4-H Alberta Magazine - 2019-20 Fall & Winter Edition

4-H ALBERTA MAGAZINE // 4H.AB.CA
Our family’s path had first crossed Les
Dunford’s, - senior writer for the Town
& Country (a weekly supplement to the
Athabasca Advocate), the Barrhead Leader,
the Lac La Biche Post and the Westlock
News - more than three decades earlier,
when he’d first began untiringly covering and
promoting 4-H.
“I don't like just pulling in the winners,”
admits Dunford. “A lot of the kids put in the
same efforts and all the same care for their
animals,” he says, noting that years earlier
he had supported the idea of selling ads so
a fuller Achievement Day feature could be
both produced and sustained. “It’s work,
but there’s a pleasure in doing it,” he says,
explaining that people regularly comment
and let him know they appreciate seeing
the coverage. “The kids like seeing pictures,”
he says. While he acknowledges that the
cutlines take a bit more work because they
afford information such as the animal’s name,
starting weight and breed, he expends the
energy to further engage his readers. “I’m
grateful that the Westlock and Barrhead
Achievement Days are two weeks apart.
This allows me to work on them for two
weeks steady.”
His care for 4-H was evident at the onset of
his newspaper career some 30 years ago.
“The 4-H Reports would come in. Sometimes
they’d get used, sometimes they wouldn’t.
I didn’t think that was really fair,” says
Dunford, recalling that because there wasn’t
an assigned location in the local paper, many
would hit the cutting room floor. Often handwritten,
some would come through the mail
and they would never have a photo because
no one had a scanner. Since he had control
over the Town & Country, he suggested the
Reports be centralized and reside there. “This
would encourage our younger readers to
open up the paper and read it. It’s the pride.
The kids see their names in the paper and
say, ‘I wrote that. That’s mine.’” In addition,
4-H news would be spread throughout four
different communities.
“It’s the enjoyment I get out of it… It’s very
satisfying to see the kids grow and develop
skills - skills that will serve them well for the
rest of their lives,” says Dunford, admitting
that he enjoys seeing how these young
people improve in how they look after
their animals.
PHOTO: Visiting a tomato farm in Ontario.
“The first year they’re stumbling around the
ring with their animal and are having a hard
time - they’re not leading, but goading it
along. Sometimes the animal takes over.
But everything changes by the next year.”
This writer highlights that it is very rewarding
to watch kids grow up in 4-H. “I look down
at them and they’re shorter than me. Next
year, by golly, they’re taller than me,” he says,
explaining that he’s watched two generations
of kids flourish in 4-H and adds if you include
their parents (a few who are still leaders),
he’s worked with three generations. “They’re
kids and then they become young adults.
I see them mature and become leaders
themselves,” he says.
“I see the effort they put in and the rewards
they get out…The reward comes to the kids
who work hard. The animal shows better.
Whether it’s the showmanship championship
or grooming, it generally pays off.” He adds,
“You can tell which kids put in the extra
effort, which care more…. I’ve seen tears
when they lead that animal in the ring for
the last time. They know what’s coming.
They know they have to say goodbye….
It becomes personal.”
Dunford adds, “The kids are enjoying what
they’re doing and learning at the same time.”
In his mind, the interprovincial exchanges
epitomize this.
“It really broadens their 4-H experience….
They get to learn more about their country,
cultural differences and it helps bring a
better sense of unity - kids in one part of
the country see that kids in another part
are basically the same…. It’s interesting to
see how quickly new friendships are made
- lifelong friendships. I’ve seen romances
blossom out of there,” he says, adding with
a smile, “Not sure if it lasts.” In his mind,
another great benefit is the scholarships.
“Between these and the different travel
experiences, it expands their whole lives by
having all these opportunities if they take
advantage of them.”
This gentleman admits he’s far from alone
when witnessing the difference 4-H makes
in a young person’s life. He recalls how the
vice principal at the local high school always
maintained she could tell which kids in her
class were in 4-H, simply because of their
public speaking skills and how they spoke
in class. “I’ve heard where some people
say they’d actually hire a kid over another
because he or she has been in 4-H. They
know these kids learn to do by doing…. A
person figures that kid knows how to work,”
says Dunford.
“I’VE GAINED A LOT OF
THE LEARN TO DO BY
DOING JUST BY BEING
INVOLVED IN THE WAY
I AM.”
While he had the privilege of watching two of
his grandchildren flourish in 4-H, he further
lights up when he speaks about watching his
almost four-year old great-granddaughter
Emily ‘help’ his son, or her Grandpa, feed
and water the animals at Farmfair. “I only
wish I had the 4-H experience as a kid,” says
this great-grandfather, whose contributions
have impacted 4-Hers for over 30 years and
have allowed the program to thrive beyond
measure. “I know Emily’s going to be in 4-H
one day.” •
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