FREEHOLD, NJ – The Monmouth County Fair kicked-off its 43rd annual run last night at the East Freehold Showgrounds with the annual 4-H Ambassador contest where Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry crowned two Monmouth County 4-H Ambassadors for 2017: Brooke Donzelli and Collin Roach.

“Opening night of the County Fair includes the time-honored tradition of crowning the next 4-H leaders,” said Freeholder Director Burry, liaison the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service and the 4-H program. “Serving as an Ambassador is the culmination of a 4-H career as well as helping to set the course for a lifetime of community service and volunteerism. Both of our young ambassadors are model citizens who will do an excellent job representing and promoting the 4-H program for the next 12 months and as 4-H alumni.”

Brooke Donzelli, a resident of Howell Township, has been a member of 4-H for five years and started with the Small Animal Club. She is president of the Teen Council, and is the South Jersey 4-H Teen Representative for Monmouth County. Brooke is also a Rutgers 4-H Teen Science Café Teen Leader where she organizes classes and cafes on the Rutgers campus with professors, scientists, and teens (4-H and not), to learn about science in the world around us. She will be a sophomore at Freehold Regional Howell High School this fall.

Collin Roach, a resident of Freehold Township, has been a member of 4-H for four years and has been a Food and Fitness Ambassador for the past two years. He is passionate about raising awareness and helping people to live safe and active lifestyles. As a travel hockey team player, Collin believes that a proper workout program is important to preventing injury and making an athlete a better game player. He will be a sophomore at Freehold Township High School this fall.

Outgoing 2016 4-H Ambassadors were Jillian Ruggerio of Freehold and Matthew Bennett of Middletown.

Rebecca Carmeli-Peslek of Millstone was presented with two $500 scholarships. She received the 4-H Volunteer Association Scholarship and the 4-H Alumni Association Scholarship. Ms. Carmeli-Peslak served as the 2016 New Jersey Agricultural Fair Ambassador.

4-H involves children from kindergarten through one year passed high school (grade 13) in dozens of clubs and activities. Traditional clubs involve livestock and farming activities. But some of the less traditional clubs, such as herpetology, care for arachnids, newts and salamanders and snakes. Other clubs develop skills in crafts, art, photography, writing, dance and theater arts.

“Special thanks goes to the adults who work directly with the youth as 4‐H Volunteers,” Director Burry said. “They are the backbone of the 4-H organization and give much of their time each year to make the Monmouth County Fair among the best in the state.”

The goals of the Monmouth County 4‐H program are to recognize, showcase and evaluate the accomplishments of 4‐H members, encourage teens and adults to become 4‐H volunteers, highlight the county 4‐H program, familiarize the public with 4‐H philosophy and provide an opportunity for the public to participate in enjoyable and educational, family oriented 4‐H events.

The Monmouth County Fair is a joint project of the Monmouth County Park System and the Monmouth County 4-H Association.

For more information about the 4-H program, a unit of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service in Monmouth County, call 732-431-7263 or visit the office at the Monmouth County Agriculture Building, 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold.

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