Posted on August 23, 2021 at 10:58 AM by Emily Saveraid
Dwight and Lanette Byerly’s involvement in the Des Moines County 4-H program is untypical compared to others. Neither were involved in 4-H as youth, but the years of service they have provided to countless 4-H’ers, as well as adults, is priceless!
Dwight and Lanette served as 4-H leaders of the Pleasant Grove Rockets for 28 years before the club transitioned into the Danville Corn Huskers 4-H Club. They were rewarded for their efforts as being selected as the Des Moines County Meritorious Service winners in 1995.
The couple also have served on the non-livestock/static committee from 1998 to present day. Their expertise in the areas of set-up, exhibit check-in, and state fair selection is second to none and as the years of service show, this is a duo that is hard to replace.
As members of the Peace Lutheran Church, in Prairie Grove, Iowa, Dwight and Lanette have strong ties to the small, southeast Iowa town. Their ties run deep as they were an instrumental part of the restoration of the Prairie Grove School House.
Dwight has served as a leader of the Des Moines County Shooting Sports 4-H Club; a member of the Des Moines County Extension Council, who also serves on the Extension’s Building Committee; and he spends his summers traveling to county fairs, in southeast Iowa, to judge animal science, gardening, horticulture, and SET (Science, Engineering, and Technology). As a cancer survivor, you can find Lanette right by Dwight’s side at many of these fairs.
Parents of two boys and grandparents of six, Dwight and Lanette still find the time to enjoy what they love to do in their spare time. Dwight is a carpenter, specializing in woodworking, and helps out on the farm when needed. Lanette is a seamstress and loves to spend time gardening.
After retirement, from the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant and Big River Resource Cooperative, respectively, Dwight and Lanette continued to offer their services to support local 4-H clubs with their woodworking efforts and supplying homemade items for the annual Des Moines County 4-H Community Dinner’s fundraiser live auction. Their support comes as donors, bidders, or recipients of goods sold; they are the epitome of what 4-H stands for…To Make the Best Better as they watch 4-H Grow!
Categories: 2021, Des Moines
