CARE,
Compassion
Animals g in is a R m o r f it f Kids Bene Baaing,
mooing,
and
chirping
sounds fill the animal barns at the Clark County Fair. Fans whir as dust swirls and sweat drips down happy faces. These faces belong to youngsters who have worked long and hard to prepare their animals for the Fair, and who have benefitted deeply from caring for animals. Siblings Walter (10), Joe (8) and Emme (7) of Yacolt are three such kids. They have been a part of a rabbit 4-H club, The Hoppy Homesteaders, for about a year as they have learned how to care for their fluffle (or herd) of rabbits. Walter explains, “We bought our rabbits last year. We just show and breed them, but there are some 4-H kids who raise breeds like Californians or New Zealands as meat rabbits.” Joe explains what goes into caring for his rabbit. “For Wendy, my ruby-eye-white mini lop, I make sure that she is happy and clean. I make sure that she has fresh water, plenty of food and hay, trim her nails, clean her vents, and pet and hold her a lot.” Emme notes that caring for her rabbit has taught her to be more responsible with cleaning out the
hutches—and keeping her own room clean! Mom Tara notes the positive changes that caring for the rabbits and being involved with 4-H has brought about in her family. She says caring for the rabbits has taught her children to be more empathetic and to consider what would make the rabbits happy. At the 4-H meetings, her children have studied body parts, diseases, and care for their rabbits. They have learned about competing and teamwork, and, “to support each other if they do not win. It has been a hard lesson for them to learn that not winning is not [necessarily] losing.” These children are part of a county-wide network of over 80 4-H clubs, and 1,000 children in Clark County participating. Rachel Gillock is the leader of The Hoppy Homesteaders, and also a parent of kids who are active in 4-H. “We were raising our children in a small home until we could move to our dream property,” she says. “Yet with 4-H, I was able to give my children a program that offered the innocence of country life that is so hard to come by
Photos: Left: Emme, of Yacolt, with her mini lop, Gypsy. Center: Joe, of Yacolt, with his ruby eye white mini lop, Wendy. Right: Walter, of Yacolt, with his rex, Comet.
& GR IT Photos courtesy Emme, Joe and Walter’s family.
Feature: Care, Compassion and Grit: Kids Benefit from Raising Animals
By Vivian Mattila Walikainen these days– a program that taught them responsibility, animal husbandry, and how to speak both publicly and to adults.” Jane Hannu and her family have been raising sheep to show at the Clark County Fair for about eight years with a local 4-H club. Their children have raised sheep to sell and they have also raised sheep for lambing. Hannu shares, “That was a lot of fun. Overall, 4-H has been a memorable part of our family’s life—a project that involves each of us to some degree. The kids have learned so much—responsibility, compassion, marketing (going to local businesses to garner support for their project), disease processes and ways to treat them.” Linnea Wilson’s life has also been positively affected by working with animals. Now 18, she says she has always loved horses while growing up in Battle Ground. In fourth grade, she completed an equine program at Silver Buckle Ranch. “I learned more about the therapeutic effect horses can have,” she shares. “Then in sixth grade is where I started leasing continued on page 16
14
Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • August 2019