PAF Safety Coordinator Spotlight: Andrea Traeger
For more than two decades, Andrea Traeger has been a driving force behind youth safety education in Grundy County, Iowa. Since first stepping into her role as a Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® Coordinator in 2004, Andrea has led an incredible 34 PAF Safety Day events, reaching over 5,000 youth in her community. But her impact stretches far beyond the numbers—Andrea’s work is a testament to what passionate, community-minded leadership can accomplish.
Andrea was introduced to the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program early in her 4-H career and quickly took on the responsibility of organizing the annual event in her county. With her deep ties to both the local 4-H and the rural community, she has spent 21 years designing meaningful, practical, and engaging learning experiences for young people. From first aid and lawn mower safety to sessions on mental health and visibility awareness around large equipment, Andrea ensures her PAF Safety Day offerings are relevant to all youth—those living on farms and in town alike.
“The impact goes beyond the number of youth we reach and extends to those partners who are getting to interact with the youth, make connections across the county with other organizations, and share a passion for educating youth on such an important topic of safety,” Andrea shares.
One particularly powerful story Andrea recalls came from a partner who told her how a child used skills learned during PAF Safety Day to respond to a family medical emergency. Although the situation ended in tragedy, the young girl’s ability to stay calm and help her mother care for her father during a heart attack was a testament to the program’s real-world impact. Her mom told us she “will not forget the skills that her daughter used that day,” Andrea says.
Each year, Andrea welcomes students with a cheerful “Good morning!” as they arrive by bus, and later sees many of those same students again as high school seniors when she hands out awards. “They remember PAF Safety Day from third grade. It sticks with them—and that’s when you know it matters.”
Andrea credits much of her success to the support of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation®. “The training, materials, insurance information, ideas, and ongoing guidance are priceless… I could always call and get assistance and answers that I needed,” she explains.
To others considering joining or partnering with the program, Andrea offers enthusiastic encouragement: “Progressive Agriculture Foundation is one of the best organizations to volunteer for. The supportive, understanding, and caring staff really are outstanding. I truly feel like a part of the organization in making an impact on the safety of youth in our county. It is a great program to get your community on board with and a great way to grow your outreach and connect with others.”
Andrea Traeger’s passion, dedication, and heart have left an indelible mark on Grundy County—and on the thousands of young lives she’s helped make safer. We are proud to recognize her as a recipient of the 2024 Bernard Geschke Volunteer Service Award.