UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- One hundred people who have made a significant impact on 4-H at the local, state or national levels have been inducted into a new Internet-based national 4-H Hall of Fame. Among the honorees is a long-time supporter of 4-H programs in Venango County.

The induction ceremony was held during the National 4-H Conference earlier this month in Chevy Chase, Md.

In 2002, 4-H is celebrating 100 years of building our nation's leaders while looking forward to even greater service to our country's young people, says Marilyn Corbin, state program leader for children, youth and families with Penn State Cooperative Extension. The inductees represent hundreds of thousands of dedicated volunteers and county, state and national staff who helped millions of young people learn valuable life skills over the past 100 years.

"Every state and Washington, D.C., will have at least one favorite son or daughter inducted into the hall of fame," Corbin says. "Members of the National 4-H Council, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) also will be represented.

Among the 100 honorees is retired Penn State Cooperative Extension 4-H agent Urania Bell "Rainy" Linn of Venango County. A supporter of 4-H programs since her days as a youth member, Linn currently serves the Venango County 4-H Program as a 4-H fair board director and as treasurer of the 4-H Fair Inc. "Her influence within 4-H has been positive and an immeasurable benefit to the Venango County 4-H community," Corbin says.

The hall of fame, a centennial project of NAE4-HA's public relations and information committee, will exist exclusively in cyberspace. Anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can access information about 4-H�s 100 VIPs, who helped create, expand, promote and support the nation�s largest youth development program.

The Centennial Class inductees includes 13 4-H pioneers, 29 state extension directors, state program leaders or state staff, six major donors, nine county 4-H agents, 10 of the founders of NAE4-HA, 11 long-term volunteers (many with 50 or more years of service), three members of the U.S. Congress, six national program leaders, a composer, an astronaut and several successful business people.

The National 4-H Hall of Fame can be viewed at http://www.nae4ha.org/hof. Each inductee has his or her own Web page that includes a photograph, brief biography and a quote. "Many of these dedicated people died many years ago but -- thanks to the hall of fame -- will never be forgotten," adds Corbin.

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EDITORS: For more information, contact Christy Bartley at 814-863-3828 or Robert Lewis at 814-865 6551.

Contact: Gary Abdullah gxa2@psu.edu 814-863-2708 814-865-1068 fax