Huron Expositor, 2006-08-23, Page 9that crop in
Alberta.
Baker had
never been as
far from home as
Alberta, and
said the travel
was good for her.
Not because it
took the 16 -year-
old Listowell
District
Secondary
School student
far from her par-
ents, mind you,
but because it
helped her to
vim NI
News
The Huron Expositor • August 23, 2006 Pogo 9
4-H exchangesends 10 Huron kids to Alberta`
Sara Baker, of Brussels area, learns ins and outs of Alberta agriculture
Ben Forrest
maim
Brussels -area
resident Sara
Baker's involve-
ment in the 4-H
Y o u t h
Exchanges
Canada program
was an incredi-
ble experience.
Just ask her.
"It was amaz-
ing," she said in
a recent inter-
view, with the
Expositor. "The
opportunities
(we had) were
just opportuni-
ties of a lifetime.
They were awe-
some."
Baker was one
of 10 Huron
County kids who
took part in the
exchange pro-
gram, which
took them to
Alberta from
July 10-18 and
found them
hosting Albertan
participants in
Huron County
from Aug. 7-15.
4-H Youth
Exchanges
involves 4-H
Club members
from across the
country, aiming
to expose kids
aged 12 to 17 to
the culture, his-
tory, language,
geography and
economy of other
regions of
Canada.
The program
also seeks to
help 4-H-ers
build lasting
friendships,
remove predju-
dices and devel-
op understand-
ing and toler-
ance of other
Canadians,
according to 4-H
Canada's official
website.
While in
Alberta, Baker
and the other
Huron County
participants
stayed near
Innisfail, a town
appreciate all
that she has at
home.
The farm she
visited didn't
have as many
animals or farm
activities as she
does at home,
Baker said.
"I learned to
appreciate the
things I had at
home more ...
and be thankful
for what I do
have," she said.
The best part
of the trip,
Baker said, was
"Probably meet-
ing everybody
(from Alberta)
and -learning
what they do
and how they do
it."
Baker said she
hopes to take
part in the pro-
gram again in
the future. A
return trip is in
the works, in
fact: a group of
the Huron.
County partici-
pants is plan-
ning to head
back to Alberta
next year to
touch base again
with their 4-11
exchange -
friends.
Ben Forrest photo
Sara Baker, of Brussels poses with Shylo Hendrickson, of Alberta, who stayed at
Baker's home in Brussels during the exchange.
that sits
between Calgary
and Edmonton.
Baker stayed on
a small farm
there, helping
with chores and
taking in a num-
ber of local sites.
There were
-trips to
Drumheller,
which is well-
known for its
collection of
dinosaur skele-
tons; to the
Rocky
Mountains, the
C a l gar y
Stampede and
Olds College, an
agricultural
school where
Baker hopes to
study to be a
veterinary tech-
nician.
The opportuni-
ty to visit Olds
was one of the
motivators for.
her involvement
in the program,
though so did
the involvement
of organizer
Jacquie Bishop.
Baker said she
felt more secure
when she knew
Bishop would be
making the trip.
Mostly, howev-
er, Baker want-
ed to be "out in
Alberta and
learning what
it's all about."
The trip
allowed her to
learn much
aboutthe day-
to-day routine of
Albertan farm-
ers, as well as
the different
types of crops
that can be
grown there.
A number of
the Albertan 4-
H-ers took
cucumbers home
with them frond
Ontario, "just
because they
don't have the
growing season
for fresh cucum-
bers like we do,"
Baker said.
Baker didn't
bring any canola
home with her
from Innisfail,
but noticed an
abundance of
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Due to construction at
Central Huron Secondary School,
we regret to inform you that the
Gr. 9 Orientation Day
will be cancelled for Aug. 318'.
Special accommodations will be
made for all Gr. 9 students on the
first day of school.
Timetables will not be available to
students prior to Sept. 5t.
We apologize for any inconvenience
this may cause.
Saturday, September 2, 2006 - 2P.
$5.00 from each ticket sold
will be donated to the
Seaforth Community Hospital Foundation
Join us following the performance for light
refreshments, Silent Auction & 50/50 draw.
Tickets $23 Regular Seating / $26 Preferred Seating
All orders Include a $3 handling charge.
Call the Box Office today at
1-877-862-5984
toll free
www.blythfestival.com
P.O. Box 10,BKYTH NOM 1HO