Spotlight on: Deborah Lester
Area Extension Agent (4-H Youth/Range/Livestock
Mgmt.)
Southeast Area - Baca County
As the saying goes. . . . " You can take the girl out of the
country, but you can't take the country out of the girl." I was raised with a
brother and a sister and four foster brothers (not all at once!) on a corn and
soybean farm in east central Illinois, 10 miles straight west of the University
of Illinois. I loved every aspect of being a farmers' daughter.
My
Grandmother was a 4-H leader in the 1940's, my Mother a leader in the 1960's
and I was so excited to be a part of 4-H, but had to wait another year as my
birthday fell one day too soon (July 1st deadline).
Some of you will
now be able to confirm that I am a "quirk" of nature in that I loved the 4-H
meetings, giving demonstrations and found a true calling in the public
speaking, and Share-The Fun MC contests in my nine years of 4-H club
work.
I was asked to pledge the 4-H House sorority at the University of
Illinois, turned 19 in Denmark as an IFYE Caravan delegate, and graduated with
a BS in Agriculture (Agricultural Communications) in 1978.
The west was
calling my name and I landed a public relations job with the Arizona National
Livestock Show in Phoenix and fell in love with the west. The next 20 years I
spent with an agricultural advertising agency, two different stints with the
Arizona Farm Bureau as their Director of Information and then Director of
Organization, and as Executive Director of the Arizona Nursery Association.
Then I spent a decade as an insurance agent for Farm Bureau-I hope I'll never
be that possessed again!
For fun I rode for 10 years on a professional
women's drill team (rodeo entertainment) on a horse I rescued in 1980. "Fire
Agate" is in the picture and she will be 33 years old in April.
So then
at 49 I enrolled in Masters courses at the University of Illinois and Colorado
State while still running an outdoor catering and entertainment business with
my husband. He was planning on retiring when I finished and we would move to
Colorado and I would get a job with CSU Extension. The only thing I didn't
count on was that he died suddenly and I was only half done with my degree.
Fortunately, I have a wonderful family and terrific friends and they helped me
through. The paperwork finally got done and I received my Masters in
Agricultural Education from the University of Illinois in 2008.
My last
semester I had the great fortune to take an internship class with Dr. Dennis
Lamm and he found a place for me at the Rogers Mesa Research Center in
Hotchkiss. And then like magic the position I wanted opened up in Baca County
and the rest is just history!
Baca County is its own country!! It has
been four years since an Extension Agent has worked here and the challenges are
many. The 129 4-Hers have tremendous support here and I have created a new dog
obedience program. We look forward to a new Working Ranch Horse program under
the Horse project, silversmithing under the Heritage Arts project, leathercraft
with two master saddlemakers in two of our schools and many new shooting sports
leaders with a new facility that can "house" our shotgun, archery, rifle and
muzzle loading disciplines.
In the Southeast Area we do things as
a team and try to make everything accomplish two goals! We'll have a sheep
selection and nutrition workshop this spring, put on a day camp to draw in new
4-Hers, and hold a leaders training night. I am planning workshops for our club
secretaries and treasurers, as well as a public speaking and interviewing tips
program for all members. Afterschool 4-H is also on my list and I just got a
contribution to kick that off so hopefully when I see you next I'll have some
news on that program!
Stop in Springfield sometime on your way to
Amarillo!! My dog, cat and three horses all love company!!