2016 Des Moines County Dave and Pat Fritz

This year’s Hall of Fame honorees have been involved in 4-H for many years: as members, 4-H parents, 4-H leaders, and committee members.

Dave and Pat Fritz, of Burlington, were in 4-H for nine years. Pat was involved in clothing, home improvement and food and nutrition. One of her leader’s was a cook at Notre Dame High School and the club would go to the kitchen to learn and get hands-on experience. Dave showed poultry along with woodworking, gardening, photography, and entomology.

Dave attended State 4-H Conference, the North Carolina Youth Exchange, and served on the County 4-H Youth Council while he was a member of 4-H. Both Dave and Pat enjoyed their experience while attending the Citizenship Washington Focus trip. Through this opportunity they were able to meet 4-H’ers from all over the country, meet Iowa Senators and Representatives, and while visiting the Washington monument, Prince Charles of England arrived and the group had to leave.

Favorite memories of Dave’s 4-H experience include: all the barns and the grandstand at the old fairgrounds, spending a week on a farm in North Carolina, piling into a VW Beetle with his two brothers when their 4-H leader came to pick them up for their monthly 4-H meeting, and one year, receiving a red ribbon for leaving the husk on his sweet corn and then the next year getting a red ribbon for taking the husk off his sweet corn.

As for Pat, she remembers taking a blackberry pie to the county fair and receiving a red ribbon because the judge said there were too many seeds in the pie and she also remembers just getting ready for the fair each year. As 4-H parents, Dave and Pat both agree watching their son Nathan grow up in 4-H and expand his knowledge and involvement in every aspect of the program, especially his success in the Bucket-Bottle Calf program, leave them with memories that can never be replaced. Forcing Nathan to sit down and get his goal sheets done, now that may be a memory they may want to forget. J

Dave remains active in 4-H as a leader of the Burlington Explorers 4-H club and has served as a leader for 14 years through various clubs in Des Moines County.

Pat is an instrumental member of the cat, dog, and small pet committee, served as secretary for the newly formed Des Moines County 4-H Foundation, and is a past member of the Des Moines County 4-H Youth Committee and 4-H leader.

Through it all, Dave and Pat believe watching the 4-H youth make new friends, learn new things, and grow up and develop into productive members of our community