Booher named outstanding 4-H alumnus
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EmailOsceola County 4-H alumnus Darwin L. Booher, of Evart, is among eight 4-H alumni inducted into the Michigan 4-H Emerald Clover Society in 2018.
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Osceola County 4-H alumnus Darwin L. Booher, of Evart, is among eight 4-H alumni inducted into the Michigan 4-H Emerald Clover Society in 2018. Booher was recognized on Oct. 5 during the Michigan 4-H Foundation’s 4-H Emerald Awards Ceremony in East Lansing.
The Michigan 4-H Emerald Clover Society honors former Michigan 4-H members whose professional leadership and community service reflect the ultimate outcome of 4-H membership – extraordinary use of an individual’s head, heart, hands and health to make communities, the country and the world better places in which to live. This recognition is provided by Michigan 4-H Youth Development with support from the Michigan 4-H Foundation.
Booher has served in the Michigan Legislature since 2004, when he was first elected to the State House of Representatives. Today State Sen. Booher serves the 35th District, which covers 12 counties in northern Michigan. Under Booher’s leadership, the state’s timber harvest has increased and regulations on access and use of state lands have improved. Booher’s passion for the Great Lakes is evident from his time as vice chair and chair of the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus, a binational, nonpartisan organization that is open to all state and provincial legislators in the 10 Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces. The caucus studies and promotes the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes. In 1994, Gov. John Engler appointed Booher to a Freedom Force to Russia to explore mutual opportunities between the two nations. During his legislative service, Booher has sponsored 233 bills; to date, 65 have become law.
Before becoming a state legislator, Booher worked in banking as a sales manager, eventually rising to vice president.
“4-H taught me the importance of developing individually and as a team,” said Booher. “Our club focus was in woodworking. We would each make projects individually, and then once a year as a club, we would display them in the high school gym. Striving to do my best as an individual to contribute to the team has served me well during my lifetime.”
As an Osceola County 4-H member from 1952 to 1957, Booher exhibited many animal and still-exhibit projects, with a true passion for woodworking that continues to this day. Booher owns and operates the
family farm, which has been in the family for seven generations, with his son and grandchildren. Darwin and Jan Booher raised their four children in 4-H to give them the same lifelong lessons that have served him so well. Although his time as a 4-H member is over, he continues to give back to the program by purchasing animals at 4-H auctions, attending fairs and participating in 4-H banquets.
The 4-H Emerald Awards Ceremony was hosted and emceed by State Sen. Judy Emmons, a Montcalm County 4-H alumna and 2014 4-H Emerald Clover Society inductee. Also inducted into the 4-H Emerald Clover Society Class of 2018 were: Domonique Clemons, Flint; Ronald Hendrick, East Lansing; Barbara Haynes Heyboer, Hudsonville; W. G. (Mac) McPherson, Lowell; Thomas Nugent, Clarksville; Maggie Sans, Clarkston; and Gretna Van Fleet, Frankenmuth.
Michigan 4-H Emerald Clover Society members are inducted every two years. The inaugural class of 62 members was inducted in 2002 to coincide with the national 4-H centennial. For more information on the 4 H Emerald Clover Society and its members, visit www.mi4hfdtn.org/ecs.
The Michigan 4-H Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that supports Michigan 4-H Youth Development. For more information about the Michigan 4-H Foundation, visit www.mi4hfdtn.org. Michigan 4-H Youth Development is the youth-serving program of Michigan State University Extension. More than 209,000 youth are involved in 4-H with the support of 16,000 adult volunteers. For more information about Michigan 4-H, visit www.4h.msue.msu.edu.
