Vaughan found life's direction in 4-H activities

by Deborah Parkhill Mullis

Correspondent

Valerie Vaughan made a three corner scarf from scratch as a 4-H project when she was 8.  Her first experience as a seamstress, sewing that scarf had a profound effect on her life.

"It was yellow gingham.  I still have it," said Vaughan, co-owner of Something Special, a ladies clothing store in Monroe.

In addition to sales at her Main Street store, Vaughan works as a wardrobe consultant and does alterations for her customers.

"It all goes back to 4-H," she says, giving the club credit for her life's direction.

Vaughan joined the 4-H club as a young girl in Virginia.  "My mother was our club leader.  She taught a group of 12 girls to sew.  We did food and nutrition projects and crafts, too."

Clothing was always what interested her the most, she said.

"I enjoyed sewing.  Each year I would try something different ... a different fabric, different style."

When she was a freshman in high school her family moved from Virginia to Weddington.  The first thing Vaughan did after arriving in Union County was to contact the local Agriculture Extension Service (now known as Cooperative Extension Service) to find out about a local 4-H club.

"It was something I had always been involved in and it was a way for me to learn about the area I had moved to," she said. 

After a few years of participating in the 4-H County Fashion Review, Vaughan won the county competition in 1982. Taking part in the fashion review means constructing your own outfit from beginning to end.

"In addition to the sewing, you have to write down your pattern number and how much money you spend."  Girls must model their garments at state and county competitions, too, she said.

After winning at the local level, Vaughan went on to the state competition in Raleigh that year. Again, she  won first place.

Vaughan's victorious outfit was a camisole and dirndle (a slim skirt with gathers at the waist) constructed out of a royal blue daisy print. The outfit also included a white linen jacket.

Among other things, judges look closely at the workmanship of  each entry.

Placing first in Raleigh earned her a trip to Chicago and a chance to compete at the National 4-H Congress in November 1982.

Although she did not win at the national level, Vaughan said going to Chicago as a high school senior was a tremendous treat in itself.

"I got to meet a lot of interesting people from all over the country.  There were people there from other project areas, too."

Vaughan said 4-H influenced her decision to study home economics in college and to become co-owner of Something Special while she was a college freshman.

At 28, she is past the age to actively participate in 4-H projects.  However, Vaughan remains very involved in the club.

Inducted into 4-H's State Honor Club as a high school senior, these days Vaughan is called upon to present programs and judge competitions for 4-H clubs throughout North Carolina.

"Being involved in 4-H helped me realize that when you set goals and expect something out of yourself - you can accomplish things."

(This article was published by The Enquirer-Journal on October 4, 1993)