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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) Phyllis Otterness of Tower City and Jeff Ellingson of Bismarck have been honored for their volunteer service to 4-H.

The North Dakota State University Extension Service’s Center for 4-H Youth Development presented Otterness with the Salute to Excellence North Dakota 4-H Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer Award and Ellingson with the Salute to Excellence North Dakota 4-H Volunteer of the Year Award for 2015.

As a volunteer for the Barnes County 4-H program, Otterness has positively influenced hundreds of youth in the club setting and through her work at county 4-H events. She has served as the main leader for the Better Livestock 4-H Club for 44 years and consistently has one of the largest clubs in the county.

She encourages 4-H’ers to choose projects that best fit them and to do their best. She sets high standards for club members, requiring each one to do at least one demonstration during the club year and strongly encouraging them to participate in at least one judging team to learn problem-solving and decision-making skills. In addition, she expects older 4-H’ers to mentor younger members.

Her caring attitude toward everyone makes people enjoy working with her. Because of her innate ability to work with diverse audiences, such as youth with developmental disabilities, she has earned their trust.

Otterness also has mentored new county Extension agents and been a valuable resource for them on event and club history.

One of her other volunteer roles is serving as a Cloverbud judge during the Barnes County 4-H Achievement Days. She talks with the 5- to 7-year-olds about their projects in a gentle and encouraging way and as a result, the county 4-H program has lost very few Cloverbuds after their first few Achievement Days.