ST. PARIS – Diane Jess of St. Paris received the Ohio 4-H Meritorious Service Award at the annual 4-H Volunteer Recognition Celebration on March 11.

The award recognizes adult 4-H volunteers for long-term meritorious service or a significant contribution to county or state 4-H programs. The award is sponsored by Elizabeth and Nelson Thomas.

Jess has been a 4-H advisor in Champaign County for 38 years. She is also a Master Clothing Educator for the state. She currently is the 4-H Committee treasurer, a club advisor for Designing Kids 4-H Club and a member of the Family Consumer Science Advisory Committee. She has assisted with school programs, judging, skill-a-thon, County Style Review at the fair and led a countywide pillow and blanket making community service project for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

She has helped judge county fairs around the state and the state fair. She has made instructional sewing videos. She loves to teach and pay forward her knowledge to younger 4-H members.

The awards presentation can be viewed online at https://ohio4h.org/about/ohio-4-h-conference/2021-award-winners.

Ohio 4-H is the youth development program of Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. In 2020, over 83,000 Ohio youth participated in clubs, school programs, and camps. Ohio has more than 18,000 active 4-H volunteers. Learn more at ohio4h.org.

For more information about 4-H in Champaign County, contact Melinda Ryan at [email protected] or visit go.osu.edu/champ4H