Cape Girardeau County women named 4-H volunteer award winners

Linda Illers and Kandy Peek of Cape Girardeau County were named 2016 Frank Graham 4-H Volunteer Leadership Award winners by the Missouri 4-H Foundation on March 18. Linda and Kandy were recognized for their commitment to the University of Missouri Extension 4-H Youth Development Program.

“It is our great pleasure to honor Ms. Illers and Ms. Peek with the Frank Graham Volunteer Leadership Award for their dedication to Missouri 4-H,” said Dr. Marla Tobin, chair of the Missouri 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees. “It is volunteers like them who have made Missouri 4-H the quality experience for which it is so well known, and we are indebted to Linda and Kandy for their service.”

Linda Illers has been a 4-H volunteer in Cape Girardeau County for 25 years, serving as a camp volunteer and chaperone. She also serves as a project leader, district fair superintendent, exhibit judge and often serves as a greeter in the 4-H building during the fair.

Kandy Peek has served Cape Girardeau County 4-H for 26 years as a project leader, district fair superintendent, project judge, assistant club leader and awards committee member. Peek also serves as a group leader at Clover Kid Camp. She goes out of her way to make her Clover Kids feel special during the district fair, handing out goody bags to each child when they pick up their projects.

The Frank Graham 4-H Volunteer Leadership Award recognizes volunteers who work to guide our youth. The award is named for Frank Graham, who served as director of the MU Extension 4-H Center for Youth Development from 1958 to 1975. During his 33 years of service, Mr. Graham was an avid supporter of volunteer leadership, believing that volunteers are the foundation of the 4-H program.

About the Missouri 4-H Foundation

For more than 65 years, the Missouri 4-H Foundation has been managing funds for the MU Extension 4-H Youth Development Program, providing higher education scholarships and recognizing 4-H volunteers. MU Extension 4-H is a community of more than 260,000 youths from across Missouri learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.