4-H’ers and friends were playing Jeopardy, making friendship bracelets, and competing in rodeo games at the western-themed “4-H Discovery Day” in Barwick on Saturday.
The purpose was to allow 4-H’ers to meet and to bring in new members. And the 37 youths attending, included nine from Dryden, obviously were enjoying themselves.
“4-H is wonderful because it is about learning,” enthused Marianne Fallis, 4-H volunteer specialist and liaison for Region 1 (Northern Ontario).
“It’s about so much more than agriculture,” she stressed, noting 4-H is not nearly as expensive as some other organized youth activities.
“There are a lot of different things you can do—anything in your imagination, for example, soap-making, dancing, sports, and camping.
“Outside of the course material, members acquire many skills for life—leadership, public speaking, and self-esteem,” added Fallis, who hails from Guelph.
Youth ambassador Julia Smith, from Ancaster, agreed. “4-H being only about agriculture is a big stereotype,” she said. “It would be good if that were pushed aside.
“There is a even chocolate 4-H club,” she noted. “But it’s not just about eating chocolate. You learn how to measure ingredients.
“Every course teaches leadership and social skills,” Smith stressed.
Smith is one of six youth ambassadors who were chosen at the 4-H annual meeting in February.
She encourages new members to join, and existing members to explore 4-H Ontario opportunities for travel and learning throughout the province, in such events as Future Talk and Career Mania.
The flagship program is the 4-H Leadership Camp, which was held in Port Sydney back in March.
This was Smith’s first time in Northwestern Ontario. “It is beautiful here,” she remarked. “It’s a lot different than the city.”
Smith and Fallis were in the area to do volunteer training. They were in Dryden on Thursday (May 8) and then on Friday, they trained 10 adult leaders and nine youth leaders in Barwick.
Smith, 19, has completed 54 projects in 4-H and will be doing more this year. She has just completed her first year at Wilfrid Laurier (Brantford campus), enrolled in the concurrent education program.
Fallis, meanwhile, has been a 4-H’er since the age of 10. She has a Bachelor of Science in agriculture from the University of Guelph and a diploma in public relations from Grant McEwen College in Alberta.
She worked for 4-H for two summers before starting her current position last year, working with the northern co-ordinators to help advance the north.
Tracey Hyatt, co-ordinator for Northwestern Ontario, was pleased with the Discovery Day event. “Everyone had a good time,” she enthused.
Other activities included public speaking, an egghead helmet safety exercise, a “Go for the Gold” competition, ice-cream making, a name-changing game, and a look at bees and tasting honey from around the world.
Events like this could not happen without the volunteers. “Youth volunteers Mitch Haw and Cody Heyens were awesome,” Hyatt enthused.
Haw and Heyens ran the livestock Jeopardy game throughout the day. “We can always use more people who are interested in becoming volunteers,” Hyatt suggested.
Leader Wanda Heyens pointed out that youth 4-H volunteer time can be applied towards the 40 community hours students need to graduate from high school.
Between 4-H and helping with the ice at the curling rink, Heyens noted her children readily obtain their required hours.
Many 4-H clubs will be starting soon. Anyone interested in joining may contact Tracey Hyatt at 486-3479.