District 4-H association hands out annual awards

Nicholas Donaldson

The annual 4-H awards night was held Friday at the Millennium Hall in Stratton.
Almost 40 district 4-H members were on hand, along with more than 80 parents, siblings, and guests.
Following a meal prepared by Gary and Colleen Jolicouer from the Country Corner Cafe in Stratton, the awards for 2016 were handed out to local 4-H members and volunteers.
First up were awards presented to youth leaders Jordan Desserre, Jessica Haw, and Morgan Haw, as well as first-year volunteers Terri Anne Lundgren, Angela McNabb, Melissa Teeple, and Pamela Wilson.
Leader certificates, given in five-year increments, also were presented to Ken Haw (five years), Kim Desserre (10 years), and Jason Teeple (15 years).
Some 13 first-year members then were presented with 4-H T-shirts and plaques.
Aaron Bujold, Erika Gerula, Jenny Hammond, Katie Hay, Micaela Jolicouer, and Bradley Teeple each received a pen for completing six 4-H projects.
Alanna Gerula, Andrea Schram, Aynsley Williams, and Madison Williams took home a desk pen set for completing 12 projects.
Finally, for completing 24 projects over their 4-H careers, Jordan Desserre and Jessica Haw each were given a framed print depicting a rural scene.
Breed awards then were presented to beef club members (the awards depend on the breed of the animal and were donated by various breed associations in Ontario).
These included awards for Angus (11), Charolais (eight), Shorthorn (one), Hereford (seven), Limousin (two), Simmental (five), and cross-bred animals (three).
The Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association gave Emo Feeds gift certificates to first-year beef members, including Timothy Boersma, Jared Flatt, Gregory Peters, Raelle Redford, Serena Teeple, Trent Wilson, and Joaquin Woolsey.
Volunteer Wilma Sletmoen then spoke about her process for judging the beef books.
The books are completed by every beef club member and record all of the club material acquired throughout the year.
This include feeding costs, animal weight records, personal notes, information given at meetings, and a personal page about the member.
Sletmoen explained the difficulty in judging the books and the great effort every member puts into their work.
The winners received $200 gift cards sponsored by Canada Safeway/Sobey’s.
Kennah LeBlanc and Carenna Haw took first and second place in the junior category.
For the senior members, Ryan Bodnar earned first-place honours while Katie Croswell’s book came second.
Sletmoen said Bodnar’s book was complete, well done, and laid out perfectly.
“If I had to explain to a buyer what 4-H is and what the steer club does, I would hand them Ryan’s book and say, ‘Here,'” she lauded.
“It is complete in every way.”
Showmanship awards were given to Aaron Bujold and Hayden Haw (senior), Jayden Woolsey and Avery Cates (intermediate), Carenna Haw and Brandon Croswell (junior), and Jared Flatt and Raelle Redford (novice).
Leroy Rempel received the Ontario Plowmen’s Association Award of $100 and a certificate.
Each of the three district beef clubs picked one deserving member and Rempel’s name was drawn to receive that award.
The Feeder Finance Co-op Carcass award ($150) was given to Carenna Haw for having the highest-grading market steer.
Aynsley Williams received the Rainy River Hereford Association Carcass Award ($200 and a plaque) for having the highest-grading market steer with Hereford influence.
Presenter Kim-Jo Bliss said the carcass was graded ‘AAA’ with a 59 percent yield.
Williams also was presented the DeGagne Award–a $250 prize along with a trophy.
This annual award goes to the beef club member who accumulates the greatest number of points in the past three years of work.
The Rainy River District 4-H Leader’s Association and the TD/Canada Trust Leadership Award went to Morgan Haw.
The $200 and trophy given for this award go to a member nominated by one of their leaders.
Then the member must follow-up the nomination with an application form and an essay.
4-H volunteer Ellen Chojko-Bolec read out Haw’s essay, entitled “What 4-H Means to Me.”
The essay outlined the social and learning aspects of the club, and sought to prove it was more than just a “potato club.”
Various door draws and prizes also were given out throughout the night for the 4-H members in attendance.
On display in the hall were project boards and the beef books so parents and guests could learn more about 4-H and the different clubs.