Winners announced for Greene County 4-H Rabbit Club Show
WAYNESBURG — The Greene County 4-H Rabbit Club Show was held on Aug. 8 during the Greene County Fair, in which nearly 200 rabbits were entered by club members.
At the conclusion of the show, Brock Meanor, American Rabbit Breeders Association Judge, selected the Best In Show and Reserve in Show along with class and breed winners exhibited by the club members.
Winners were Alexus Grecoe, who was awarded Best in Show with her Dutch rabbit; and Cara Longstreth, who was awarded Reserve in Show with her Holland Lop rabbit.
Also during the show, Debbie Smith, showmanship judge from Westmoreland County, judged club members in their individual showmanship presentations. The winners were Cara Longstreth, Senior – Second Year Plus; Jenna Longstreth, Junior – Second Year Plus; Deakin Whipkey, Junior Novice; and Elania Mayle, Senior Novice.
Cara was also named as the Rabbit Master Showman.
Also during the Rabbit Club Show, a graduating senior member received the fifth annual Greene County Rabbit Leadership Scholarship.
Alexus Grecoe, daughter of Bobbie and Shawn Grecoe of Washington, received $500 towards her higher education. She was presented the scholarship by retired 4-H Leader Melody Longstreth.
Grecoe, a 2017 graduate of the PA Cyber Charter School, will be attending Westmoreland County Community College this fall to major in sonography.
The scholarship, a private fund, was established in 2011 by Melody Longstreth and Amber Mankey, club leaders at the time, to reward all graduating seniors from the Greene County 4-H Rabbit Club. Members must have completed three years of active membership with one of those years being the year they graduate from high school, been accepted to a university, college or technical trade school and write a 500-word essay on what their experiences as a rabbit club member has taught them and how they plan to use that knowledge as they continue their education.
It is planned that all members who are eligible and apply will be awarded the scholarship in the coming years.
Since establishing the fund, several activities have taken place to help with raising funds to cover the scholarships.
One of the first recipients, Christa Ziefel, who received the scholarship in 2013, recently graduated with a degree in special education and was hired by the Bentworth School District and will begin this fall.
Emily Shultz, who received the scholarship in 2013, is completing her education degree at Indiana University and will graduate this coming December with a degree in early childhood and special education.
Lindsey Gilbert, who received the scholarship in 2016, is majoring in sociology of deviance at California University and will also graduate this December.