Awards recognize 4-H members

Members of Sussex County 4-H Clubs play a big role in the New Jersey State Fair-Sussex County Farm & Horse Show.

Some of the most successful ones were honored at the Lois Chammings 4-H Best of the Best Awards ceremony Thursday, Aug. 8.

The 4-H section of the fair showcased many of the clubs’ work with animals and agriculture.

But 4-H involvement also includes areas ranging from robotics to photography and art, giving members the keys to becoming a successful person later in life.

“I was working on being a better leader and the best person that I can be,” said Douglas DeMarco, a Sussex County Technical School student who took home a prize for keeping an outstanding record book.

Other winners were Penelope Oesen, Amelia Cronin, Amaleigh Walsh, Tanner Goytile and Emma Van Haste.

The awards were named in memory of Lois Chammings, a major part of the 4-H community for years. She died in 2016.

Her daughter, Lisa Chammings, chairwoman of the 4-H Advisory Council, helped recognize the young winners.

Lois Chammings was known as a quiet and dignified woman. “What we want the 4-H children to do is emulate those qualities,” her daughter said.

Dave Foord, who has been the senior program coordinator for 4-H in Sussex County for 18 years, plays a major role in 4-H activities at the fair.

“It’s great to have a venue like this,” he said. “Many 4-H fairs across the state are decidedly smaller, where here they are going to have thousands of people seeing their projects.”