As a 4-H member of the Lamotte Township and the Lucky Stars 4-H clubs during her youth, Aletha Mahaffy developed a love for gardening and 4-H. She has been a 4-H leader for over 40 years at the county and state level, a fair superintendant and has judged at the county and regional levels for 4-H and open exhibitions. Her love for 4-H flows into her career as a 4-H program associate for Sanilac County MSU Extension. Over the years she has served on the county 4-H committees for awards, foods, personal appearance, crafts and the Proud Equestrians Program; judged state 4-H awards; chaperoned 4-H trips to Citizenship Washington Focus; and helped Sanilac County 4-H establish their 5- to 8-year-old program. Prior to her career in MSU Extension, she worked for the U.S. Post Office and the Sanilac County Court. Mahaffy enjoys educating others and voluntarily teaches for the Advanced Master Gardener program. She taught classes in tractor safety, and helped with gun safety and snowmobile safety. She is also active in her church as a Sunday school and Bible School teacher. Mahaffy was the president, vice president, secretary and treasurer of the Sanilac County Farm Bureau and has been a Michigan Farm Bureau member for 57 years. She served on the township hall landscaping committee, the Project RED Committee and was a member of the Marlette Community Hospital Foundation from 1993-1995. Mahaffy has been recognized as the Sanilac Homemaker of the Year, Outstanding Soil Conservation Farmer and received the Silver Lining Award for outstanding volunteer efforts in Sanilac County and the Sanilac County Mental Health Achievement Award for Flood Disaster.