Meet Your Neighbor: Fundraising and 4-H go hand-in-hand for this Galion woman

GALION — Summer is still a few months away, but one lifelong area resident craves the busy time.

Meet your neighbor Donnetta Lester, an outgoing advocate for community engagement.

Lester joined Dairy Maids and Gents 4-H Club at age 7, but as soon as she aged out she became an advisor and livestock committee member.

She sits on the rabbit committee for what she says is "one of the largest, if not the largest, 4-H clubs in the county.” The commitment requires a large chunk of her summer. "But it's very fun and I have such a big heart for animals,” Lester said.

With about 80 members, she said the club is very involved with the community, noting volunteer work hours are required to be a member in good standing.

There’s also the growing farm-to-table movement among urban residents. Dairy Maids and Gents 4-H Club taps into that trend because, as Lester noted, “it’s nice to know where your food comes from.”

Lester's day job involves fundraising

Her passion for local volunteering requires a day job, so as soon as she graduated high school, she began working at the Crossroads Family of Companies' retail store in the Richland Mall.

She has been in her role as fundraising sales director for two years, raising money for schools and nonprofits along the way. “It just worked out very well for me,” Lester said.

Supporting her local community means volunteering at 4-H but also supporting Crossroads’ bi-annual Open House & Candle Sale, her favorite time of year.

A one-day pre-sale event supports the United Way of Crawford County. “Every single cent we make off of selling our tickets goes straight back to the United Way of Crawford County,” Lester said.

A passion for sports and travel

A 2015 graduate of Galion High School, Lester went on to study at The Ohio State University at Mansfield, calling it “a great alternative for those that want to stay local."

The 26-year-old enjoys spending time with friends, sports — especially baseball and football — and traveling. “Last year, I traveled to four or five different states,” Lester said.

Along with volunteering at Dairy Maids and Gents 4-H Club, she is also the secretary of the Galion Gridiron Club. It primarily raises funds for the Galion football team but helps with other sports, too.

Lester enjoys her busy life. “I think the secret is having a good balance, being able to disconnect and get away,” she said.

While she enjoys visiting big cities because "there's a lot of things going on," small-town living is her preference.

"It’s a great place to network, a great place to get to know somebody … a great place to call home," Lester said.

Correspondent Joe Di Lullo can be reached at muckrack.com/dilulloj or jp.dilullo0926@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Meet Your Neighbor: Fundraising, 4-H hand-in-hand for Galion OH woman