Cline was nominated by Emma Alstott, member of the Douglas Dreamers 4-H Club in Webster County.

For more than 40 years, Cline has been dedicated to the 4-H Program in Webster County: as a club leader, project volunteer and staff member. Since 1981, she has served as the leader of the Douglas Dreamers 4-H Club. She also has served as the Cat Project Leader. She has chaperoned numerous trips from National Congress, to National Conference to Citizenship Washington Focus. And she has worked to provide opportunities for 4-H’ers in her club and across Webster County.

Leadership and communication are skills she works to ensure that all club members gain. Each year, club members are encouraged to give a presentation as a way to grow and advance their communications skills. And each year, she works closely with the club officer team as they develop the year’s programming, helping to provide guidance, but ensuring that their voice prevails.

“In Webster County she is known as the person who would never let anyone settle for less. She has helped them build the skills they need to not only succeed now, but also in the future,” says Alstott.

In addition to her volunteer role, Cline served as Webster County’s county youth coordinator for 20 years.

“We’re proud to honor Linda for her work to support 4-H’ers,” said Emily Saveraid, executive director of the Iowa 4-H Foundation. “Her selfless efforts exemplify the spirit of this award.”

The Successful Farming/Loren Kruse Outstanding Iowa 4-H Leader Award comes with a $1,000 grant, which the honoree can designate back to Iowa 4-H through their club, county, or state foundations.

The award was established by Meredith Corporation and the Edwin T. Meredith Foundation through the Iowa 4-H Foundation in honor of Loren Kruse’s retirement as editor-in-chief of Successful Farming magazine. Kruse credits the outstanding guidance his 4-H club leader provided for his successes as an adult.