4-H club members aged eight to 19 generated more than $500,000 in sales during the 63rd annual Williams Lake and District 4-H Show and Sale.
“The support the kids get from the Williams Lake and 100 Mile House area is phenomenal, year after year,” said district president Ross Stafford, one of several parent volunteers who worked late Monday evening (Aug. 9) to ensure another successful sale. “We see continued supporters and we’re seeing new faces too coming in and supporting these kids. It’s really good to see. Without them, we wouldn’t have the great program that we have for the members.”
The sale, held at the Williams Lake Stockyards, successfully wrapped up a weekend in which club members from Big Lake, Horsefly, Rose Lake/Miocene, Springhouse, Chimney Valley, Williams Lake First Nation, Canim Valley, Lone Butte, Highland, Boston Bar and Lillooet, showed off their projects following months of hard work.
About 150 projects, ranging from beef, swine, lamb and turkeys to foods and small engine projects, were up for bid with 4-H supporters showing their approval for the program with highly generous offers. Highlights included $1,700 for three cheesecakes and a bidder purchasing a market lamb and then returning it to its club member. A rabbit was also bought two times with the second sale earnings going into the general club revenue.
“It all helps keep the program going,” Ross said.
The show featured 69 beef projects selling at $4.50 per pound on average, 43 swine projects netting about $5 per pound on average, 27 market lambs averaging $9.50 per pound, and three, 30-pound turkeys which garnered a whopping $30 per pound on average. Small engine projects included a dirt bike and even a boat.
“It’s a great learning program for the kids,” Stafford said, adding that throughout the year club members hone their skills in everything from public speaking to learning how to raise a healthy animal.
“I’ve seen a lot of kids where they’ve been really shy and just stick with their parents, and by the time the 4-H program is done, they can stand up in front of a group of two or 300 people and do a speech or a presentation and not even bat an eye. It’s nice to see.”
Ross noted the local 4-H district, which is the largest in the province, has seen its share of challenges in the last five years.
“Fires and COVID has been extremely challenging for the whole district, basically for the whole 4-H program. Everybody had to adapt to a whole new way of doing things. We went from having monthly club meetings face-to-face to having Zoom meetings over the computers.”
Husbandry checks and judging rallies were done over Facetime, he added, noting it was a big learning curve for everyone but all the hard work and sacrifice put in over the year paid off in the end.
“It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it for the kids. That’s what we’re here for, we’re here for the kids. I wouldn’t give 4-H up for anything.”
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