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Bluffton, Ind.

26 Years and counting!
Aug. 5, 2005

By Sarah Pulliam
Roger Sherer pulled out a calculator, paper and a pen.
He rested his chin in his hand and paused to think for a few minutes.
“Several thousand” was the number he came up with after he was asked how many children and teens he has worked with during his 26 years as Wells County 4-H extension educator.
Michelle Langford, 18, of Rockcreek has worked with Sherer during her 10 years of 4-H and described his leadership style
“He’s helped me to be a better person through junior leaders because of the dedication that he wants me to have,” Langford said. “He always makes me laugh and he is very patient.”
Several past and current 4-H members and 4-H officials honored Sherer for his 26 years of service at an open house July 17.
A pot of flowers sat on Sherer’s office desk with a note that said “Thank you for all that you do!!” from the Rockcreek 4-H club.
Showered with thank you cards, Sherer said he hasn’t been able to read all of them yet.
Sherer leads more than 600 4-H members and 200 mini 4-H participants within 15 Wells County clubs.
Judi Merkel, 4-H family and consumer science educator, has worked with Sherer for 10 years and described his strengths as a 4-H extension director.
“He has a great sense of humor, is dependable, responsible, very hardworking and models a strong work-ethic,” Merkel said. “I think he has a very calming effect because he’s very evenly paced.”
His office demonstrated Sherer is still recovering from this year’s 4-H fair.
Papers were scattered across his desk, fair signs leaned up against the wall and Sherer’s spiral-bound schedule book lay open with events marked on the pages.
“You don’t just wrap everything up in one week,” he explained.
The soft-spoken director keeps busy during the 12 months of the year, though most people see his active participation in the summer.
Meetings, workshops, conferences and school visits take up a large portion of Sherer’s work.
Sherer explained that he has to do a lot of preparation before the fair actually begins, including ordering ribbons and pins for contestant’s identification patches.
“People don’t think of little things like that,” he said. “I don’t get bored.”
One of the most difficult parts of Sherer’s job is recuiting people to volunteer.
However, Sherer finds his job fulfilling.
“I enjoy the summer when I actually get to work with the kids,” he said. “You hear and see more immediate success and progress.”
Beginning his job in the courthouse, Sherer remembers how the 4-H office was the first to have a computer in the building WHEN.
Technology has changed Sherer’s job, including the way 4-H identifies animals.
“Things were different,” he said.
Sherer takes nose prints of livestock instead of tagging the ear.
Growing up in Kendalville, Sherer was 10-year 4-H member in Noble County.
He graduated from Purdue in 1978 and earned a degree in animal science and agriculture education.
The middle of five children, Sherer’s three brothers went to Indiana University and sister went to Ball State University.
The Sherer siblings banter back in forth about their rival schools.
“It’s a friendly family thing,” he said and laughed.
His brothers work in insurance and auto manufacturing, but his sister took the 4-H route and is a district director in the southwest corner of Indiana.
Sherer’s younger brother took a separate route and works as an actor in Los Angeles. He acted in “Days of Our Lives” and various commercials.
Sherer became prepared for his current job during college when he worked at the 4-H extension services at Purdue University for four summers.
Purdue recruited him for the Wells County position in 1978 after he spent seven months in Poland in the 4-H exchange program.
“I was anxious to get some job so I thought I would give it a try,” he said.
Sherer is interested in sending a 4-H student to participate in the same exchange program in Poland in the next two years.
“Any type of international experience broadens your experience and opens your mind to other ideas,” Sherer said.
Sherer doesn’t know how many more years he plans to stay in Wells County.
“I guess I never thought I would work here this long,” Sherer said. “It’d probably have to be a pretty good opportunity for me to move.”