On Sunday June 26th the Bow Valley Beef and Multi 4H Club held their Year End Banquet and Awards at the Indus Recreation Centre. This family event had members of the Bow Valley 4H club, their families, sponsors and buyers, whom held raised over $67,000 for this 4H club.
4-H is a youth organization committed to developing outstanding leaders with marketable skills to succeed in today’s society. As a dedicated province wide program, 4-H offers programs, trips, awards and scholarships for members and families.
For over 90 years, the 4-H organizations say they understand that youth want to be involved, accepted, valued and heard. That’s why 4-H clubs are great places for youth to learn and grow. In 4-H, youth run the show. 4-H clubs typically meet once a month as a large group, where youth of all ages take on different leadership roles to make decisions and plan events. Clubs organize fun outings, achievement days and fundraisers, and participate in various activities within their communities.
At this year-end event, I spoke with a few parents as to why they enrolled their kids in the 4-H program. Comments like “it is a great way to keep them connected to the community without having to join a sport” and “it teaches them skills that they can take with them throughout their lives” were just some of the feedback from some of the member’s parents.
One dad reflected on his own childhood growing up on the family farm in northern Alberta and wanting to pass that on to his children, despite living in Calgary. “My kids are farm kids trapped in the city….so the 4-H program is a great way to keep them connected to our farm roots”.
The event served up a delicious dinner, silent auction and, of course, the awards that were presented to 4-H members for their work on various projects throughout the year. Everything from sewing, to photography, to raising lambs and cattle and much more.
One of the highlights of the event was the Bow Valley Beef and Multi 4H Club presenting a cheque to CanLyme – the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation. With cases of diagnosed Lyme disease being on the rise, the Bow Valley Beef and Multi 4H Club to an interest in helping provide awareness to this disease and presented them a cheque at the wrap up event. Bow Valley Beef and Multi 4H Club presented a $15,750 cheque to Suzanne Wong of CanLyme, which was the main event of the evening.
Lyme is a borreliosis caused by borrelia bacteria, which commonly infects woodland animals like mice or deer. Ticks pick up the bacteria by biting infected animals, and then pass it on to their human hosts. The are many strains or genospecies of borrelia that cause Lyme disease (borreliosis) in humans just as there are many strains of the flu virus that cause flu symptoms in humans, with some strains more virulent than others.
Lyme disease is most treatable during Stage 1. As time passes, both treatment and diagnosis become more difficult. Symptoms worsen during each stage of infection, ranging from flu-like symptoms to neurological illnesses, including paralysis. With chronic Lyme disease there is not one system of the body that can be unaffected… this includes various hormone production as well.
Lyme disease is on the rise in Canada. Decrease your risk of infection by taking preventative action and learning more about Lyme.
Congratulations on an amazing year and to all award winners.
