Livingston County United Way Honors Hartland 4-H Group For Garden

GENOA TOWNSHIP — The Ranger’s 4-H Club of Hartland has won the Youth Organization of the Year Award from the Livingston County United Way as part of a key effort that's reduced hunger locally in the past year.

"We're all extremely proud of them," said Judy Paulsen, who is an administrative leader with the club. "The kids put in a lot of effort, a lot of energy with great results."

The group grew more than 1,700 pounds of produce by tending one of four gardens established last year during the summer to help achieve the goals of the Hunger Council, a collaborative effort of organizations throughout the county that's lowered the county's meal shortfall from five million to 3.8 million meals since forming last year. The 4-H club's food was donated for use mostly in Hartland's Meals on Wheels program and overflow went to Gleaners food bank.

The garden — which featured lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbines potatoes, squash and green beans — is on Parshall Road between Runyan Lake and Hartland roads. Paulsen said most of the more than 100 youth members of the club participated. For the entire group, ages range between 9-18 while about 35 adults supervise.

With last year's success, organizers plan a bigger garden this year. The effort will be a main topic during the group's meeting  7 p.m. Thursday at .

"We intend to expand it," Paulsen said "One of our goals is to produce over a ton of produce this year. … It's a great way to build team spirit among the members."

The community service honor was given out at the United Way's annual meeting and volunteer breakfast Thursday morning at Crystal Gardens. It was illustrative of what outgoing board president David Rex said the agency is doing to address community needs. Still, Rex, a Hartland resident and president of Rex Materials Group, the said more work needs to be done.

As a community, it’s necessary to overcome “self-imposed boundaries” because they “keep us from winning this battle,” he said.

The 4-H club wasn't the only Hartland connection during the breakfast. Jean Eckland of Hartland was honored for her service as a retiring board member and incoming Board President Piet Lindhout of Brighton Township received the Donald Epley Lifetime Community Service Award, named for the man who was known as “Mr. Hartland” for his decades-long involvement with the community.

New award

In addition, the morning featured a new award honoring the memory of late local businessman and United Way volunteer extraordinaire Randy Rudisill served as a tribute to the last business he built in a partnership with Dave Donie. American Compounding Specialties of Fowlerville received the first-ever Randy Rudisill Business of the Year Award at the early morning meeting.

Rudisill, who owned American Compounding Specialties and was from Ann Arbor, served as a former United Way campaign chairperson and on the United Way board of directors from 1995-2008.  He also was active in a number of additional community activities and boards.

Lauraine Hoensheid, a retiring board member, discussed Rudisill's legacy.

"Randy was and always will be remembered as a true friend to the Livingston County United Way and the Livingston County community," the Brighton resident said. "He was always organized and expected results."

His wife, Sally, daughter, Annie, and niece, Emma, were on hand as Rena Pomaville of Brighton accepted the award on behalf of the company.

Pomaville attributed the company earning the award to one simple thing. “We did have the benefit of working with Randy every day,” she said, adding that the positive impact his actions had on the community was evident and gives the company the impetus to continue his legacy of service.

Honored on tape highlights other plaudits

A video showed the surprise of Dawn Boss, of Boss Engineering, Inc. in Howell, who was out of the country for the meeting, as she was awarded the Charles W. Itsell Volunteer of the Year Award, which acknowledged her extraordinary volunteer service of the past year.

Other awards handed out at the event included:

• "Spirit of Michigan" awards went to First Impressions Printing & Graphics and Citizens Insurance Company, both of Howell. 
• Gabriel Seck, 14, who attends Three Fires Middle School in Howell, earned the Youth of Distinction Award for outstanding service to her community. Seck, who maintains a straight A average, is involved in a number of activities, including The Fuel to Play 60 program, which leads other students to living a more healthy life. Debbie Miller, a family and consumer science teacher at the school who teaches Seck, said, “This young person exemplifies selflessness and caring. She is only beginning her journey of community service and devotion.”