Spring 2012 - 4-H Ontario

FEATURES
Shining a Light on Region 2 at CAM
Record Number of Attendees at this year’s Conference & Annual Meeting
By Sharon Halpenny and Barb Scott Cole
The 4-H Ontario Conference and Annual Meeting (CAM)
is a collaborative learning experience for each and every
4-H Ontario Volunteer who wishes to attend. This three day
long conference has a focus on celebrating 4-H Volunteers
and arming them with tools and contacts to take on the 4-H
year ahead. There were an amazing 206 attendees this
year from 46 different 4-H Associations!
Workshops, Jam Sessions, and fun social recreation
activities give Volunteers a great chance to connect with
each other and participate in a little “Learn To Do By
Doing”. CAM also hosts some of the year’s biggest 4-H
Volunteer events including the Syngenta 4-H Ontario
Arbor Award Banquet and the Monsanto Volunteer
Recognition lunch. These events celebrate outstanding and
longstanding 4-H Volunteers. They’re full of food, fun, and
4-H recognition.
This year, Region 2 had the exciting challenge of
organizing CAM 2012. We gathered a group of dedicated
4-H Volunteers who had a knack for event planning and
tackled the event head on. CAM 2012 was a labour of love
for the entire Region 2 CAM Planning Committee. We set
out a year ago to plan and execute a weekend that shone
a bright light on all the positive aspects of our region,
our Volunteers, and our passion for the 4-H program.
Positive energy was the cornerstone of everything we did.
From choosing our theme, “The Future Looks Bright”, to
decorating, suggestions for workshops, and collecting
items for the silent and live auctions, we tried to highlight
the things that make 4-H and Region 2 unique. This was a
great opportunity for us to reveal our favourite things and
best kept secrets in Eastern Ontario. From our favourite
maple syrup recipes from Lanark County, to white water
rafting in Renfrew, and the unique artisans and merchants
in many of our smaller villages along the Ottawa, Rideau
and St. Lawrence rivers, we tried to find a way to share our
treasures with the rest of 4-H.
This year, CAM introduced some new features. The
addition of an Association Representatives networking
session and the new schedule for the Regional Jam
Sessions were well received by CAM attendees. Both of
these sessions were a great opportunity to connect with
Volunteers from within and outside each attendees region.
Making connections between Volunteers from across your
region or across the province is the best part of attending
CAM. It’s an opportunity to reflect, re-connect, and
revitalize yourself as a 4-H Volunteer.
We were excited to be a part of the many memorable
highlights that occurred during the CAM weekend. The
record breaking number of delegates who attended this
year was truly impressive and we thank everyone for
their support. We were so proud to have Region 2’s own
Deborah Brown named a Syngenta 4-H Ontario Arbor
Award recipient. Also, an amazing $16,000 was raised from
the silent and live auctions. Ultimately, the biggest highlight
of our CAM experience was the close bond we formed as
a group, which will foster a greater connection between our
Associations and across our Region. We’re already talking
about some fun region-wide events, such as a 4-H Day at
Calypso Water Park, so our Members can get to know one
another better just as we have been able to do.
Even though planning CAM was a year long endeavour,
everyone had a fantastic time sharing Region 2 with the
delegates, and learning and growing together as a group.
We believe we succeeded in letting everyone know that
“The Future Looks Bright” for 4-H and Region 2!
Thank you to the following businesses, organizations, companies, individuals, and government agencies for
supporting the 2012 4-H Ontario Conference and Annual Meeting: Bayer CropScience Inc., Brandon Ryan, Dairy
Farmers of Ontario, Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Limited, the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, Lillies
Holsteins (Sam and Brenda Dunster & family), Ontario Mutuals, Ottawa Valley Seed Growers, Monsanto Canada, Inc.,
Ray’s Relief Milking (Raymond Dunster), Scotiabank, Syngenta Canada Inc, and Thompsons Limited.
Leadership In Action • Spring 2012