Learning by doing
4H members learn new skills
By Valerie Hodgins
Learn to do by doing. This is the 4H motto, and for members of the Jinglin' Spurs 4H Horse Club, it holds true. We are a club of nine youth members and four volunteer leaders who have been brought together by our shared love of horses.
I am a five-year member of the Jinglin' Spurs 4H Horse Club. Together with my horse Bonnie, we have learned a great deal in these past years. When I first got Bonnie, I didn't know very much about the technicalities of horseback riding. My sister and I registered in 4H as a way to learn more about horses and get involved in the horse community. Five years later, we've accomplished this and much, much more!
Members in our club develop leadership, communication, citizenship and practical skills through various activities, from public speaking to hands-on learning. In Canada, 4H originated in Rowland, Manitoba and was by no means limited to horses! This club consisted of sewing, cooking, gardening and livestock projects. However, through the years, this one club has developed into thousands, each specializing in a certain area such as small animals, photography, sewing, or machinery.
To be part of a 4H club, members must be between the ages of nine to 19, and have a willingness to learn. You don't have to live on a farm, or to have had a great deal of experience working with your project because as our motto says, we learn by doing.
Members showcase what they have learned during the course of the year at the fall fair. This year, the fall fair is on September 25 and 26 at the Paradise Exhibition Grounds on Padgett Road, and the outdoor air market on McLeod Road. This is a very large event where you will see everything from cows to chickens, silent auctions to demonstrations, live music to competitions. Maybe you are thinking about entering a pie, vegetable, or photograph in the fair, too.
For our club members, this means the horse show and achievement day. It is a rather stressful time for members as their talents will be put to the test in front of the judge. However, we love having spectators to cheer us on and hope that you will take a walk over to the arena and see how we are doing.
For more information about 4H, call Jinglin' Spurs' leader Diana Skillen at (604) 483-2445 or visit www.4-h-canada.com.
