Award Remembers Hit and Run Victim’s Love of Horses, Fair Show

August 29, 1996

Marshfield News-Herald

A surprise Brenda Trestik of the North County Line 4-H Club was the recipient of the Deidre Week Memorial Award during the lunch break of the horse show Wednesday at the Central Wisconsin State Fair.

Deidre was killed in a hit and run accident March 24, 1995, near Vesper. She was 11 years old and a first-year horse and pony project member of the Hemlock Creek 4-H Club.

“She would have loved this,” said Deidre’s mother, Brenda Week, pointing out towards the horses and riders in the arena. “This is what she was working for.”

“I remember the sparkle in her eyes every time she saw a nice horse,” said Deidre’s father, David Week.

Deidre’s parents presented the memorial award after selecting Brenda from a field of eight girls nominated by their 4-H club leaders.

The recipient, like Deidre, must be a first-year horse and pony member and demonstrate a love of horses and a willingness to help other people, according to Debbie Benson of the memorial committee.

Brenda, 14, received a medallion from the committee and a bouquet of long stem pink roses from the Weeks. She was the second recipient of the memorial which will run for five years.

“I didn’t know what it was all about,” Brenda said after being summoned to the arena with seven other nominees. She is the daughter of Dolores and James Trestik of Junction City.

Benson said Brenda’s name will be engraved on a plaque that is kept in the Wood County Extension office.

When the memorial ends, the plaque, with all five names engraved, will be given to the Week family as a remembrance.

Other 4-H horse and pony members nominated for the award were Joelle Tillery, Snyder 4-H; Kari Durst, Richfield 4-H; Ashley Ashbeck, Badger 4-H; Hollie Swenson, Hemlock Creek 4-H; Catherine Mickel, Marawood 4-H and Courtney Ourada, Saratogians 4-H.

The identity of the driver of the hit and run vehicle that killed Deidre still remains unknown.