Couple’s 4-H Roots Instrumental In Attitudes Toward Leadership, Service 3/22/06

A note to editors: For an electronic photo of Nelson and Marilyn Galle to illustrate this news feature, contact Donise Osbourn at 785-532-5806 or dosbourn@oznet.ksu.edu.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – By some standards, Nelson and Marilyn Galle might have reached retirement age. The couple is, however, fully engaged in their community and state, typically giving back in ways that make the world a better place for others.

Their commitment to service in their community was honed in their formative years in part, the couple said, through their involvement in Kansas 4-H.

Nelson Galle’s name may be the more familiar of the two. He currently serves, at Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ request, on the Kansas Board of Regents. The board has responsibilities for seven four-year universities, 19 two-year community colleges and 10 technical colleges and schools in Kansas. Galle is the board’s vice chair.

Nelson is fully aware of the responsibility such an appointment carries. He began his education in a one-room school in McPherson County, Kan., and later earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education and master’s degree in adult and occupational education, both from Kansas State University.

“Education is important to Kansans – that’s why we discuss it a lot,” he said.

Nelson, whose career has included teaching and business assignments, said learning Roberts Rules of Order and how to lead a meeting as a 4-H member have proven assets throughout his career. There’s more, though …

He interrupted his college education to travel to Turkey with the International 4-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) program. The experience expanded his vision of a larger world and instilled in him an awareness of the need to strive for international cooperation.

When he returned to K-State to complete his degree, he accepted an assignment (in the state 4-H office) to find host homes for IFYE participants coming to the sunflower state.

At K-State, he also was active with Collegiate 4-H. After his freshman year, his offer to help with state 4-H Round-up provided an opportunity for him to meet the woman who would become his wife: Marilyn Pence, a Shawnee County 4-H member.

Kansas 4-H is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its youth development service to Kansas. As part of the celebration, The K-State Research and Extension News Unit has developed 4-H Centennial Profiles. Subjects of the profiles are Kansas 4-H members who have modeled the 4-H pledge – “I pledge my Head to clearer thinking, my Heart to greater loyalty, my Hands to larger service, and my Health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world.” – throughout their lives.

Information about Kansas 4-H programs, as well as 4-H Centennial Profiles, is available on the Kansas 4-H Web site:
http://www.kansas4-h.org.

Marilyn, who had been selected as one of four delegates to represent Kansas 4-H at the National 4-H Conference in Washington, D.C., was attending Round-up and planned to attend K-State in the fall.

Like Nelson, Marilyn had grown up on a diversified farm and began her education in a one-room school.

Marilyn, who earned a degree in elementary education at K-State, had considered studying agriculture, but said: “At the time, women were not encouraged to enter ‘a man’s field.’”

Still, Marilyn, who had earned the high individual score at the National 4-H Poultry Judging Contest, landed a spot on K-State’s award-winning poultry judging team. She was the only female on the team and the only female competitor at the national contest in Chicago.

The experience proved valuable – Marilyn believes that judging skills she first learned in Kansas 4-H have strengthened her decision-making skills throughout her life.

“4-H offered opportunities in leadership that we didn’t have in school,” Marilyn said.

Meeting people from elsewhere in the state – and other states – also expanded our knowledge and understanding of a larger world.

Marilyn’s teaching career spanned 30 years. She taught full time for five years and as a substitute teacher for 25 years.

Nelson taught vocational agriculture for five years before moving into agribusiness. He rose to the position of vice president of administration for Kansas-based Hesston Corporation. His career included an assignment that took the family – Marilyn and the couple’s three sons, Russ, Randy and Ron – to live in Belgium.

A downturn in farm equipment sales could have ended Nelson’s career – he is not shy about admitting that he was “laid off at age 50.”

The couple called on their farm and educational backgrounds and their expertise in poultry judging. Working together as a management team, they developed a thriving business in the turkey industry. Within 10 years, their Central Kansas Hatchery located in Moundridge, Kan., employed 50 people and reached $4 million in sales.

When the couple sold the hatchery, they decided “to retire” to Manhattan – the community in which they first met. They are actively engaged in the community and the state, serving on numerous boards and providing leadership – and advocacy – for education.

In addition to his position on the board of regents, Nelson has served as president of the Kansas State University Alumni Association and chairman of the Kansas State University Foundation’s Executive Committee.

Marilyn, a 4-H community leader for about 20 years, said that she likely would be most remembered for leading a tree-planting campaign in Moundridge, part of local efforts with the statewide PRIDE Program. She is a member of the Kansas 4-H Foundation Board and has served as its chairperson for four years. She is also a board member of the Manhattan Community Foundation; secretary of the Friends of the Beach Museum of Art at K-State, and a session member at the First Presbyterian Church in Manhattan.

Giving back is what it’s all about, Marilyn said. We have grown through our experiences, and want to do our part to ensure that others, through a variety of educational opportunities, can do the same.

K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.