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Decades Of 4-H Activities Come To An End In Beulah
April 8, 2013
The 20th Annual Spring Livestock Show Saturday was most likely the last one to ever be held at the Langley Bell 4-H Center on Nine Mile Road after the sale of the property to Navy Federal.
Saturday was an emotional day for the 4-H kids and adults as they dedicated the Bobby Gindl Memorial Hog Barn on the property — even though it will likely never be used again, perhaps even razed by Navy Federal as they expand. Gindl, who passed away unexpectedly in November at the age of 54, taught agriculture for 30 years. He was also the leader of the Barrineau Park 4-H Club, the oldest continuing 4-H Club in the state of Florida. He spent most of his life involved in 4-H, and took part in activities for many years at Langley Bell.
The children and teens on the 4-H County Council were the ones that voted to sell their 240 acres to the credit union. Navy Federal paid $3.6 million for the property next to the credit union’s campus in Beulah. $2 million of the sale proceeds were placed in an endowment fund for 4-H, and $1.6 million was reserved for 4-H to use under the guidance of UF/IFAS for a property including livestock facilities.
The children were promised a new piece of property comparable to Langley Bell, according to Escambia Commissioner Wilson Robertson, who also serves on the 4-H Foundation board. IFAS as assembled committees to research pros and cons of particular properties. The committees are still in the decision making process.
Speaking on behalf of the young 4-H’ers, a delegation of concerned citizens from Escambia County traveled with Tallahassee to meet with several state officials to discuss a Langley Bell replacement, including Agricultural Commissioner Adam Putnam, Sen. Greg Evers, Rep. Clay Ingram, Senate President Don Gaetz and Rep. Doug Broxson.
During Saturday’s livestock show, Escambia commissioners Steven Barry, Wilson Robertson, and Lumon May each individually visited with parents and 4-H members.
After a lunch break, Barry and Sen. Evers visited with young 4-H’ers to hear first hand to learn what they would like to have in a replacement facility. At one point, Evers knelt down to the childrens’ level in manure-filled show area to hear exactly what the 4-H kids had to say.
For more information about Saturday’s livestock show, click here.Pictured top: A panoramic view of the 20th Annual Spring Livestock Show Saturday at the Langley Bell 4-H Center. Pictured below: Current Navy Federal buildings can be seen across a lake at the Langley Bell 4-H Center in Beulah. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
7 Responses to “Decades Of 4-H Activities Come To An End In Beulah”
Navy federal is not providing us the kids anything. I have recently resigned from Florida 4-h because adults have mucked it up!!!!!!!!!!!
Tom I hope that you are promoted soon, as you brown nose with the best of them.
It is the 4H Members who have demonstrated patience and grace.
So sad. Where will they go now? I am glad Mr Evers was there and I hope he will keep an eye on what happens next.
I thought Navy Federal demonstrated a lot of patience and treated the 4H youngsters with respect.
A company wanting to invest many millions of dollars into our local economy should be encouraged, especially if the industry is relatively clean and green.
If the 4H students choose a career in agriculture, they need a viable market to sell their product. That is hard to do when so many people are out of work. I suspect many of those youngsters will find out life has a way of throwing them curves and they will be needing a place like Navy Federal to be able to pay their bills.
I think Navy Federal should be applauded for bringing jobs with good pay and benefits to our area.
What I really don’t understand is why was over half of the 3.6 million from Navy Federal (2 million) sent to IFAS at the University of Florida for the endowment fund BEFORE the search for replacement land and the cost of building adequate facilities on that land researched throughly. Now the 4-H families are limited (monetary wise) to what they can obtain to replace the Langley Bell Center.
What was the rush? And why not invest the money locally. I understand why the first monies obtained from the sale of the original parcel of land (back in 2000) that the current Navy Federal sits on was sent to Gainesville, because IFAS / University of Florida had some sort of matching 50/50 grant – that made sense. This last 2 million is not being matched by anyone. It belongs here in Escambia County for Escambia County 4-Hers.
Was it the decision of the 4-H Foundation Board of Directors (who are supposedly hand picked by the Escambia Director of Extension). The majority of this Foundation is not made up of 4-H Families and do not have the children’s true interest at heart. Ask any 4-Her – they have never even heard of the people on this foundation. (Except 4-H Foundation Member Commissioner Wilson Robertson & he has been working hard to make things right!)
Special thanks to Senate President Don Gaetz, Sen. Greg Evers, Rep. Clay Ingram, Rep. Doug Broxson, Ag. Comm. Adam Putnam, and Escambia County Commissioners Wilson Robertson, Steven Barry, and Lumon May for your help and interest. Your support is truly appreciated! And thanks William of Northescambia.com for keeping everyone up-to-date and informed – please keep up the good work! Good Luck 4-Hers!
On a more positive note. Congratulations to All exhibitors. At 65, I cherish the days I was in 4H and showed liovestock at Pensacola, Tallahassee, Tampa and Atmore. Bobby Gindl Hog Barn is great. Hopefully it will follow on to a new facility with aHall building and honor to others who have suppoprted Escambia 4H. Keep up the good work kids!
That would be neat if the new property was located in Barrineau Park since the Gindl family was one of the families there. And maybe they could rededicate a barn there to him.
My kids and I recently visited the Barrineau Park Historical Society Museum (free and a hidden county jewel!) and learned that the Barrineau Park 4-H club was prominent in state 4-H history.
I hope that the 4-H clubs get a wonderful livestock facility to continue the wonderful tradition of learning about raising livestock. We are not involved (yet) but it is one of those things that promotes character and keeps kids busy with worthwhile activities.
Thanks, Commissioner Barry (and Sen. Evers, Comm. Robertson, and Comm. May) for being involved, especially for listening to what the 4-H families want..