A longtime leader with Monroe County 4-H was recently inducted into the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame, recognizing the many years and tremendous amount of energy she’s poured into the youth organization.

Like many in Monroe County, Heidi Ruwald eagerly joined 4-H when she was young, having grown up on a family farm near Waterloo.

At the age of 8, she joined the Bushy Prairie Club, later transferring to the Lucky 4-H Club. She recalled that many of her early projects centered around swine.

“I was from a farming background,” Ruwald said. “When I started 4-H, my first projects would have been a cooking project and swine. Pigs were my first projects.”

She joined 4-H Federation in high school, deciding to continue participating in the organization however she could as she moved on to college, attending Lake Land College to study as a dental hygienist and later receiving her bachelors in organizational leadership at Greenville University.

“Once I graduated high school and I couldn’t be in 4-H anymore, then I became a junior leader in the Lucky 4-H Club, and that’s kind of where I started becoming a leader,” Ruwald said.

As Ruwald described, she found herself drawn to leadership positions in 4-H given the positive experiences she had assisting younger members, particularly when it comes to seeing members grow and flourish thanks to the organization.

“I think as far as why I became a junior leader was because I liked helping all of the kids learn new activities, learn about their projects, help them gain self-confidence by showing projects, filling out record books, having to put talks and demonstrations together,” Ruwald said.

She stepped away from 4-H for a time following the birth of her daughter. As a 4-H leader, she started out overseeing her old Lucky 4-H Club, later helping to start the Backyard Bandits Club in 2013.

Ruwald has also served as 4-H Goat Superintendent at the Monroe County Fair since 2018, additionally serving with the Youth Livestock Auction Committee.

Ruwald attested to the many benefits she took away from her time in 4-H.

Ruwald naturally reminisced about her participation in the aforementioned swine projects as well as showing cattle at the county fair. She also noted several memorable field trips such as one to the St. Louis Arch and another to the McDonald’s Riverboat.

The bigger benefits she received, however, were much the same as she hopes the members she now works with take away.

“I think both 4-H and FFA were major assets in growing up,” Ruwald said. “How to fill out records, how to lead a meeting, how to talk in front of other people, how to deal with other people, how to lead.”

Ruwald was nominated to the 4-H Hall of Fame by Kelly Brandt, Monroe County 4-H Program Coordinator and Ruwald’s friend since high school.

Brandt explained the 4-H Hall of Fame began in 2005, with the first inductee from Monroe County being Arlin Obst.

Ruwald’s nomination, Brandt explained, came as a result of her hard work over the years as well as the fact she is “very fair and easy to talk to” when it comes to working with both volunteers and members.

“She’s just been an amazing leader,” Brandt said. “She makes sure she gets everything done that needs to get done from a leader’s standpoint with the extension office but then also with the kids.”

While not an official criteria for nomination by the Hall of Fame, Brandt said that within Monroe County, it’s generally expected that nominees have a substantial history within 4-H.

“Dedicating a lot of time and energy and going above and beyond what they need to do,” Brandt said. “Most of the people we’ve nominated have been involved for a long time, and Heidi fits that criteria.”

Ruwald accepted the honor with tremendous grace, noting there are numerous other individuals in the community who are also worthy of a Hall of Fame nomination given their efforts in 4-H.

“I think it is a really nice honor that I was selected,” Ruwald said. “There are very many deserving people from our county who do a lot for Monroe County 4-H… I think it’s quite an honor to be with the others who have already been picked for the award.”

Ruwald says she has no plans to step away from 4-H involvement for the time being, and she hopes to continue to help guide youth through the world of farming as they become young leaders.