledge.

(Submitted by Corrie Knapp, Reporter)

(Shelby, Iowa)  – The Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc. will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at the Shelby Community Hall in Shelby at 7:30 pm. Board President Charlie Leaders, of Minden, says “We encourage everyone to come out and hear about what’s happening at the farm.” Members of Carstens Farm will be voting for four positions on the board of directors. The following board members’ terms are ending as of the date of the meeting:  Charlie Leaders and Ben Ausdemore of Minden, Stanley Kern of Shelby and Rick Newland of Portsmouth. All four are running for another term.

Continuing board members are Gerald McCool and David Dittmer of Minden, Dale Schroder of Avoca, Bill Johnson and Doug Martin of Shelby, Harvey Ferris of Missouri Valley and Terry Torneten of Harlan. Results of the election will be announced following the meeting.

Leaders said “We are listing ideas for projects in 2023. We want to continue our focus on building upkeep and repair.” Reports will be given on the 2022 Carstens Farm Days show. Leaders said also, “I hope to see many members as well as the general public at the meeting because we want to continue to grow our membership.”

Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc. members as well as members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend.  Those attending will have the opportunity to renew their memberships or to purchase new memberships.  Memberships are important for sustaining the farm’s operations. New or renewing members should note that membership rates remain the same as last year: $25 for family; $15 for an individual. Visit the farm’s website for membership information.

Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc., a non-profit group of local volunteers, oversees this working farmstead museum exhibit located south of Shelby, Iowa.  The farmstead hosts several thousand people annually during Carstens Farm Days which is held the first weekend after Labor Day.  For more information visit www.carstensfarm.com