North Carolina State University basketball legend Tommy Burleson received the 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award at the North Carolina Centennial 4-H Lifetime Achievement Awards Celebration on April 23.

The annual fundraising event, held at the Embassy Suites Hotel Resort and Conference Center in Concord, honored the lifetime achievements of former 4-H members, families and supporters. This year’s event raised $182,000 to support North Carolina 4-H.

Burleson, a former 4-H’er and Newland native, raised beef cattle on his family’s farm as a youth. He said that his beef championship trophy is still his most prized trophy.

“I just can’t thank 4-H enough for giving me this honor,” Burleson said. In 4-H, he said, “you learn by doing, you learn by sharing, and you learn to put others ahead of your own personal needs. One of the nicest things I learned from 4-H was to be a team player.”

Also at the celebration, Family Legacy Awards were presented to the Teeter and Vanderbilt/Cecil families for their support of North Carolina 4-H.

“We’re especially glad to honor Tommy Burleson, the Teeter family and the Vanderbilt/Cecil family,” said Dr. Marshall Stewart, state 4-H program leader. “Their generosity and dedication have helped propel 4-H through its first 100 years and, without a doubt, will continue to strengthen our organization in the next century.”

The celebration also included a Showcase of Excellence, with 4-H’ers from across the state demonstrating 4-H science and technology, community service and leadership projects. Their interactive exhibits featured topics such as healthy lifestyles, technology, 4-H history and animal agriculture.

Also during the event, current and former 4-H’ers took the stage for the Dee-Dee and Cam Harris Talent Showcase.

The 4-H program is the youth education program of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, based at North Carolina State and North Carolina A&T State universities. It took root as corn and tomato clubs in Ahoskie, NC, in 1909, and evolved from a rural youth program into a statewide organization with more than 239,000 active members and 23,000 volunteers and youth development professionals.