The Votes Rolled In

Each September we hold our election for 4-H County Council and Volunteer Leaders Association officers.  This year our current officers wanted to try something different.  Since traditionally, this meeting has the poorest attendance of all four meetings the officers put their heads and budgets together to come up with a plan.  Each group voted during their last meeting to take $100 out of their budgets to hold the election at Mr. P's Skateworld in Lumberton.  Their goal was to increase the number of meeting attendees, number of possible officer candidates, and voting groups.  Boy did they succeed.  We had almost 60 people show up to the meeting which is three times the normal number that usually attend this meeting.

Just after 6:30 we had enough officers and members present to call the meeting to order.  Shabreya Vample, President of the County Council, called the meeting to order and with the help of Megan Hurst, the Sergeant at Arms enlisted the help of two 4-H members to lead the pledges.  After the pledges, our 4-H Agent shared some exciting no with everyone.  Megan Butler of the St. Paul's 4-H Pony  Club qualified at the state horse show for regionals held in Monroe, Louisiana (yes, home of Duck Dynasty).  She did a fantastic job representing our state at this National event.  Also we have had a team place first at state in Poultry judging and they will be going to Louisville Kentucky for National competition in November.  Also she talked with the volunteers about Rock Eagle which is coming up and made sure to let them know that they need to state their intentions by Wednesday this week if they are going so we can get them registered in time.  Rock eagle will take place in Georgia this year October 3-6.  Also volunteers were encouraged to nominate someone for the volunteer of the year award, and to get those forms in before October 1.

After getting the news out of the way. It was time to get down to the real business of the meeting, elections.  With Dillon McCartney moving up to President and Joshua Moore the only person declaring his intent to run for a position (Sergeant at Arms) the other three positions were opened to the floor for nominations.  T'Asha Shelby was nominated for President Elect, Tyron Alford was nominated for Secretary/Treasurer, and K'Shawn Cooper and Megan Hurst were nominated for Reporter.  T'Asha, Megan, and Joshua all got up and spoke on why they would like to be elected to the various positions they were nominated for.  

  After the speeches it was time for the Volunteers to start up.  Veronica Powell, President of the County Volunteer Leaders Association stood up and opened the floor to nominations.  Vanessa Moore will be moving into the President position and Veronica will be moving into the Past President or Advisor role which left four positions open.  After much pointing and cajoling the slate came down to Joyce Peay for President-Elect, Pam Walton for Secretary, Katherine Bethea and Jessica Drake for Treasurer, Jane Hurst for Reporter, and Marilyn Merriett for Parliamentarian.  

  After all the nominations were made representatives of each club were called up to get a ballot and the voting commenced.  We had representatives from 9 of our 11 active clubs.  Each club discussed their votes and turned them in to Veronica Powell who counted each and every last ballot.  Of course by this time you could not hold the kids back from the skating rink so they had donned skates and were rolling around as Marilyn Merriett made the motion to destroy the ballots, which was seconded by Pam Walton.  Everyone in attendance at that part of the meeting voted in favor and Veronica destroyed the ballots.  At that point the meeting was concluded.

  While our skaters, of all ages hit the rink the music person of the night announced our officers.  For the 4-H County Council our 2014 officers will be: Dillon McCartney, President; T'Asha Shelby, President-Elect; Tyron Alford, Sectary-Treasurer; Megan Hurst, Reporter; and Joshua Moore, Sergeant at Arms.  The officers will be inducted as part of Youth Achievement Night in December.  For the 4-H Volunteer Leaders Association the 2014 officers will be:  Veronica Powell, Past President/Advisor; Vanessa Moore, President; Pam Walton, Secretary; Katherine Bethea, Treasurer; Jane Hurst, Reporter; and Marilyn Merriett, Parliamentarian.  These officers will be inducted during Volunteer Appreciation in October.  Cheers went up from around the rink as the officers names were announced.  Quickly after the music cranked back up and the roller rink was filled with squeals of delight as the wheels rolled across the floor.

 A Big Thank You to Mr. P's for allowing us the opportunity to hold our meeting at your business, and providing us with a ton of fun!  Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone who was willing to run.  Our first 2014 County Council and Volunteer Leaders Association meeting will be in February.  I am sure these officers will do everything they can to meet the goals and fund created by the 2013 officers.