Peer-to-peer group honored by Michigan farmers

The Lapeer County “4-H Challenged Me” program was honored at the 97th Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) Annual Meeting at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids.

The program is a peer-to-peer group in which 4-H coaches teach mildly to severely disabled children from Lapeer, Macomb, Tuscola and Sanilac counties how to handle, train and care for sheep, goats and pigs.

"This is what 4-H is all about — helping others and being kind," Tiffany Howell, Lapeer County Farm Bureau vice president and organizer of the “4-H Challenge Me” program, said. "We rise by lifting others."

Sixteen 4-H special members, ranging in age from 5 to 26, and 19 coaches, 9-19, had their first show at the Eastern Michigan State Fair on July 29 in Imlay City.

Lapeer County was one of 34 county Farm Bureaus nationwide which the American Farm Bureau Federation recognized. The winners will be highlighted at AFBF’s 98th Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show, Jan. 6-11, in Phoenix.

The CAE program acknowledges and shares successful county Farm Bureau programs and activities.
The awards are based on county Farm Bureau membership. Counties compete for recognition in five different groups. Those groups are county Farm Bureaus with membership of less than 1,000 members, 1,001-3,000 members, 3,001-5,000 members, more than 5,001 members, and for collaborative multi-county activities regardless of membership size.