4-H is a way of life for Bushnell native

Helen Spencer
·2 min read
Erin speaks with a McDonough County 4-H judge about her heifer’s birthdate.
Erin speaks with a McDonough County 4-H judge about her heifer’s birthdate.

McDONOUGH COUNTY — For Bushnell native Erin Curley, 4-H has in many ways been a way of life.

Curley is a Human Development and Family Studies major and a pre-dental candidate in her junior year at the University of Illinois. She has been involved in 4-H for the past 12 years.

She became involved when she was eight and continued until she was 18. “I'm going to U of I, living at the 4-H house, involved in collegiate 4-H. I've always kind of had a background in 4-H because my mom also works for the Extension,” Curley said.

She has shown beef, cattle, goats and done general show projects with the Bushnell group, the 4-H Goal Diggers.

“I've always enjoyed the fairs. My cousins were involved showing livestock and everything with 4-H too. I would hang out with them when I was little, stay in their trailers sometimes,” she said. “We had a big water fight a few years ago.”

Her 4-H group would meet monthly and do community service projects. “I had a lot of people I could look up to or just hang out with,” she said

Curley said one of the community service projects they did was baking cookies and making cards for the Courtyard Estates residents in Bushnell.

She is currently working for the Extension this summer and is in town for the McDonough County Fair this week.

“I think it's (4-H) impacted everything about my life,” she said. “Right now I'm at 4-H house, sorority on campus, and collegiate 4-H.”

She said it has helped her make decisions and meet some of her best friends. “4-H gets you involved on campus. There's different skillls you learn: for example, public speaking. By doing this early, it helped with confidence and encouraging me to be student council and FSA president in high school,” Curley said.

General show projects require exhibitors to speak and interview with judges. “I think that will be definitely helpful when applying for jobs,” she said. “I have a love for community service because I enjoyed it so much. I value my community now, and will volunteer for 4-H in the future.”

This article originally appeared on The McDonough County Voice: 4-H is a way of life for McDonough County native