January 4, 2006
Meg Fraser receives national 4-H honor
Award recognizes 4-H Teen Club adviser
By
Herald staff writer
Meg Fraser got more than she bargained for when she began volunteering as an adviser to the Kingsley 4-H Teen Club - national recognition.
Fraser was one of 25 volunteers from across the United States, and the only one from Michigan, to receive the National 4-H Afterschool Open Doors Volunteer Award. The award recognizes 4-H volunteers who are involved in afterschool programming in their communities.
Serving as a mentor, Fraser provides structure, facilitated, encouraged, challenged, educated, informed and created a positive learning environment for and with the girls involved in the program.
"Meg is a fabulous person. She is a positive role model for kids and adults alike. She is dependable, trustworthy, dedicated, caring, smart, kind, friendly, warm, funny, interesting, etc., etc., etc.," said Wanda Repke, 4-H volunteer and youth development coordinator who nominated Fraser for the award.
Fraser, who has been working with the Afterschool Open Door program for more than two years, began as a paid temporary staff person. When that position was completed, she came back as a volunteer because she saw the value of 4-H and wanted to make sure kids could continue to have positive, fun and interesting learning experiences.
"The nice thing about this is that it is their club, the girls' club. I'm just there for guidance when they need me. That concept is new because other teens are being told what not to do," said Fraser, who noticed the girls have improved their thinking skills and created strong ties to their school and community.
"Every girl in the club had their own idea of what to do, but they had to work together and decide what they wanted to do. That was really great to watch," Fraser said.
"I'm really proud of the girls, they wanted to volunteer for the needs of the community," Fraser said. "It is amazing to watch their personal growth, to watch a shy girl become a leader."