Brooklyn’s Louise Van Ersvelde to be inducted into the Poweshiek County 4-H Hall of Fame

​       Louise enjoys a moment with Sadie, age seven months, who is being held by her dad, Cole Olson, at a 4-H Hall of Fame gathering being held in her honor on Friday, June 2 at the Brooklyn Ruritan building. Looking on is Jodie Ryan at left and Roger Van Ersvelde, Rick Ryan and Rusty Clayton.

         When it comes to being a difference maker in Brooklyn and across Poweshiek County, it would be hard to find anyone more committed than Louise Van Ersvelde.
       It is her generous and giving heart and work ethic that has led to Louise being named the Poweshiek County 4-H Hall of Fame recipient for 2023.
         A gathering for Louise was held on Friday, June 2 at the Brooklyn Ruritan Building. Many friends, family, 4-H’ers and 4-H leaders and former co-workers stopped to enjoy a sweet treat and share a kind word with Louise, who was diagnosed earlier this year with pancreatic cancer.
          Louise is currently residing at the Brooklyn Community Estates.
        “She is the energizer bunny of community service,” said Rusty Clayton, former Brooklyn business owner and Ruritan Club member. “Whenever there is a community project or event, I always want Louise to be on my team. She is an enormous influence with so many groups like Ruritan, CSF (Dollars for Scholars), Farm Bureau and Farm Safety 4 Kids. Louise has the talent for creating posters, tickets and articles for every need. You could count on her to be 100 percent accurate in whatever she does. No project is too big for her connections throughout the state and the vast number of people she knows.”
         When asked about that gathering, Louise said, “Awesome, wow and truly unexpected.”
      “It is a very unexpected surprise,” said Roger, Louise’s husband. “It amazes me that she has had the biggest impact on so many.”
        Louise always had a camera in hand and was known for documenting whatever she was involved in or with.
         “Always behind the scenes,” she said with a smile. “Never in front of the camera.”
       “Seeing all these people means a lot of to me,” added Louise. “It brings back memories of the good old days. I haven’t seen some of these people in a long time.”
        Louise was born and raised in Poweshiek County. She calls Deep River her hometown with Brooklyn as an adopted hometown when she married Roger Van Ersvelde on April 20, 1968. Roger and Louise started their livestock and grain farming operation in 1970.
        Louise was a member of the Deep River Helping Hands 4-H Club when it was only a “Girls 4-H Club.” Her favorite projects were sewing and cooking. Louise remembers doing a presentation on making brownies. The judge asked her how many batches of brownies she had made prior to the judging, and she replied, “About 80.” There were several batches in the freezer. The comment from the judge was that she could tell from the presentation that she had numerous practice sessions with this project, and it was State Fair quality. Unfortunately, Louise was not eligible to compete at the State Fair with this project due to her age. Louise noted that her leaders for her 4-H club were: Mrs. Gerald Rieck and Mrs. Alton Wolf. 
       During her many years of service, Louise has volunteered hundreds of hours and has provided leadership to the organizations in which she was actively involved. She was an elected member of the Poweshiek County Extension Council from 1990 to 1998. While on the Extension Council, she was the Extension representative on the Poweshiek County Fair Board for five years. Other ag organizations that Louise has been incredibly involved in include Poweshiek Farm Bureau, Poweshiek County Porkettes, District Seven Porkettes, Iowa State Porkettes, Iowa Pork Producers, Iowa Corn Growers, Poweshiek Corn Growers, Iowa Soybean Association and one of her favorites has been the Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. 
      Other community organizations that Louise has volunteered, appointed, or elected to include Pow I-80, Poweshiek County Development, Brooklyn Economic Development, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Brooklyn Ruritan Club and Ruritan National, Drag Racing Association of Women and the Dollars for Scholars program for BGM School District.
      “All organizations have been given relentless number of hours of her time, dedication, and leadership,” noted a Poweshiek County Extension representative.
     While volunteering during these years for her community and Poweshiek County, Louise also was employed for 19 years as the Business Manager for Nesselroad Chevrolet in Brooklyn, and later worked for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce for 16 years plus, along with helping her husband, Roger, on the farm. 
     “I knew she did a great job on the Pow I-80 Development Group,” said friend and Poweshiek County Supervisor Diana Dawley. “I have always appreciated the knowledge she had shared about Poweshiek County and have enjoyed seeing her at events in Brooklyn.”
       “She is a remarkable lady who has touched many and done amazing things in the county,” said Poweshiek County Extension Director Cathy Lents. “She has made a huge impact on 4-H youth.”
      “Poweshiek County 4-H and Extension has benefited from Louise’s active role with youth and volunteers,” added a Poweshiek County Extension representative. “She has supported a lot of 4-H programs with her volunteer work and fundraising for various events. Thank you for all that you have done for us.”
     Former Poweshiek County Extension Director Debbie Van Arkel Goold said Louise was connected to so many community resources and always willing to make things happen with tenacity without getting discouraged.
      “Louise continued to exercise the 4-H motto "to make the best better" in whatever project she got involved with writing grants, leading workshops, starting new programs identified to benefit our county/community, supporting county on-going events that benefit youth and adults,” said Van Arkel Goold. “She spent years invested in youth across the county to help them with skills and opportunities via scholarships, projects and workshop experiences knowing they are needed for the future. She understood the strength of pulling together people and organizations to work to accomplish what needs to be done in various communities - always to make things better.”
      The 4-H induction service will be held on Sunday, Aug. 20 in the 4-H Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. There are two induction ceremonies to provide a quality experience for the inductees and their supporters. The first ceremony, for counties Adair through Jasper, begins at 1:30 p.m. The second ceremony, for counties Jefferson through Wright, begins at 3:30 p.m.

​      Louise Van Ersvelde, seated in wheelchair, visits with attendees at a 4-H Hall of Fame gathering in her honor on Friday, June 2 at the Brooklyn Ruritan building, while her husband, Roger, and a friend chat. Louise, who has been involved and many organizations across the county and worked with 4-H’ers throughout her life, has been named to the 2023 Poweshiek County 4-H Hall of Fame. Louise, who was diagnosed earlier this year with pancreatic cancer, currently resides at the Brooklyn Community Estates.

​       Louise Van Ersvelde, who has been nominated to the Poweshiek County 4-H Hall of Fame, holds her plaque with her husband, Roger, at right and Poweshiek County Extension summer intern, Gavin Tindle, at left. Louise, who has pancreatic cancer, will be inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame at the 2023 Iowa State Fair.