October 17, 2022
Mildred O. Waldren Inducted into National 4-H Hall of Fame
Mildred O. Waldren was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame on October 7, 2022, for her lifetime achievement and contributions to 4-H. Honored by Kansas 4-H Youth Development and Kansas State University Research and Extension, Waldren was one of sixteen laureates to be inducted during a ceremony at the Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University, Washington DC.
“We are proud to honor and recognize the outstanding individuals who are the Class of 2022 Laureates for the National 4-H Hall of Fame. These individuals have touched the lives of many people, from 4-H staff and colleagues to thousands of 4-H volunteers and members throughout the nation," said Pamela Van Horn, chair of the National 4-H Hall of Fame.
In comments made in September 2013, when Mildred Waldren was honored in Pittsburgh, PA, as the Monsanto Salute to Excellence Outstanding Lifetime 4-H Volunteer, Mildred shared, “the reason I become a 4-H leader is because someone took the time to ask me to volunteer. It is essential to ‘ask’ people to volunteer in 4-H programs. As the years flew by, there was always a strong need for 4-H volunteers, so I continued to volunteer.”
Mildred Waldren excelled as a Kansas 4-H volunteer leader, serving 71 consecutive years until her death in April 2021. She served as the Community (and/or co) 4-H Club Leader of the Go-Getters 4-H Club from 1950-2014. As the community 4-H club leader she positively influenced and mentored youth to reach their full potential to over 600 different club members for 64-years donating over 12,500 hours. She trained and mentored officers, guided committees, taught parliamentary procedure, leadership skills and communication skills, and worked with club members in positive youth and adult partnerships as she facilitated thousands of meetings/activities. She recruited 100+ new club volunteers in a county of 1,350 people to teach projects and other club roles. While never a 4-H’er herself, she treasured the value of 4-H, donating generously.
Mildred taught important project and life skills to over 400 additional county 4-H members in the 71-years of being a 4-H project leader for the club and county. She served as a project leader from 1950-2021, donating more than 4,000 hours in multiple projects, including: clothing construction, visual arts/arts and crafts, memory photo albums, crocheting, embroidery, cake decorating, foods, photography, and woodworking.
In 40-years as the manager of the Greeley County 4-H Food Concession Manager at the Greeley Co. Fair, Tribune, KS, Mildred donated her services and time of more than 2,100 hours and received no stipend for her work. She also taught more than 1,500 youth the skills needed to work in a concession stand, including: responsibility, leadership, communication, decision-making, healthy food handling practices, customer service, and money management.
Mildred also mentored two sons teaching them 4-H/Extension skills. Both sons had successful careers as professional Extension educators who worked mostly with 4-H. Vernon spent 37-years working for University of Nebraska Extension in 4-H, agriculture and as county Extension director in the Omaha, NE, area. Deryl worked 38-years in Kansas, Colorado, and California Extension in both 4-H and agriculture responsibilities.
Mildred’s last K-State Research and Extension agent she worked with, Todd Schmidt shared, “One of her most valuable attributes was her one-on-one mentoring ability. I have had more 4-H alumni comment on how they truly treasured the individual mentoring by Mildred, whether it was learning how to sew, learning the duties of 4-H club president, or simply learning about life. Mildred was a ‘straight shooter’, yet she showed compassion, genuine interest, and love for whomever she was mentoring.”