Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

What a dynamic trio these three women are. If you have ever visited the rabbit building at the Mower County Fair, you had just a very small peek at the hours and hours of volunteer work these three have done. They all have a deep commitment to 4-H and especially to seeing kids learn, grow and have fun, and raising rabbits is their area of specialization. They also work with the American Rabbit Breeders Association for other non-4-H rabbit competitions, called “Open Shows.”

Gayle Perkins became interested in 4-H as an activity for her son. She has worked with 4-H for 35 years in many roles, including club leader, head of the county 4-H Ambassador Program, chair of the Ribbon Auction fundraiser, county treasurer for 4-H, and is a long-time member of the County Extension Committee. For 20 years she was head of the rabbit program. She mentored Diane Stundahl into the intricacies of that job and passed that role on to Diane. Gayle still works in the rabbit building at fair time.

Gayle is proud to note that this is the 50th year there has been a Ribbon Auction in Mower County. Members bring their animals of all species and ribbons to an auction and then businesses and individuals bid to make contributions based on the work that the exhibitor has done. The 4-H exhibitor gets 60% to invest in next year’s project and 40% goes to Mower County 4-H to fund kids’ trips to the Minnesota State Fair, 4-H camp, and to assist those who need help financing their projects.

Diane Stundahl was a 4-H member herself for 11 years, showing dairy cattle, as well as doing foods and sewing. When her oldest daughter, Steffanie, was Cloverbud (kindergarten), Diane became Cloverbud leader and then club leader before becoming Rabbit Project leader in 2005. She has now mentored her daughter Steffanie in the running of this program. Currently, they share the leadership. Under the guidance of these three women, Mower County is one of the top contenders in rabbit competitions in the state.

To aid and educate the kids who have chosen a 4-H project in rabbits, there are project meetings, providing information about the breeds, care and handling of rabbits, and veterinary care. Besides arranging those, Diane and Steff arrange Showmanship Clinics with demonstrations and mock judging, all done by kids. The emphasis is on participation! This year around 200 rabbits were shown at the Mower County Fair by about 40 kids from kindergarten to high school age. That is a major undertaking of bookkeeping and organization!

Steffanie Stundahl moved into adult leadership after being a 4-H member for 11 years. One of Steff’s big contributions to the program is running Project Bowl. It is a jeopardy-type statewide game competition that runs from January to April, with teams competing on questions concerning everything about rabbits. Steff says the kids love pushing the buzzer! She delights in seeing shy kids change into enthusiastic competitors in this activity. The information they learn helps them when they compete at the county and state fairs. Steff also keeps records of points earned by the 4Hers’ contributions to the group (like doing a demonstration, or cleaning cages at the fair) as well as their individual achievements, so that they can be rewarded by being in the Rabbit Ambassador Showcase at the end of the fair. Another facet of the program which encourages the kids’ creativity and which Steff really enjoys is having kids and their rabbits arriving at the first day of the county fair in matching or complementary costumes! What fun!

There is no way to estimate the countless volunteer hours these three have given to 4-H and the American Rabbit Breeders Association. One benefit of their work is that we, as the public, have the 4-H county and state fairs to enjoy and to learn new things. Many more benefits come to all the young people that they have mentored in so many ways. All three women say their motivation comes from seeing the kids grow in knowledge, self-confidence, social skills and flourishing friendships. Steff and her mother recall that Steff was very shy as a child and 4-H helped her become more confident. All three of these amazing people say seeing a young person surprise them by showing that they have learned and matured under their guidance is a wonderful reward for their work.

Many thanks to you three and all the other 4-H volunteers who offer this outstanding program to the youth of our community!