Westminster Eagle - Katie V. Jones: Kathryn Frock touts
merits of 4-H life
Fair 'queen' touts merits of 4-H life 07/26/06 By Katie V.
Jones
Labels: 4H, 4H
Carroll Co 4H FFA Fair, Ag
Carroll Co MD Ag Center, People
Frock Kathryn, People
obituaries
In those days the fair was held in Taneytown, before moving
to its current location behind the Agricultural Center in Westminster.
To build the buildings at the new site, the 4-H clubs raised
money through various methods such as making moccasins and selling household
"guidebooks."
At 89, Frock has more than 60 years of memories of being in
4-H, first as a member, then as a leader and currently as a judge.
She no longer judges at the Baltimore, Howard and Montgomery
county fairs, but the Westminster resident remains active with her beloved
Carroll County 4-H and FFA Fair, which opens this week.
"I had to cut some of those out because it is pretty
far for me to drive," Frock chuckles, talking about the other fairs.
"I can't do as much as I used to do. I can't stand on my feet so
long."
As a 4-H leader, Frock helped start the Westminster 4-H Club
and the 4-H Horticulture Club. She took an active role in the running of the
4-H snowball stand.
"I would line up all the people to work the three,
four-hour shifts," Frock said. "Leaders, 4-H'ers, parents, friends,
anybody I could get. I used to be in that snowball stand a lot."
Every year, the fair has grown, according to Frock, with
more exhibits, more youth and more animals.
"It takes an awful lot of people to run that
fair," Frock said. "It takes 80 to 100 people just to run the snowball
stand. There's an ice cream stand, a soft drink, sandwich, iced tea stand, a
restaurant that serves three meals a day.
"Volunteers volunteer more than one time."
Andy Cashman, livestock superintendent for the fair, says
Frock's commitment to 4-H is admirable.
"This day and age it is tougher and tougher to get
people to volunteer," Cashman said. "The kids think it is pretty neat
that she's been involved. It is pretty important to her."
Both of Frock's children were in 4-H, and now her grandchildren
are, too.
"It is a very educational program," Frock said of
4-H. "There are all kinds of things you can do in 4-H."
While Frock participated in projects such as sewing,
knitting, crocheting, needlework, canning and jelly making, she has judged
crafts, horticulture and food projects.
It isn't always easy being a judge, especially when choosing
the grand champion of a class.
"At the fair, you're displaying all of what you've done
over the year and being judged on it," Frock said. "The judge tells
them the good ... and the things they could improve on."
"Sometimes picking out the (champion) is hard because a
couple can be very close," Frock said. "A 4-H leader knows what to
look for. What they (4-H'ers) are supposed to be doing is learning by doing, and
making the best better."
Frock plans to continue being active with 4-H and can't wait
until this year's fair gets fully under way tomorrow.
"She gets her own parking spot at the top,"
Cashman said. "Anybody who does all she does deserves it. She's a wonderful
lady who puts a lot of effort into the program."
Parking spot or not, Frock will be attending this year's
fair, adding to her collection of memories.
"I don't know whether there is a favorite part,"
Frock said, of her years in 4-H. "I like it all."
+++++++++++++
Related – Update:
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Kathryn
A. Myers Frock, 94, of Westminster, died April 26, 2012 at Emeritus at
Westminster. http://www.prittsfuneralhome.com/vcalendar/event_view.php?event_id=245
*****
Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com
