The Rural Voice, 2002-06, Page 51Ag News
Murray Gaunt named trustee for 4-H Foundation
The Ontario 4-H Foundation
welcomed four new trustees at its
initial meeting of 2002, on April 27.
The Foundation is a charitable
organization, acting as the funding
arm of the Ontario 4-H Council.
Providing 4-11 Ontario with a solid,
long-term financial sustainable base
is the goal of the Foundation.
"Broadcasting, farming and
politics", is how Murray Gaunt,
Wingham, describes his career. As a
4-H member in Huron County,
Murray remembers winning the
Queen's Guineas competition as the
highlight of the 12 years he spent in
4-H. Wanting to give back to the 4-H
program is the reason he became a
trustee.
Susan Allen, Guelph, newly joins
the Foundation, and believes that the
4-H program provides youth with a
positive way to be involved in their
community. As a former 4-H
member in Perth County, she cites
the highlight of her 4-H career was
attending the National 4-H
Conference. She currently is a
sessional lecturer at the University of
Guelph, and is very active in
community development.
As a Grenville County 4-H
member, Jim Dalrymple, Brighton,
remembers winning The Ottawa
Citizen award for being the top
member in his 4-1-1 Dairy Club. He
was an employee of the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs for 26 years and is now
involved with the Canadian Farm
Animal Genetic Resources
Foundation as well as his own
consultant service, Livestock
Technology Services.
Wanting to support our future
farmers and leaders is the reason
Dalrymple is involved with the
Foundation as a trustee.
Ken Knox, Toronto, is well known
for his involvement and strong
support of the Ontario 4-H program.
As a senior administrator with
several ministries of the Ontario
Government over the years, Ken has
always promoted the leadership
opportunities provided through the 4-
H program. Ken imparts vision and
enthusiasm to the Ontario 4-H
Foundation. and generates similar
support among his wide professional
network.
At the meeting, Foundation Chair
Rosemary Peer, Wiarton, and Vice
Chair Lisa Thompson, Listowel
reviewed the Foundation's ne'+
strategy and outlined the upcoming
activities. It was reported that the
Alumni Campaign implemented last
fall was very successful, significantly
increasing the contributions from 4-H
Alumni and friends.
The second annual Ontario 4-H
Foundation Fundraising Golf
Tournament, scheduled for May 23 at
the Springfield Golf and Country
Club, Guelph, is shaping up to be
another successful event, with only
nine team openings left available.
As an informal educational
program, 4-1-1 helps young people 10
to 21 years of age to develop
personal skills while learning about a
topic of interest to them.
In 2001, over 7,000 members and
1,600 volunteers took part in over
1,200 clubs across Ontario.
To learn more about the 4-H
program, visit the web site at
www.4-hontario.ca or call the 4-H
Ontario office at 1-877-410-6748.0
Farmers, Bayfield residents discuss river's issues
The Bayfield River isn't
Ontario mightiest river.
travelling only from its source
in the Seaforth area to Lake
Huron but along the way it
travels through the centre, of
Huron County, past some of
the province's most productive
farms and it empties out in
Bayfield harbour among
millions of dollars worth of
luxury yachts.
So with agriculture and
tourism involved, two of Huron
Ir.
Emptying into the Bayfield Harbour among millions of
dollars worth of yachts, the river touches many lives.
County's biggest money-makers,
health of the river is of great concern.
Farmers and urbanites alike will
come together June 15 at the
Bayfield Community Centre to
discuss the state of the river.
Guest speaker will be Colin
Perkel, author of the book Well of
Lies about the Walkerton water
tragedy. Perkel, who covered the
the
O'Connor Commission hearings, will
speak at 9:30 a.m.
Following a break, there will be
presentations by representatives from
the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
and Food, the Ministry of Natural
Resources and the Ausable Bayfield
Conservation Authority.
Following a lunch, participants
will board buses for a guided tour of
the watershed with stops to
show various illustrations of
what's right and not so right
along the river.
The meeting is hosted by
the Friends of the Bayfield
River, a group that grew out
of the environment
committee of the Bayfield
Ratepayers Association. The
group is much more than
just an urban organization
however, say Bill Higgs and
Ray Letheren, two of the
organizers of the event. Members of
the group now extend from Bayfield
to Seaforth and it takes in farmers.
government agencies, conservation
authorities and some municipalities
with an aim to educate residents
about the watershed. Earlier this year
the group's volunteers planted 400
trees along the Dowson-Johnston
drain near Varna.0
JUNE 2002 47