Florida 4-H Hall of Fame

Bette R. Jones

When a 4-H'er plugged in his lamp and it worked and he smiled, that was the best reward for 4-H Volunteer Bette Jones. This is just one of the reasons Bette R. Jones says she is the "Best Paid 4-H Volunteer." "Participation in 4-H provided opportunities for me to grow from an awkward and unsure child into a person that could share interests and talents with others," Jones said. She said 4-H provided a ladder of skills and showed her how to climb to the top. 4-H also gave her a method of measuring her success, one dress sewn at a time and one flower grown at a time. Jones had a huge impact on the 4-H program through her horseless horse program called "Love A Horse," and she initiated the Game Board project at the Central Florida Fair in 1983. She also wrote a grant for Brevard County 4-H to receive $12,000 from the Federal Inland Navigation District to buy ten canoes and equipment for environmental education projects. Program membership also increased from 600 to more than 1200 due in part to her efforts. Jones is also active throughout the rest of her community in the Brevard County School System where she was selected Senior Volunteer of the Year for 2001-2002.