UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The 2017 Carolyn Blum Memorial Pennsylvania Poultry Youth Service Award was presented to Kim Munden, of Meadville, Pennsylvania, April 29, for her leadership of youth poultry programs in Pennsylvania.
The award, presented annually by Penn State’s Department of Animal Science, was first given in 2009 to Carolyn Blum, of Montgomery County — she died unexpectedly five years ago.
A mentor
Munden has been a 4-H organizational/project leader for 13 years and organized and coached the first Crawford County 4-H Avian Bowl Team in 2016 — which competed at State 4-H achievement days.
She is club leader for Critters, Inc. 4-H Club, an innovative club that encourages youth to participate in a club project bird to learn the different breeds available.
Phillip Clauer, Penn State Extension Poultry Specialist, said Munden has worked tirelessly to help Crawford County 4-H’ers and other youth to excel in their projects.
Paula Lucas, Extension Educator in Crawford County, said, Munden is a good role model for the youth, instilling her passion and enthusiasm for learning about and raising poultry onto them.
Bryce Ward, a 4-H member, said Munden influenced him in a number of ways.
“When I first started getting into poultry she was my go-to person. She still helps me to continue to learn,” he said.
A leader
“Being a 4-H leader is an outstanding service in itself, but she always has gone above and beyond.”
Munden was a member of the youth committee of the National Call Breeders for America for six years and helped organize youth activities at the yearly national meet.
Curtis R. Oakes, American Poultry Association and American Bantam Association, said, “under her direction, she built a youth poultry program in Crawford County that started with nearly zero birds being shown at the Crawford County Fair, to a youth show that reached nearly 400 birds in less than ten years.”
He noted that she has gained national recognition through showing her Call ducks, Egyptian geese, Bronze turkeys, and several varieties of chickens.
Community
She became a Pennsylvania Certified Poultry Technician to be able to test Crawford County 4-H member’s birds, and organizes poultry testing and screening for 4-H members to ensure they meet all health regulations to show at the Crawford County Fair.
Munden has been the Crawford County Fair 4-H Chairperson for seven years and oversees taking entries, hiring judges and supervising the 4-H showmanship, fitting and type shows.
She was instrumental in creating the small animal auction, and she is in charge of purchasing and distributing poultry meat birds to participating 4-H and FFA members within the county.
Regionally, she works with the Youth Ag Club at the Wolfs Corners Fair and does their poultry testing and screening.
