A new memorial was placed in the Memorial Garden this year at the Kosciusko County Community Fair to honor Penny Hershberger.
Hershberger was a 4-H leader with the Scott Township Victors club. She served with the club for 10 years. Hershberger died in March, and the club placed a calf sculpture in the garden with a plaque in her memory.
Dee Lynch, the club's new leader, said the memorial is a calf because Hershberger was very involved with the 4-H beef program. Hershberger started her involvement with 4-H when her sons, Bret and Jarod, joined. Lynch said Hershberger loved working with kids.
"She was on about any committee that there is dealing with kids," Lynch said. "She was involved in youth group, youth church, school board, 4-H. She was a real youth person. She was fantastic."
The Scott Township Victors are a small club. Lynch said there are six members this year who have had to adjust after losing Hershberger.
"It's kind of hard for me to follow in her footsteps," Lynch said, "but we do pretty good."
Lynch said club members' families have been helpful in the adjustment. "We have really good parents in our group," she said. "They've made it a lot easier."
Scott Township Victors have achieved several honors in this year's 4-H competitions. Cari Stutzman won best county-born-and-bred swine. Sami Stutzman had the second-place dairy feeder calf. Chad Stutzman had the reserve champion rate of gain for dairy steer. Morgan Correll won the keyhole competition for horses and ponies. Codi Coates had the reserve champion roaster for poultry, grand champion craft and reserve champion photography.
Bret Hershberger graduated from Grace College with an art degree. He painted the sculpture in honor of his mother.
"I'm just grateful to have a mom who cared so much about the community," Bret Hershberger said. "She was a great person and she's missed."
