Grays Harbor 4-H program Celebrate Our Kids with volunteer recognition
Published 1:30 am Friday, November 21, 2025
The Grays Harbor 4-H program held its annual Celebrate Our Kids 4-H event, which celebrated the past year’s achievements of its 4-H members and adult volunteers.
The highlight of the celebration on the evening of Nov. 13 at the Grays Harbor County Fairground Pavilion was awarding youth members their year pins that indicate how long they’ve been active in 4-H. Adult volunteers also received year pins, which are awarded in five-year increments.
Also recognized were the Volunteer Leader of the Year and Friends of 4-H; nominees were self-nominated by their peers.
Cathy Cozad received the Volunteer Leader of the Year.
“[Cathy] was involved when her kids were 4-H members and now they have graduated out of the program, but she’s still involved as a volunteer herself,” said Tracie Hanson, the program coordinator of the Grays Harbor 4-H Program.
Two recipients received the Friends of 4-H award: the Davis and Quimby family and the Grays Harbor County Fair Board.
The Quimby and Davis family are really that quintessential family who will ask ‘What do you need?’ and they’ll jump in and with that, Hanson said.
“And then the Fair Board obviously has a lot of individual members who come together and really support, not only the 4-H activities during the fair, but during the entire year,” she said.
A highlight of the event was the dessert auction that featured baked goods made by 4-H and community members. Harley, one of the youth members, signed up to bring two items and kept bringing more. Another youth member, Emma, baked the molasses cookies that she entered in the 4-H baking section at the Grays Harbor Fair, and her score qualified her for the state 4-H Fair where she earned a merit badge.
Together, the silent and live auction raised over $1,000, and these funds will provide program support for the 4-H program that is seeing an increase in participation.
“It’s definitely exciting to see numbers growing over these past few years,” Hanson said. “Families are looking forward to ways to get reconnected and plugged in”
