Andrew Tenhouse Memorial Fund

Along with his siblings, Andrew Tenhouse was the third generation in his family to be involved with 4-H. A member from the age of eight, Andy embraced all the club had to offer.

He was especially interested in the natural resources aspect of 4-H. Through his achievements in that area, Andy was eligible to attend the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia with youth from all over the United States. Andy also embarked on a long-term project with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to improve more than 200 acres of timberland and acted as chairman of a wildflower project at John Wood Community College’s arboretum.

4-H was the perfect organization for Andy.

“He was a real outdoors kid,” said his mother Sharon. “Andy loved to show younger kids how to fish. He had an old beat up Chevy truck, ‘Old Blue,’ and when the little guy next door would hear the truck coming, he’d run to the side of the road, wait for Andy to go by and ask, ‘Are you going fishing Andy? Can I go too?’”

Andy’s young fishing companion eventually joined 4-H and even attended a fishing workshop that Andy taught.

Following his death on September 22, 2006, Andy’s parents decided to honor him with a fund at the Community Foundation. Grants from the Andrew Tenhouse Memorial Fund provide support to Adams County 4-H clubs.

Through their own experiences with the club, Art and Sharon realize how important youth building organizations are to the community. “I have seen kids develop life skills and achieve many things through community service projects,” said Sharon, a 4-H leader for more than 34 years.

As grants from his fund benefit 4-H members for generations to come, Andy’s name continues to be connected to an organization that was important to him.