ceive chicks to raise. In addition to handing out all the chicks in 2023, she also helped over 200 chicks learn to drink water! Adelyne has also brought her pet duck, Tsunami, to the fair and fair events to meet the public. Sudbury 4-H Association often refers to Adelyne as “the animal whisperer” due to her ability to train and work with all animals no matter the size, demeanour or situation! REGION 2 In April, 180 youth participants and leaders gathered for an exciting dairy workshop called Ready… Set…Show, organized by 4-H Ontario volunteer Kelly Fawcett-Mathers, and hosted at Fawcettview Farms. Due to the support of many incredible sponsors, the event was free to youth participants and featured guest speakers who focused on topics such as selection and judging, heifer care, clipping, and showmanship. Participants were also able to ‘learn to do by doing’ with calves provided by the Velthuis and Enright families. Says Kelly: “It was rewarding to have helped play a small part in kicking off the 4-H season for dairy members in 2023, and I'm so thankful to those who contributed to the event. Our host provided a perfect venue, and the speakers were incredible. Furthermore, the support of the farms who brought calves, the many volunteers who pitched in on the day of, and the generosity of our sponsors were all key to the success of Ready…Set…Show!” REGION 3 Heidi McFadden first started with 4-H at the age of 9 when she got involved in her local dairy club. Over her time with 4-H, she has completed seven dairy clubs, and numerous other livestock clubs, as well as over 20 life skills clubs. Heidi is currently a grade-eleven student at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School in Peterborough, and runs a business called ProBot - Fun Coding for Kids - which she launched during the pandemic. “I saw an opportunity to leverage the use of online platforms to teach the fundamentals of coding to youth and educators, in a fun way … I created a free Friday night online coding club so youth could connect, have fun, and learn about robots and coding. Mostly I saw the benefit of connecting kids to socialize.” As her business grew, Heidi was asked by the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board to work with some of the secondary-school teachers to highlight the coding work she had been sharing with elementary-school students. Then, in summer 2023, she was hired by the Peterborough Library to teach a series of coding programs to students of varying ages and capabilities. This was also the year that Heidi was inducted into the Junior Achievement Hall of Fame for Business as the Student of the Year. With the guidance of her parents and other mentors, Heidi’s business grew, and she used the proceeds to purchase a purebred Charolais heifer and created her own cattle company, Breakthrough Cattle. REGION 4 In 2023, the Peel 4-H Weekend Walkers set out to explore the Caledon Trail – rain or shine! Each week the group walked a different section of the trail, learned interesting historical facts and saw some unique wildlife all while exploring the beautiful Caledon landscape. Bob N., a local naturalist joined the group one morning, to share his knowledge on birds, bees, and ticks. 4-Hers then had the opportunity to make their own oriole feeders to take home! The Peel 4-H Weekend Walkers’ club achievement day was an opportunity to give back to the community as all members participated in the Hike for Bethell Hospice. During the fundraising hike, family members and pets were encouraged to join, and participants wore their Weekend Walker green t-shirts! In total, the club raised $2,975.63 for Bethell Hospice with a special thank you going to sponsor Equinix for donating $1,000. REGION 5 This year, more than 20 youth participants completed Perth 4-H Association’s Careers in Agriculture project. The goal of the Careers in Agriculture club was to introduce 4-H youth participants to the wide 48 Promotional Supplement Better Farming | May 2024 4-HOntario.ca The Peel 4-H Association and the Weekend Walkers Club raised money for a local hospice.
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