EAST LANSING, Mich. – For a half century, a Michigan woman has been an adult volunteer with 4-H, teaching children things like sewing and knitting.

Sharon Mitchell, a 10-year 4-H member as a youth, has sewn the same fabric into her children, grandchildren and soon, perhaps, her great grandchildren.

Mitchell, 80, who lives on her grandfather’s 67-acre farm in Burr Oak, said being involved in the program simply hasn’t left her heart.

“I liked all of the kids that would be in 4-H. Those kids are always nice and helpful and that sort of thing,” she said.

Mitchell and eight other adult volunteers were recognized for 50 years of adult service to 4-H by the Michigan State University Extension office.

The others were Cheryl Barton, of Shiawassee County; Lisa Coe, of Barry County; Janel Horrocks-Boehmer, of Ingham County; Vanessa Powell, of Jackson County; Diane Shepherd, of Sanilac County; Paul Shoup, of Mason County; Bernadette Strahl, of Menominee County; and Marla Wedge, of Allegan County.

Initially, Mitchell said she joined 4-H as a child because she wanted to show animals like cows and pigs from the nearby farm she grew up on in St. Joseph County in the southwest part of the state.

However, she said her parents weren’t into that sort of thing and her father was too busy milking his dozen or so cows twice a day, raising corn and soybeans on his roughly 50 acres of ground and doing other work, to transport the animals to the fair and other competitions.

Instead, Mitchell said she did knitting and sewing, “the sort of things girls did back in those days.”

She was married and owner of her grandfather’s farm after his death when her opportunity to be involved in showing animals came as 4-H volunteer.

After her sons were old enough to join 4-H, Mitchell said she tried getting them interested in showing horses, but they were more into showing cows, hogs and sheep along with tractors at the farm.

“They always wanted to drive the tractors and plow the fields and do all of that stuff. If it had a motor, they were interested,” she said.

Her activities as a volunteer leaned more into teaching children how to do things like sewing, knitting and canning vegetables once her two granddaughters joined the program.

“They did that sort of stuff. They also showed animals. They were into showing and selling them to make some money,” she said.

Mitchell is not sure how much longer her health will hold up to remain a volunteer, but it might be long enough to teach her 5-year-old great-grandson and 1-year-old great-granddaughter a thing or two if they join 4-H once they become old enough.

The MSU Extension branch in St. Joseph County gave her a cutting board with her name and image of a 4-H clover burned into the wood. Mitchell said she has no plans to use the cutting board hanging on her kitchen wall.

The award was a definite full circle moment for one of her granddaughters, Kayla Mitchell, who’s the 4-H program coordinator at the St. Joseph County MSU Extension office.

It triggered her memories of projects she took part in 4-H and the help she received from her grandmother along the way. She said her grandmother was also a former long-time leader of the 4-H photography program.

“We don’t see a lot of 50-year volunteers to begin with, but to be able to recognize my grandmother in the position I have now is truly one of the greatest honors,” she said.

MSU Extension has recognized adult volunteers hitting the half century mark for the past five years.

“Simply put, our Michigan 4-H programs would not be possible without the help of caring volunteers who give their time and talent,” said Quentin Tyler, MSU Extension director.