Dr. Joel Anderson served more than a decade as a member, then chair, of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation Board which owns and oversees the C. A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center and also raises support for 4-H awards. He and his wife Ann helped to establish and provide financial support for the Arkansas 4-H Governor’s Award, a scholarship which recognizes Arkansas 4-H’ers who have fulfilled an extensive list of 4-H accomplishments as well interviews before a board of judges. In addition to receiving scholarships, all finalists are treated to lunch with the governor and first-lady at the Governor’s Mansion. Anderson fondly recalls his first 4-H project. A fifth grader, he wanted to raise a hog for the county livestock show, so his father made a bargain with him. His father would buy a young pig for him to raise, but after the show, the animal would become meat for the family. The Hampshire shoat young Joel fed and raised won first place in his division in the county show and
was reserve grand champion overall. Show organizers encouraged him to take his champion hog to the Mid- South competition in Memphis, where he could then sell it for a good price. Joel was all for it, but his father said, “No, we made a bargain.” From that first 4-H learning experience through numerous projects and many local, county, and state 4-H activities, Anderson topped off his 4-H years as Arkansas State 4-H Club President and won trips to Chicago and Washington.
