UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Service

458 Highway 98 North

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail:  indianco@ufl.edu

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4-H involvement: ‘A great ride’
Pat Miller honored with 4-H award
 By Katrina Elsken, Okeechobee News

 

Former County Extension Office Director Pat Miller is a familiar face at 4-H awards programs. For the past 25 years, he has been presenting awards to 4-H members and community volunteers. On Saturday he was on the receiving end of the program’s highest award.

Mr. Miller, who recently retired from the county extension office, was honored with the 2009 Friend of 4-H Award at the 4­H Awards Banquet on Oct. 10 in the Okeechobee High School Cafeteria.
 

“It’s been a great ride,” said Pat Miller. “It’s been a wonderful 25 years.” He added that he is very proud of the 4-H members, leaders and community volunteers and especially proud of the staff of the county office.

 

“The highest honor that Okeechobee County 4-H bestows is the “Okeechobee County Friend of 4-H” Award,” said Debbie Clements. “The award was first es­tablished in 1989 and continues to honor persons or organizations that have performed exemplary service to the Okeechobee 4­H program. In the past, honorees have been individuals, families, businesses and governmental or­ganizations that have gone above and beyond to provide resources, time and expertise to the 4-Hers of Okeechobee County.
 

 “Continuing in the established tradition, this year’s honoree has distinguished himself as an invaluable contributor to the success of the 4-H program in Okeechobee County,” she explained. “ This year, the Okeechobee 4-H program, in conjunction with its members and volunteers, has chosen Mr. Pat Miller as the recipient of their greatest honor.
 

“Pat Miller is an Indiana native with a B.S. degree in Animal Science and a Master’s degree in Dairy Science from Purdue University. He spent his first 12 years after graduation from college working with the Indiana Extension Service before accepting a position with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service and moving to Okeechobee County in 1984 to serve as Okeechobee County’s Extension Director,” she continued.

“It is lucky for the people in Okeechobee County that he has been here ever since. When Pat started his tenure in Okeechobee County, he said there was only one organized 4-H club consisting of 10-12 members. This was a dairy club with one leader, a rancher. Through Pat’s guidance, Extension and 4­H expanded greatly in Okeechobee County. Although Pat has received many awards, he is not one that seeks accolades or awards for himself.

“When Pat was honored by his peers in 2004 with the Distinguished Service Award, an award given to less that 3 percent of Extension Agents, a quote by one of our own 4-H volunteers summed it up best when she said, ‘I can’t remember a livestock show or fair in the last 15 years when he wasn’t there, maybe not in the forefront, but always working in the background; always helping and always a word of encouragement for the kids.’ Mr. Miller said, ‘Our job is to help people help themselves. We educate and inform. When we give people more information, we give more choices and greater possibilities.’

“Pat Miller’s job description listed only 15 percent of his time as youth development, but anyone that knows him, knows better. Judging contests are always scored by Pat Miller, whether they are livestock, horse, goat, vegetable or dairy, 4-H or FFA, South Florida Fair, Florida State Fair, State 4-H Dairy Show, Central Florida Fair, Okeechobee FFA Alumni, or the Okeechobee County Fair. He is the one that checks out the computer program the week before to make sure that it is still working and takes appropriate action if it is not; he is the one that loads the equipment and arrives early to make sure registration happens without a hitch. Pat was always the one with the hot, dirty job of lining up animals at cow shows. He is the one at the concession stand that is cooking in the heat, washing dishes, or mopping floors. At the Barbecue, he is the one with the thankless jobs. 4-H Awards banquets would find Pat cooking, cleaning, sweeping floors, once again, the last to leave,” Mrs. Clements said. “Pat Miller has the gift of encouragement, of helping people, whether youth or adult, become the best they can be. He only sees the good in people, and helps others follow that example. He truly cares about people.

“After 25 years with the Okeechobee County Extension Service, Pat retired on August 31, 2009. However, his volunteer application, dated September 1, 2009 was accepted with appreciation,” she said.

Copyright © 2009 Okeechobee News 10/14/2009