Hannon Reflects on 50 Years as a 4-H Volunteer
Published: Friday, October 25, 2024
She calls herself an "old farm kid," but Rachel Hannon is much more than that in the eyes of former 4-H club members and the state of Indiana.
The Kouts resident recently was honored as a "Golden Hoosier" at a ceremony in Indianapolis hosted by Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch. The award recognizes seniors for their lifetime of service and commitment to their communities. This year, there were 17 award winners from across Indiana.
To be eligible, awardees must currently be an Indiana resident, age 65 or older and have been a volunteer in the community for the past three years. Each awardee was nominated by someone in their community who recognized their significant contribution to their community. She was nominated by Kim (Wellsand) Schwant, one of Hannon's former 4-H'ers.
At age 91 and having been a 4-H leader for 50 years, Hannon more than qualifies for the award. She was the leader of the Morgan Hustling Hoosiers, an all-girl 4-H club in Porter County. She also taught Sunday school and worked in the East Porter School District as a cafeteria worker, retiring only two years ago at age 89.
The presentation took place Sept. 24 at the Indiana Statehouse. That visit marked the first time Hannon had ever visited the state capitol.
"When you're an old farm kid, you don't get too far away," she quipped.
She was involved in 4-H while growing up on her parents' farm in Malden. One of her highlights was showing the grand champion beef steer at the 1950 Porter County Fair. Back then, youths could participate in 4-H until they were 21.
After graduating from high school in 1951, Hannon went to work at a local bank and then married a farmer. She and her husband Frank moved to the Kouts area, where Rachel became a stay-at-home mom to one daughter, Susan, who now lives in Chalmers.
Eventually, Hannon rejoined the work force, working as a cook in the school cafeteria at East Porter Schools.
"They needed some help," she explained. "And I said, 'Oh, I'll help you a while.' It was a while—35 years later."
She became a 4-H leader when her daughter was old enough to enroll. She helped the girls learn how to sew, bake foods and show livestock. She helped numerous 4-H'ers with their demonstration projects and helped them gain confidence to speak in front of others.
Schwant recalls how she froze during a demonstration about her pet guinea pig. She was embarrassed and ran out of the room crying.
"Rachel came right after me and told me that I didn't have to finish my speech if I didn't want to," Schwant said. "No one ever wanted to disappoint Rachel, so I dried my tears, went back into the room, and finished my demonstration. I kept doing those demonstrations, and eventually, I won the contest at the Indiana State Fair, winning a trip to Washington, D.C."
Schwant, who lives in Greenwood, Ind., said there are countless girls like her who gained confidence and strength from the mentorship Hannon provided through the 4-H program.
"I am the person I am today because of Rachel Hannon," she said.
The Kouts resident occasionally runs into her former 4-H'ers and hears them express gratitude for the help she provided.
"It's after you see what some of the kids have done," she said. "Some of them were so shy when they started."
Hannon never attended college, but she feels that she has educated hundreds of children over her 50 years as a 4-H leader. She continued to serve even after Frank's passing 17 years ago. She said being a 4-H leader kept her focused after his passing.
She stepped down after her 50th year, as computers were becoming more prevalent in 4-H projects.
"I couldn't do it," she said. "Everything was on computer. Besides, it was time to walk. I had been there too many years. But I enjoyed it."
Four-H enrollment has been gradually declining over the past three decades. Hannon said this correlates to the rise of girls' sports in Indiana. She said many girls had to choose between 4-H and sports.
"That made a lot of difference in the 4-H program," she said. "The kids that were really sold out, they were your best 4-H members, too. I had two girls, both real excellent basketball players. But when it comes time to do 4-H things, who did you go to ask to help you? Those two girls. And they were there, and they were probably the busiest ones I've had."
Another factor affecting 4-H enrollment is that most youths don't live on farms anymore.
Hannon said most 4-H'ers are hard workers. She has noticed that if they start a project, they are certain to finish it.
"Those are the kids that succeed," she said. "They want to do it. It makes a lot of difference."
Hannon said she likes to bake. Not surprisingly, she shared that passion with her 4-H'ers. One year, her 4-H dairy foods judging team won the state championship.
"Four-H is very knowledgeable if you want to put the work in it," she said. "You'll be rewarded."
The Golden Hoosier Award is a great honor, and Schwant said Hannon deserves the recognition "for all the time, energy, love and devotion that she has shared with 'her' girls."
For her part, Hannon said she became a 4-H volunteer because she wanted to help young people.
"I just did it because the kids needed help," she said. "It's not that I was so smart. With the demonstrations, I had to learn a lot with the kids right when they did."
Return to Top of Page