LEBANON, Ore. — Fay Sallee has experienced nearly everything in her 62 years in 4-H — 10 as a youth member and 52 as a volunteer.
Fay Sallee and her late husband, Sherman (Sherm), are the newest Oregon members of the National 4-H Hall of Fame.
Her favorite memories include field trips with 4-H’ers collecting insects. One in particular — the cave cricket — always creates excitement. The crickets cling to cave ceilings, so nets must be placed directly underneath. Otherwise, the insects drop onto heads and shoulders.
“You’ve got kids and nets going all directions,” Sallee said with a laugh.
Fay and her late husband, Sherman (Sherm), are the newest Oregon members of the National 4-H Hall of Fame. They were among 16 people inducted during an Oct. 14 ceremony at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.
Fay described her reaction to the honor in one word: surprise.
“You just don’t think about being in the National 4-H Hall of Fame,” she said. “It’s a nice honor.”
Both Fay and Sherm grew up in Oregon and met at Oregon State University. During Sherm’s career in the U.S. Air Force, they served as 4-H leaders in six states. When he retired in the mid-1980s, they returned to Oregon and established the Clever Clover 4-H Club.
Their home near the South Santiam River was designed with large rooms to host two meetings at once.
“Our philosophy is that 4-H is a family affair,” Fay said. “We host a community club, so we have a lot of different projects going on. We’re at about 37 members in our club right now.”
Accessibility was part of their vision, too. They built a ramp into their home, which soon proved valuable when a member who used a wheelchair joined the club.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sallees hosted project meetings at least three days a week. After Sherm died in March following an eight-year challenge with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Fay continued the meetings and activities, including outdoor projects on their 45-acre tree farm.
“Sherm wanted to be sure that I would be active,” she said. “We’re doing trail-building this week.”
Deep Oregon 4-H roots
Fay’s mother, Betty, was a 4-H leader for 54 years in Lebanon. Fay completed nine projects in her 10 years as a youth member, culminating in her selection as a delegate to National 4-H Congress in 1960.
In 1965, while at Oregon State, Fay was selected as an International Farm Youth Exchange delegate to Nepal, where she lived with 12 families over six months. She credits the experience with strengthening her commitment to 4-H. Later, she and Sherm hosted numerous international delegates.
Fay earned a degree in entomology from Oregon State. After retiring from the Air Force, Sherm earned a degree in education at Oregon State and became a substitute teacher in Sweet Home, Lebanon and Albany for 12 years.
Natural resources education and leadership
Natural resources education was a constant in the Sallees’ 4-H work. They were members of the Oregon 4-H Natural Science Committee for more than 20 years and completed the OSU Extension Master Woodland Manager program.
They also served in leadership roles with the Oregon Small Woodlands Association. Fay continues to help organize the association’s annual tree seedling sale, which funds $1,600 in 4-H forestry awards and four $1,000 scholarships for students studying forestry or related fields.
The Sallees were inducted into the Oregon 4-H Hall of Fame in 2005. Twice, they received OSU Extension Association Cooperator Awards for their contributions to Extension programming in Oregon.
A family tradition across generations
After Fay and Sherm married in 1966, they lived in Kentucky, Delaware, Ohio, Arizona, Florida and California. Along the way, they noticed that 4-H operated differently in each state, but their commitment never wavered.
Both of their children, David and Christy, participated in 4-H. Christy’s children are also members. Over the years, hundreds of youths have joined the Clever Clovers, with many representing Oregon at National 4-H Congress and other opportunities.
“My biggest success story is that now some of my first members are coming back with their children,” Fay said. “That’s pretty neat.”
National recognition
National 4-H Hall of Fame honorees are nominated by their home states, National 4-H Council, the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals, or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
The National 4-H Hall of Fame was established in 2002 as part of the centennial project of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents, in partnership with National 4-H Council and National 4-H Headquarters at USDA.
