Rita Natale Saathoff, former chair of the New Jersey 4-H Department and regional 4-H agent, south, is being posthumously inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame today. She is being honored for excellence in citizenship, leadership, volunteer management and her career accomplishments.

October 5, 2007

New Brunswick, N.J. - Rita Natale Saathoff, former chair of the New Jersey 4-H Department and regional 4-H agent, south, is being posthumously inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame today. She is being honored for excellence in citizenship, leadership, volunteer management and her career accomplishments.

"Rita Saathoff touched the lives of many people in New Jersey, from her colleagues in the 4-H department to thousands of 4-H volunteers and members throughout the state," said Ginny Powell, chair of the Department of 4-H Youth Development at the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. "She was a shining example of what 4-H was created to accomplish."

Saathoff, who began her 25 year career as Atlantic County 4-H agent in 1980, was a strong leader in the organization throughout her career. She demonstrated her citizenship by serving on the Conference Planning Group in the New Jersey Governor's Office, and also provided educational support to various external agencies and organizations. The groups she worked with included Brownies, Kiwanis, the Agriculture Society and the Business Women's Association. Saathoff was also an active participant in the Catholic Charities and volunteered at St. Joseph's Church and for the American Heart Association. She also assisted with the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tournament for many years supporting a wide variety of charities.

Saathoff led the Department of 4-H Youth Development's reorganization, which was geared towards better reflecting the current issues and needs of youth development. This effort included conducting research on professional development needs, developing needs assessment tools, planning in-service training, and updating the professional development model for the department.

"Rita exemplified outstanding citizenship in her attention to the needs and concerns of others," said Jeannette Rea-Keywood, 4-H agent in Cumberland County. "She stepped forward to serve as department chair on three separate occasions and provided solid leadership, support and direction to the Department of 4-H Youth Development during a period of extraordinary challenge and change."

While providing administrative and program leadership, Saathoff also served as the southern regional 4-H agent. Her extension and 4-H leadership in the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) and Epsilon Sigma Phi was extensive. She also held numerous positions on various committees and task forces at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Cooperative Extension and the Department of 4-H Youth Development.

"Rita gained national recognition for her work with younger 4-H members, and the respect of her colleagues grew when she was elected to serve on the NAE4-HA Board as the Northeast Regional Director," said Betty Jean Webersinn, 4-H agent and county extension department head in Cape May County. "Her innovative and imaginative approach to volunteer management and her staff development and mentoring expertise were highly respected by her peers."

Rita's initiative created the excellence of the New Jersey Youth and Adult Partnership Program. She led the program's scholarship team that successfully funded, planned, conducted, and evaluated an extensive training, complete with supporting curriculum, for county teams of youth and adults. This training was the impetus for developing numerous county youth and adult partnerships and professional presentations.

"The hallmark of Rita Natale Saathoff's professional life was the passion with which she gave of herself to 4-H. She truly believed in the program. Her expertise, creativeness and dedication to 4-H earned Rita Natale Saathoff much respect and recognition, amongst those involved in 4-H and Extension Professionals, throughout the state and nation," said Webersinn.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension, a unit of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. For more information go to www.njaes.rutgers.edu/extension.

The National 4-H Hall of Fame was created in 2002 as a 4-H Centennial project to recognize and celebrate those people who have made a significant impact on 4-H and its millions of members over more than 100 years. Every state, U.S. territory, NAE4-HA, CSREES/USDA and National 4-H Council is invited to annually nominate a favorite son or daughter for consideration. Saathoff is the fifth individual from New Jersey inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame. Ted Blum and Cathy Rupner were inducted in 2002; Rollyn Winters in 2003; and Kenneth Pickett in 2004.

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