Making the best better

AMERY, Wis. — Watching young people blossom as they find and develop their passion is one of the things Gwen Dado loves most about her nearly 23 years serving as a 4-H leader in Polk County.

Dado was named a member of the class of 2023 laureates in the Wisconsin 4-H Hall of Fame at a recognition program April 28 in Wisconsin Dells. With her husband, Rick, their children and employees, they operate Four Hands Holsteins, milking 500 cows near Amery.

“I can’t say enough good things about 4-H and what it does for a young person’s self-confidence and understanding why we are put here on earth to serve others,” Dado said. “The growth and knowledge they gain when they get in their project area, (and) they can find their people, the ones who have the same passions. The chance for a young person to grow in 4-H is unlimited.”

Dado was nominated by her fellow dairy bowl coach, Patti Hurtgen, and her son, Ethan.

“I didn’t know anything about it until I received an email saying I had been selected,” Dado said. “I was so excited. I didn’t even know such a thing existed. It was so sweet, and what an honor.”

Dado said the honor was made even more special because of the 4-H families from Polk County that ventured to Wisconsin Dells to be present for the recognition along with her family.

“I do a lot of volunteer work, but so do a lot of people,” Dado said. “Between 4-H and FFA, volunteering is my hobby. My husband says I’ll need to give it up some time, but I love it. Even on days I might not feel like meeting with the kids, once I’m there, I just love it.”

Dado’s dedication to volunteering is buried within the 4-H and FFA dairy projects, serving as the dairy leader in her family’s Beaver Brook Badgers 4-H club, coaching dairy bowl for the county 4-H dairy project and assisting with the county 4-H dairy judging team.

Encouraging involvement in the dairy project is the foundation of Dado’s work she said. This year, 11 4-H members will be showing animals from the Dados’ farm.

“We’ve had as many as 17 members in one year exhibit our animals at the Polk County Fair,” Dado said. “I would guess there have been over 50 different members show with us over the years. It started with friends of our kids asking to show, and then other members in our 4-H club asked, and then it sort of exploded on us.”

A passion for working with youth led Dado to undertake the role of chaperoning the Polk County junior dairy exhibitors at the Wisconsin State Fair for 10 years. Dado said taking groups of as many as 28 exhibitors and 32 animals over 300 miles across the state was something she enjoyed.

“When I accepted my award, I mentioned chaperoning junior state fair for 10 years,” Dado said. “You should have heard the crowd gasp. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but I guess some people wouldn’t want to chaperone that many kids for that many years, but I loved every year. I can’t tell you enough good things about all the Polk County exhibitors over the years.”

The activity Dado said is closest to her heart is her work with the various dairy quiz bowl teams Polk County has fielded over the years, producing two national 4-H championship teams and two runners-up. Another team took the national championship honors in the 4-H dairy management contest.

Dado is excited to take what she considers a uniquely talented dairy bowl team back to this year’s national contest in Louisville, Kentucky, in November.

“None of the four young ladies on our dairy bowl team this year have a farm background,” Dado said. “It takes a lot more studying for them to accomplish what they’ve accomplished, but they are amazing, with their interest and dedication. Aside from an occasional illness, they have 100% attendance at practices. How many coaches can say that?”

A hallmark of that dedication is the practice time chosen by the four teammates — 6:30-8:30 a.m. every Sunday — a time Dado said is unlikely to be encroached on by other sports and activities.

“Our 4-H and FFA dairy members have had some pretty substantial accomplishments, not only in dairy bowl but in judging too,” Dado said. “We have had three members win the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest and have had FFA teams go to Scotland to judge.”

For Dado, sharing her appreciation for dairy farming is all about education.

“We are teaching future possible agriculturists,” Dado said. “But even more important, we are teaching future consumers about what we do on a farm, that we take excellent care of our animals. It opens their eyes to what production agriculture is, and the cool thing is that these young people become huge agricultural advocates.”

While Dado was honored with the accolades, she gives credit to the youth who have been a part of her journey.

“We only receive these awards because we work with some pretty phenomenal young people,” Dado said. “It’s about what they accomplish. I’m just the steering wheel, getting them headed in the right direction.”

Her appreciation of what 4-H gives its members keeps Dado coming back for more.

“The 4-H motto is to make the best better,” Dado said. “It’s true, as leaders our goal needs to be to take these amazing kids to the next level, to expose them to so many more things, to see them achieve goals ... and earn the chance to travel.”