Some of my fondest memories of childhood are linked to this organization. I was in it from 10-18, we did all sorts of things, public speaking, demonstrations, education boards, volunteering, and of course hatching eggs, (I was in a poultry club) growing chicks, feeding, watering, caring and training my birds. It was a lot of work when i was young i remember wanted to quit after the first year. The first year i did blue silkies, i did that project for 3 years till a raccoon broke in and killed all three generations of them. The i did bearded mille fleur d’ cules, my first one was named Cherish and she was my favorite chicken, she wasnt my 4H project i bought her for $3 at the viex from the chick box. But her babies i used as my project two years later. unfortunately my mom sold her by accident, i was selling the rest my mille fleurs, all but cherish and i was out on rides at the cowichan ex. And someone wanted to buy them all. It was a sad sad day for me. I did ducks the following year and i don’t think i did 4H after then. My best friend Tracey joined our club in about my 4th year, she was so out-of-place, most 4H kids are geeky, homeschooled church goers but Tracey was a beautiful smart, goth wanna be, princess who was stoned or drunk for most of our meetings and no one was the wiser. My best friend Emily was a wanna be 4H member, she never joined the club but she helped out at the events and came to most of the meetings. My best friend Sarah was the one who got me into it, we started the poultry club the same year, she did home arts as well ( sewing and cooking ) but she only stayed in the club for one year and then just did home arts until she did sheep for a year a couple of years later. My dad became a leader the second year also the year my brother joined. It became a family event and its one of the few things we did as a family. I cant wait to get my kids involved with it, (once i have some and they are 8 ir 9 ) it seems to be fading on the island and its rather disappointing. Once we are settled in a permanent home im going to scope out the 4H clubs in the area and see if i can help them out and maybe become a leading.
-Lora