Chris Redding Receives 2019 Jolene Mosel Helping Hand Award

She is always willing to help 4-Hers. And she does it with a smile.

That’s one of many reasons Chris Redding of Elgin was named the 2019 recipient of the Jolene Mosel Helping Hand Award during the Antelope County Fair on Sunday.

The award was created in honor of Jolene Mosel, one of Antelope County's most devoted friends of 4-H who died after a lengthy battle with cancer in 2016.

Tessa Hain, 4-H Youth Development Coordinator, said Redding has been a club leader for the Way Out West 4-H Club for more than 20 years and also serves as a clothing superintendent for the fair, along with Karin Kinney, the 2017 award recipient. Others who have received the helping hand award are Anne Meis (2016) and Rhonda Meyer (2018).

She said Redding puts in a lot of time as a club leader and also volunteers for numerous other 4-H events, including pre-and post-fair cleanup.

“She is always there with a smile on her face, just like Jolene would have been,” Hain said of Redding. “She never complains and is always willing to help.”

Redding fought back tears as she hugged members of the Mosel family in the show arena when her name was announced and again when she was later asked what the award means to her.

“I can’t even put it into words,” she said as tears again filled her eyes. “It means a lot to me. Jolene was just such a wonderful person. It’s very humbling because you feel like you don’t deserve it, that you don’t measure up to what she has done.”

Redding said Jolene was always very enthusiastic and encouraging to the 4-H kids.

“Jolene always made you want to do more and do better,” she said. “She was busy, but she always made time. I don’t know how she did everything she did.”

Hain said Jolene helped as many kids as she possibly could during her lifetime and “always had this big, incredible smile on her face.”

“This award is for those who have gone above and beyond for 4-H,” she said. “(Chris Redding) is very deserving of this award.”

On hand for the presentation were Jolene Mosel’s parents, Leroy and Gail Wortman; her husband, Randy, and her daughter, Chandra.

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