When people think of Jim Turner in Russellville, they probably think about how many people he knows and how he remembers everything. Do you ever wonder why he cares so much about his community and everything that goes on in Russellville? I think that most of it goes back to 4-H and the way that my grandparents raised him.
This Saturday, June 6, he will be honored by the state 4-H Clubs for being the Kentucky State 4-H President 50 years ago along with his state officer team.
I could not be prouder of my dad and I think that my brothers would agree that this is a big honor for our dad.
The 4-H pledge: “I pledge my HEAD to clear 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.” This is how every 4-H meeting and activity is started.
4-H teaches you how to give back to your community, how to love your community, and to understand how your community works as a whole. I think that being involved in 4-H also helped my dad become the public speaker that he is and the community man that he is. He cares so much about everything that goes on in the community and he wants everyone to know what goes on in the community no matter what it is.
4-H teaches you so many things when you think about the pledge, including how to love your community and your world.
Jim Turner has made his community a better place by getting involved in as many activities as he can and writing as many articles as he can about people in Logan County and people that have moved away who used to live in Logan.
I've always heard people ask how does he know so many people. If someone has a history question, others will say, “Just ask Jim; he will know the answer.” I think that he knows so much because he always is writing about people and always reading to find more information. He has made his world a better place because more people know about Russellville through his writing.
He has always loved his community. I think a lot of this comes from 4-H because he wants everyone to know about how wonderful a community that he comes from and that he lives in.
Jim Turner was a 4-H member in Logan County from 1955 through 1966. He was the 4-H Kentucky President from 1964 through 1965. He won five State Championships while he was in 4-H: Entomology in 1962, Beautification of Home Grounds in 1963, Leadership in 1964, Achievement in 1965 and Citizenship in 1966. He was also third in the Nation in Citizenship.
He was State Runner-up in Team Demonstration with his close friend Tommy Lennon in 1963. He attended 4-H Camp at Dawson Springs for seven years, earning bronze, silver, and gold medals.
Nine time he was County Public Speaking Champion, which played a role in his being a college speech teacher now.
He traveled a lot through 4-H. He was a Delegate to National 4-H Congress in Chicago in 1962, Delegate to National Youth Power Conference in Chicago in 1963, and Delegate to National 4-H Conference in Washington, D.C in 1965. Finally he led a Kentucky 4-H group on 10-country tour of Europe as state president in 1964.
As you can see Jim Turner was very active in 4-H all of his life. He got many honors while he was in 4-H and developed his love for his community, which I think you can see through his writing and the way that he is involved in his community. I know that my grandparents would be very proud because he is being honored this weekend.
I hope that if you see my dad that you will tell him thanks for caring so much about the community of Logan and loving the Land of Logan.
I'm really proud of you, Dad.