ATHABASCA — Head, heart, hands, and health – the four pillars that make up the 4-H pledge was put in to practice by the Boyle 4-H Club recently.
On May 17 members of the club dropped by the Boyle Healthcare Centre to deliver a cheque for $1,000 to the Boyle Healthcare Centre Auxiliary and then on to the Wildrose Villa, with another donation worth about $1,000 in new plants and flowers for the seniors in the lodge to enjoy.
“Everyone uses the hospital and stuff and it's nice to have a hospital in Boyle, so we thought it would be nice if we donated some money to the hospital so that so they can keep doing what they've been doing,” said club president Dean Splane.
Splane, 13, is in his second year as president and fourth year in the club. He followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather by joining 4-H.
“And the flowers to the seniors, we donated them there because (we've) given flowers to them before,” he said. “It's nice just to see them smile and stuff like that.”
The club does two fundraisers every year, both involving flowers – a poinsettia sale close to Christmas and a spring flower sale. The recent spring sale raised close to $3,000 for the club.
“So, the individual potted plants for the seniors to put in their rooms were red and pink geraniums, and then the hanging baskets in the planters were just assorted flowers,” said leader Robyn Jackson.
She added the youth made the decision to donate the money and an equal amount in flowers.
“Out of everybody in this world that is dealing with COVID, they're the ones that are probably suffering the worst because they can't see their families and they can't – it's just it's tough and it's hard to think about,” said Jackson. “And I know even Hollie (Tataryn), the new (Wildrose Villa) manager, she even said to me nowadays it's depression, it’s getting to them and it's hard, so she was very thankful for the flowers.”
For now, the club will continue holding meetings on Zoom and Splane said he is focused on not only raising a steer this year, but the added challenge of a heifer.
“It’s fun trying to break them and stuff; feed them,” he said. “And this year I tried doing a heifer too; a steer and a heifer.”
The club will be taking part in a COVID-friendly virtual auction again when it’s time to sell their bovines and information will be shared by the club when it will take place.
