Donald W. Lander

Donald W. Lander began his 4-H career in June 1950 as an assistant camp director at 4-H Camp McQuarrie and then became director at 4-H Camp Cloverleaf. 

He moved to Sarasota County and became assistant county agent. There was only one small club and his responsibility was to develop 4-H throughout the county. He organized several clubs and then moved to Collier County where no 4-H clubs existed at that time. He organized boys and took them on the first camping trip for Collier County.

Lander was able to encourage the county commissioners to finance a new cabin at the camp, and he also got C.J. Jones Lumber Company to donate the lumber for the rest of the buildings.

Lander’s dedication to the 4-H program made a huge impact in each of the counties he worked in.

He worked hard to build the 4-H program into what it is today. “I felt a great sense of accomplishment when we built the camp and I could see the boys and girls benefiting from it over the years. 4-H gave me the opportunity to make a lasting impact,” Lander said.

Throughout his career he strongly supported 4-H camping programs, and all the years he was a county extension director he attended and was actively involved in camp. Collier County 4-H gave him a lifetime pass to 4-H camp upon his retirement because of his dedication to 4-H and the camping program.