Originally from Delta and Clare counties respectively, Labadie and Thompson spend considerable time giving back to the 4-H communities in which they grew up. After aging out of the Clare County program, Thompson started helping his former 4-H club, teaching youth about rabbits and horses. Later, Thompson and Labadie developed the Clare County Fair Skillathon contest, which they still run each year. In the U.P., both Thompson and Labadie have served on the Department Advisory Committee at the U.P. State Fair and organized and hosted numerous livestock clinics for U.P. youth, recognizing there are often fewer opportunities for those in the north than in the Lower Peninsula.
Beyond their local involvement, Labadie and Thompson have given their time to many statewide initiatives, as well. They volunteer at 4-H events such as the Michigan 4-H Dairy Conference and the Michigan 4-H Livestock Workshop. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Labadie and Thompson developed worksheets to help youth continue learning about their projects. They provide livestock to youth to show at no expense, making the beef project available to young people without resources, and are frequently found ringside at various livestock events, helping 4-H’ers from across the state. Labadie and Thompson also sponsor workshops and awards, as well as support local 4-H’ers in applying for scholarships, contests and more.
Beyond the skills they teach and knowledge they instill, Labadie and Thompson work to advance the 4-H guiding principles by helping young people to develop effective communication, leadership and time management skills. As volunteers and mentors, they support youth in conflict management and encourage 4-H’ers to help those around them by sharing what they’ve learned. Labadie and Thompson’s commitment to providing opportunities and experiences for underserved youth contribute not only to agriculture education and expertise, but also a sense of purpose, belonging and commitment as they supply a safe space for youth to learn, grow and succeed with whatever resources they may have.
