Florida 4-H Hall of Fame

John and Mary McKeown

John and Mary McKeown  serve as a team of 4-H club in Escambia County leaders. From clowning to guide dogs, the McKeowns have done it all.  John McKeown was the leader of a 4-H Clown Club that was very active in community service and he still attends the fair working in the 4-H barn making balloons and doing face painting. He has taught 4-H’ers not only clowning skills but also discipline and how much fun it is to make someone smile. He created three project books for clowning that incorporate sewing, finances and organization. Mary McKeown led a diversified club that did clowning, cooking and sewing projects. Her club also did a woodworking project and made lawn furniture they donated to be raffled off at the fair. She was the volunteer leader for the guide dog puppy-raising project working with the 4-H’ers as they trained the guide dog puppies. She went to camp to teach crafts even though she suffered from allergies. John McKeown said, “4-Hers represent the very best of the youth of today and I feel honored to work with them. Being a 4-H leader I can teach children skills that they will be able to use for the rest of their lives.” He donates all of his clown earnings to the Guide Dog Project to sponsor puppies. He also clowns with his 4-H’ers for the health department and those who have cerebral palsy or are hearing impaired, the Humane Society, the Cancer Society and many others. He targets youth at risk and get those kids involved helping others through his clown club. He has touched the lives of more than 2,000 children through his clown club and community outreach efforts. Mary McKeown has done many speaking engagements enlightening the public about 4-H and both the newspaper and television shows have publicized her work.  She is a stay at home mom who devotes her time to her children, 4-H, and the guide dog puppies. An excellent role model for all 4-H youth she attributes her success to 4-H. “Doing demonstration in 4-H taught me how to speak in front of a group and being a very shy child that was a huge accomplishment. I am who I am today because of 4-H,” Mary McKeown said.