Ashland County welcomes new 4‑H educator; Kanski ski program, club outreach prioritized

Dave Allman, who began work this winter as Ashland County’s new 4‑H program educator, told the county extension committee he plans to focus on reaching established 4‑H clubs, recruiting new volunteer leaders and supporting longstanding youth activities including the Kanski cross‑country ski program.

“I’m excited to be joining the extension team as the 4‑H program educator,” Allman said, noting he has spent his first month contacting club leaders by phone and email to let them know he is available to support their work. He said Ashland County has about six active clubs and “about 40 kids in Ashland County that are learning how to cross country ski,” with a similar number participating in neighboring Bayfield County.

Allman described day‑to‑day outreach plans such as attending FFA events as a judge and meeting local volunteers. Committee members urged a focus on volunteer recruitment in smaller communities; Tom Trudeau and others emphasized the value of having locally based volunteers to give rural youth chances to engage in outdoor activities.

Charlie Ortman praised the Spark youth program’s track record in building trust with families and recommended a concise program summary from Spark staff so the committee could better evaluate which efforts to scale. Allman said he will work with Spark and other partners to broaden participation and will be in touch with local schools and community organizations as he builds relationships.

The committee approved the agenda and the November minutes by voice vote and moved on to the day’s reports and discussion.