Nancy Kissel, a Wisconsin 4-H volunteer with more than sixty-five years of service has been selected to be inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame. Kissel will be Wisconsin’s first volunteer selected for this honor.
Kissel started a 4-H community club, serving as 4-H general leader for 35 years, and many more years as 4-H project leader. Her expansive 4-H volunteer contributions include roles at the county, state, and national levels. Kissel credits her 1970’s part-time position as an urban expansion 4-H Staff Assistant, developing programs and organizing 4-H clubs for under served urban and minority populations, with further developing her leadership skills. Donna Menart nominated Kissel for the national honor. She says Kissel’s character is evident in everything she does. “She lives the ideals of 4-H. Her contributions as a volunteer are impressive in longevity, but even more so in terms of the quality and depth of her ability to create sustaining systems that support the educational mission of 4-H on all levels,” says Menart. “Her contributions have benefitted untold numbers of 4-H youth and adults.”
“I am beyond thrilled to have a Wisconsin volunteer selected for the National Hall of Fame,” says Kandi O’Neil, WI Volunteer Leadership Specialist.“ When I think of Nancy’s impact on Wisconsin 4-H, I think of the horse project. As a volunteer, Nancy saw interested young people who wanted to learn about horses and may not be able to own a horse. By creating the Horseless Horse project, she was able to offer an opportunity for youth not only in Wisconsin but throughout the nation to learn about horses.” Nancy served on the writing team for the national curriculum for Horseless Horse. State volunteer leadership roles have included: member of the WI State Horse Council, past president of the WI 4-HHorse Association and past director of the Midwest Horse Fair.
Nancy’s contributions as a volunteer are evident in the quality of educational programs for Wisconsin youth across the state. Her vision of finding a “yes” to what could have easily been a no has impacted untold numbers of youth across the country to be able to learn about horses.
The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place in October 2021. Congratulations to Nancy on receiving this well deserved honor. Contact kandi.oneil@wisc.edu with questions.
