2016 Taylor County Kathy Ecklin

Kathy Ecklin has been an active volunteer in Taylor County 4-H for over 35 years.  Kathy’s family has bleed 4-H green for four generations.  As a youth Kathy first joined the Holt Lassie 4H club in Holt Township in 1968.  She was a 6^th grader when she first joined the all-girls club with leaders Osil Mitchell, Germaine Lundquist and Jean Smith.  Kathy remembers how every year they had a different project emphasis, for example; Cooking and they would focus on that the whole year.  Kathy’s favorite category was Home Improvement and she even taught her daughters to love that category as well.  Kathy was honored to present at the State Fair in 1971.  That same year, she also received food and nutrition and reading awards.  She held the County Historian office for the county.  Kathy shares that when she was the historian she had to keep records for the whole county, not just the club she belonged to.  “What a job that was”.  Kathy attended the Intermediate Summer 4-H Camp and the Senior Winter Camp both held at the State 4-H Camping Center near Madrid.  She was selected to attend the American Royal Banquet in 1972 and the State 4-H Conference in 1973.  Kathy fondly remembers attending the 4-H exchange trip to southwest Missouri, living with 4-H families and learned about their 4-H programs. 

Kathy married Johnny Ecklin who was a long time 4-Her as well.  They have five children that were in the 4-H program for a total of 25 years:  Allen Konecne married to Beth, Sarah Adamson married to Brad, Julie Wallace married to Doug, Janet Lopez married to Jose and Jared.  Kathy encouraged and supported all five of her children with 4-H because she understood the positive impact it has.  Kathy became a leader of the Calvary Go-Getters from 1994 – 2008.  Kathy was able to impact the lives of multiple kids that joined the Calvary Go-Getters family.  Kathy would advise to “keep up with your record books, they come in handy in all decades of your life”.  Kathy now encourages and helps her eleven grand-children:  Carter, Ryan and Grant Konecne, Xavier and Katherine Adamson, Halee, Davin and Dylan Wallace and Brooklynn, Brayden and Jase Lopez through their 4-H years. 

Kathy continues to support the 4-H lifestyle by judging at surrounding county fairs.  She is honored to serve on the Taylor County 4-H Foundation Board.  In 2008 Kathy received the Taylor County 4-H Achievement Award.  Kathy always tries to serve, educate and support the 4-H community anyway she can.  When Kathy was asked why she enjoys volunteering for 4-H she states that she loves to work with the youth and helping them learn new things.  “I also love to see how inventive they are.  I value the community service that it allows me to do.  I love to give back anyway that I can.”