RENFREW — Patty Turner always knew she wanted to give back to 4-H.

When she was young and her parents were separated, she remembers the organization as one of the things that really helped her get through that time.

What she didn’t plan was getting her husband involved, or someday the couple being named Volunteers of the Year by Butler County 4-H. That honor was just given to Patty and Scott Turner of Renfrew in February.

Patty Turner, 48, who is a switchboard operator for UPMC Passavant Hospital in Pittsburgh, also has involved all four of her children in 4-H. Some of them stayed involved longer than others, but all gained some of the valuable lessons that the group can teach to young people.

“You learn responsibility,” said Scott Turner, 48, a rural mail carrier out of the Gibsonia Post Office. “You learn to take care of something and that’s important.”

The Turners’ children range in age from 21 to 11 years old. They advise 160 others in the Butler County 4-H Horse Program.

For Patty, volunteering brings her full circle and she’s happy to give back.

“Leaders in 4-H were such mentors for me and helped me stay focused,” she said. “They taught me things without realizing they were teaching me.”

Now, the Turners have been teaching countless youth about horses for 4-H for 11 years.

During spring and summer, the couple helps with horse clinics and shows, dedicating about 45 hours each weekend to the effort.

The couple provides advice, lessons and other support for those events. Sometimes they provide a place for members to practice, if needed.

Planning meetings all year long takes more time. Because of that, Scott and Patty have trouble estimating the number of hours they dedicate to volunteering.

They own 15 horses and a farm, and they definitely equate volunteering as a labor of love.

“It’s time-consuming but it’s OK because it’s heartwarming,” Scott said. “It’s good to see kids do better. It’s nice to have them come and ask questions.”

Many of the youth in the program call Scott “Dad,” and he answers to every one, he said.

“A lot of the kids we see are from broken homes,” he said. When a member yells “Dad,” and runs to give him a big hug, “that’s what makes if all worthwhile,” he said.

For Patty, her motivation also comes from seeing these young people change during the nine years she sees them in the program. This is true for her own children as well.

“The leadership qualities they’ve gotten out of it are amazing,” she said.

She cites a mounted drill team that she helped advise as one of her favorite experiences. When the team started, the young riders couldn’t control their horses when they got close to each other. Now, Patty gets choked up as she describes what an impressive addition the team makes to parades or rodeos they participate in.

“It’s just the pride they take in what they’ve accomplished,” she said.

For Patty, it’s still satisfying to be able to give back. She doesn’t plan to stop volunteering for a long time.

“When I was a kid, I didn’t realize how helpful it was,” she said.

The love of horses helps to keep the motivation for the couple.

“Both of us would rather spend time in the barn than the house,” Patty said of herself and Scott.

And if it helps the 4-H members in the process, Scott said any hour spent is worth it.

“If this keeps a kid interested in a lifelong passion, maybe keeping them out of trouble, than it’s worth it,” he said.

The horse program is just one of more than 25 different programs for youth run by 4-H in Butler County through the Penn State Cooperative Extension. The programs involve not only animals, but food and nutrition, photography, shooting sports, clothing, crafts and plant science.

To become a 4-H member, contact the main number to get in touch with a nearby club. The extension office also can be reached by e-mail at Butlerext@psu.edu.

<B>Address: </B>Penn State Cooperative Extension of Butler County, 101 Motor Pool Way, Butler, PA 16001<B>Services: </B>A variety of projects including foods and nutrition, wildlife, photography, shooting sports, clothing and textiles, crafts, plant science and animal science.<B>Director: </B>Ellen Linnamen<B>Number of members: </B>More than 25 4-H clubs with about 600 youths between the ages of 8 and 19. There also is a Cloverbuds program for children 5 to 8 years old.<B>Phone number: </B>724-287-4761<B>Web site:</B> www.butler.extension.psu.edu/4-h