Vinland Valley 4-H Club members will be wearing special pins during this year’s Douglas County Free Fair.

They are small pins — about the size of a nickel — with a clover on them and they read: “Krystal Bateson 1990-2004.”

Bateson died unexpectedly in June. She was a member of the Vinland Valley 4-H Club.

“It’s been pretty difficult,” said Leah Hoelscher, Douglas County 4-H ambassador and a member of the club. “She was friends with a lot of us, and even for people who didn’t know her well this has just been hard.”

Hoelscher, 17, said members wanted to establish a memorial award in Bateson’s honor through the Douglas County 4-H Community Fund. People can donate money in Bateson’s name. However, it could take about a year to establish the award, she said.

Meanwhile, club members are finding other ways to remember Bateson. The group has established a “Herdsman Award” for the rabbit showing at the Douglas County Fair in honor of Bateson, who showed rabbits.

The Herdsman Award will go to an exhibitor who displays good sportsmanship and is helpful and responsible, Hoelscher said. Those were qualities Bateson possessed.

“That’s my image of her and her family,” Hoelscher said. “She was a good kid.”

The Vinland Valley 4-H Club will sponsor the Herdsman Award for the ages 12-19 competition, and the Mark Elston Auction Company will sponsor the category for ages 7-12.

Hoelscher said the Vinland Valley 4-H Club members are making a banner in Bateson’s honor that will be displayed throughout the fair, July 25-Aug. 1.

Leah Hoelscher, of Baldwin, poses with her two dogs, Sam, left, and Buddy, right, that she is preparing for competition in the Douglas County Free Fair. Hoelscher is an ambassador for the Vinland Valley 4-H Club, which is in the process of creating a memorial in honor of Krystal Bateson, a club member who died in June.

Vinland Valley Community Leader for 4-H Kim Davis said she never met Bateson but heard great things about her.

“It’s always unfortunate when we lose a youth at such a young age,” Davis said. “But these kids, I think they have the right idea in mind with how they are remembering her. I’m just impressed with what they have done and what they are doing.”

Other area 4-H groups are getting involved. The Lone Star 4-H Club agreed on June 14 to donate to the Krystal Bateson memorial fund.

4-H’ers to honor former member with pins, awards during Free Fair Game: Remembering Krystal Bateson