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4-H Open Beef Cattle Show, Novice Division. Picture taken at the 2018 Columbia NY County Fair. This young man has a firm grip on his animal. Harold Bonacquist/Dreamstime

South Country Co-op joins initiative to help get kids into 4-H

Oct 3, 2024 | 4:29 PM

South Country Co-op has a new initiative to help get kids into 4-H.

The Co-op Growing Leaders Program started in 2022 with a pilot program through Cornerstone Co-op in Vermilion and has grown to 13 local Alberta Co-op’s now participating.

Providing over $50,000 in total funding this year through their program to help cover fees associated with joining 4-H.

New applicants can receive up to $200 in their first year and $100 in their second year with 4-H.

In the South County Co-op area 16 kids have already registered and been sponsored for program so far this year, with a goal to have over 100 applicants sign up before mid-December.

Jordyn Prior, South Country Co-op Ag and Energy marketing specialist, said they are happy to have the partnership with such a great program for kids.

“If you’ve ever met a 4-H kid, they’re hard working. They have to keep record books. They have to keep track of their project, work on it continuously,” Prior said.

“Part of 4-H to that you have to be really involved in public speaking. That’s one of the boxes that you have to check off as part of the program,” she added.

“I know even for myself, I was in 4-H for 14 years, and now, public speaking is something that comes really naturally and easy to me, and I’m really grateful for that program and all the connections I’ve made.

Prior said a lot of people will associate beef cattle or horses with 4-H, but there are so many different clubs associated with it.

“There’s cat 4-H, dog 4-H, snowmobile 4-H, crafts that you can do, like the sky’s the limit,” Prior said.

The application process can be found on the South Country Co-op website, and will be forwarded straight to 4-H Alberta.