If there is one fiber that has been part of the Harry and Mabel Pratt family from the very beginning and ties us all together, it is the focus on cooperation. The endless jobs of a farm family with livestock included all ages of family members from the youngest pulling weeds in a bountiful garden to the eldest washing and preparing sheep for the fair. Everyone came together to make the work load lighter because “work is not hard if it is done as a family.” This heritage has been reinforced as many family members have joined and participated in 4-H.
The Harry and Mabel Pratt family celebrate 80 years of continuous 4-H membership and involvement. All five of Harry and Mabel’s children were 4-Hers with four of the five also served as club leaders. All but one of their 15 grandchildren were members as youth with over half serving as 4-H volunteers or leaders as adults. The family legacy continues as 57% of Harry and Mabel’s great-grandchildren were also club members bringing the total Pratt Family 4-H membership to 49 people over four generations and 367 years. We look forward to the tradition continuing with the 5th generation anxiously anticipating Cloverbud age. Collectively, the Pratt Family has volunteered in some capacity for 444 years. We have been represented in 156 years of state fair competition showing a variety of projects. The Pratt family is proud to say we have a strong legacy of leadership which began in 1943 with our first club leader extending to a cumulative 101 years and 10 family members. 4-H camp also holds significant memories for 15 different family members spending 24 summers meeting people from throughout the state that share our 4-H passion. One of our three 4-H family marriages began at 4-H camp. The Pratt family also held the honor of four family members being chosen to attend Club Congress, four representing the state on livestock judging teams, and a family involved in the IFYE program. One family member has also made 4-H a lifelong career directly working 23 years as a 4-H professional impacting over 35,000 youth.
4-H has allowed our family to gain skills to speak publicly, build relationships, prepare for success, but also how to accept defeat. With a strong rural background, Christian heritage, and the many skills 4-H has taught us, it was only natural that our family has been active in guiding our communities. Examples of how several Pratt family members have shared our 4-H passion include helping a new member with their livestock project, teaching sewing skills at workshops, and encouraging children to take advantage of the many doors that 4-H will provide them.
We are proud of what 4-H has allowed our family to accomplish and experience over the past 80 years and know the legacy of cooperation will continue on for many years.