2022 boasted the return of all in-person 4-H programming, new initiatives, and opportunities. What a great year! From 4-H curling, to our North & South week long summer camps, our 4-H members were able to experience all that 4-H has to offer.
4-H Curling was back in 2022, with District #7 4-H Council playing host in Weyburn to curling teams from across the province for our 2022 Provincial Curling event on February 18 & 19. Members were able to showcase their skills, make new friends and win great prizes.
The 4-H Saskatchewan Annual General Meeting was held on March 19 & 20 at the Saskatoon Inn. Over 120 members and leaders participated in the business meeting, donor recognition banquet and leader and member socials.
In-person provincial public speaking was held for the first time since 2019! This event took place in Middle Lake, SK by the District #28 4-H Council. Around 150 people watched 4-H members showcase their amazing speech writing and public speaking skills.
P R O V I N C I A L C U R L I N
A N N U A L G E N E R A L M E E T I N G
P R O V I N C I A L P U B L I C S P E A K I N G
Following the departure of our Executive Director Cera Youngson in January, 4-H Saskatchewan was happy to welcome Aubrey Eaton as our new Executive Director! Aubrey spent the past 13 years as the Executive Director of the Central Saskatchewan Military Family Resource Centre. Aubrey was raised in Saskatoon where he currently lives with his wife and their two children .
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AUGUST
04August ushered in one of the most exciting events of the year- 4-H Summer Camp! This year two Summer Camps were held; one from August 14-19 at Big River Bible Camp near Big River, SK, and one from August 25-30 at Katepwa Lake Camp near Fort Qu'Appelle, SK. Over 100 4-H members attended camp as campers, CITs and counsellors which included two 4-H Alberta counsellors in a counsellor exchange!
As always, our week-long 4-H Camp featured activities themed around our 4-H pillars, including a "WhoDunnit" forensics activity, butter and bannock making, a wacky hair challenge, and the camp favorites of a talent show and dance! This week also featured daily skills (such as archery, kayaking, dance, arts & crafts & riflery.)
4-H Camp proved to be a huge success for all participants. According to one parent "The boys have already asked if they can return every year and when they are old enough to become CIT’s as well. That is how you know you have made an impact. We look excitedly forward to more years of camps– they are even talking about finding enough members to go with them next year to rent a bus to go up and back!”
4-H members from across Canada met up this November 2 to 6 in Toronto for the 4-H Canada's Member's Forum. 4-H Saskatchewan was fortunate to send six members to this event, with members enjoying exploring the city, seeing the Royal Canadian Winter Fair, and other sites.
4-H Saskatchewan hosted two leadership conferences in North Battleford and Estevan on December 10. Over 40 attendees learned about leadership, 4-H opportunities, and agriculture.
N E W A W A R D S
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, 4-H Saskatchewan was able to offer over $50,000 in scholarships and awards to our 4-H members. New in 2022 was the South Country Equipment Scholarship and the Art & Shirley Froelich Travel Bursary.
2023 is shaping up to be another busy year for 4-H Saskatchewan! Not only are 4-H events such as Public Speaking, Curling, Summer Camp planned, but also 4-H travel and scholarship opportunities are back for 4-H members, leaders, and alumni. As well, we hope to see our wonderful supporters out at our various 4-H events, in the community and more.
Hello 4-H Friends, We are the Kirzinger family from Viscount Saskatchewan, and we are an enthusiastic 4-H family! We are 4-H alumni, leaders, volunteers and members. The 4-H program has given our family numerous opportunities to “Learn to do by doing” which have in turn provided understanding, skills, relationships, travel and fun along with the desire and ability to give back our local, regional and provincial communities. 4-H is an organization that our entire family participates and benefits from.
As adults and parents, we are involved in several areas. Mike is the Representative to the 4-H Foundation from the Provincial Board of Directors and is currently a leader in both the Viscount 4-H Beef Club and the Next Step 4-H Club. Nancy was a previous leader in the Viscount 4-H Beef Club and now enjoys volunteering for club events and provincial activities such as Ag In Motion and 4-H Summer Camp. We believe that it is important to be involved with our youth and contribute to their endeavors.
Saskatchewan 4-H Foundation
As parents, watching our children grow-up in the 4-H program has been very rewarding and a source of pride. 4-H has given our children many opportunities to expand their horizons, develop skills and build confidence. Our kids have been and continue to be active in 4-H. Kyle is an alumni of the Viscount 4-H Beef Club and Next Step 4-H Club. 4-H offered him the unique opportunities to travel and participate in events such as the Global 4-H Network Summit in Ottawa, national judging competition at Canadian Western Agribition, Provincial Public Speaking and 4-H Summer Camp. In the past few years, Kyle has judged at club Achievement Days and Regional Shows.
Abby is a current member of the Next Step 4-H Club and an alumni of the Viscount 4-H Beef Club. Throughout her time in 4-H, Abby has completed many different projects - Beef, Sewing, Digital Photography and the 4U Selfdetermined Project. Throughout her years, she volunteered for various 4-H roles and events such as MC for public speaking competitions, secretary for various 4-H executives, Northeast Regional Ambassador and 4-H Summer Cam counselor. She developed more confiden along with communication and leadership ski 4-H has prepared Abby for university in wa that high school did not.
Abby Kirzinger
Outside of our involvement with the 4-H organization, we see the real life influence that 4-H has on our youth. Nancy is an educator who witnesses the confidence, volunteerism, and work ethic of students who are also involved with 4-H. 4-H kids are most often solid students who participate on extra-curricular teams and volunteer for service clubs. Working in the agriculture industry, Mike has the opportunity to observe young adults entering the work world. Some of the attributes he observes in the youth coming from 4-H are superior communications skills, strong work ethic and the ability to solve problems using cooperation and collaboration.
The 4-H program has a strong and vibrant history in Saskatchewan and a bright future as well. The support 4-H receives from donors and volunteers is vitally important to ensure its continued success. No matter how you choose to support 4-H, you can feel confident your support is being put to good use developing the future leaders of our province.
Sincerely,
The Saskatchewan 4-H Foundation has played a significant role in the success of 4-H Saskatchewan for over 60 years. The Foundation was incorporated in 1960 for the purpose of receiving and administering funds donated to the 4-H program. It became a charitable organization in 1967.
The most encouraging aspect of supporting the Foundation is that the money you give today will not only support current 4-H members, leaders and programs, but will continue to work for the benefit of future generations of 4-H members. The Foundation receives donations from a wide variety of sources, and invests the funds under the direction of a volunteer Board of Trustees and a Financial Advisor (RBC Dominion Securities).
