Dear Calgary 4-H Region and Mountain View District, Clubs and/or individual 4-H Members:

The 4-H Foundation of Alberta would like to invite anyone from within your Region, Districts, Clubs and/or individual 4-H members to participate in the 4-H Showcase and 4-H Sponsor Engagement at the 5th Annual 4-H Alberta Corporate Partnerships Appreciation Evening taking place at the Pomeroy Hotel at Olds College on Tuesday, November 3, 2015.

This year’s event will be run similar to 2014 where we will have a full stand-up meal with a 4-H mingle and showcase simultaneously taking place. As sponsors arrive we would like to invite them to interact with 4-H members while everyone enjoys the delicious elegant reception appetizer meal consisting of assorted beef, chicken, and more. Following the 4-H mix and mingle sponsors and 4-H attendees will be invited to a sit down dessert bar and entertained by some keynote speakers for 25 minutes.

Each year our Appreciation night reflects a different theme, the 2015 theme is “Building Future Leaders” taking the time to reflect on and acknowledge education and the process behind “Learning to do by doing” as it relates to 4-H members in Alberta. This year’s keynote speakers will touch on the 2015 theme during their speeches.

Below is a timeframe for the evening’s events:

12:00 - 4:00 p.m.

- Ask all 4-H clubs and volunteers to set up their showcase

4:00 p.m.

- All 4-H clubs and volunteers must be present in Olds to prepare for the evening’s events

4:30 p.m.

- 4-H Foundation to provide a last minute briefing to everyone on the evening’s activities and answer any final questions

5:00 p.m.

- Sponsors and guests will begin to arrive

5:30 - 6:45 p.m.

- Dinner will be served, while 4-H mingle and engagement takes place

6:45 p.m.

- Sponsor photo

6:55 - 7:30 p.m.

- Evening’s programme, that will consist of welcome, 4-H pledge, 4-H awareness, and special guest speaker

7:30 - 8:00 p.m.

- Cleanup


To help with our event we are looking for club contribution and support in the following key areas*:

Club Showcase Display (10 Spots available)

o Demonstrating 4-H Club’s projects and Achievements
o Props and Equipment used by your club – ie- Saddles, Halters, camera etc.
o Showcasing an event your club held to raise money. Example - Charity Steer or Lamb
o Highlighting special events that your club took part in
o Anything that showcases this year’s theme “Building Future Leaders”

Sponsor Engagement (5 4-H member volunteers)

o Welcoming committee - Energetic 4-H members who will welcome our sponsors as they come through the door and show them around, answer any questions they might have, and ensure that they are interacting with 4-H
o Preferably experienced intermediate or senior members

Table Hosts (25-30 4-H members, leaders, parent volunteers)

o Because we do not have assigned seating for sponsors we would like to assign 2 4-H volunteers to each table to ensure there is always a 4-H presence to engage with sponsors

Club Presentation (1 4-H Club)

o Looking for one club to be a part of our Key Speakers presentation during dessert
o Maximum of 5 minutes
o Can be presented by speech or visual presentation (ie. powerpoint, video)
o Must tie into our theme “Building Future Leaders” or “Learn to do by doing”
o Please contact Rae-Lee Erickson if your club has an idea and would like to participate 587.999.2240

Take Down (As many clubs and volunteers as possible)
7:30 p.m. - until complete
The more help we have the sooner we will finish

This is a great occasion for 4-H Alberta to demonstrate the benefits and outcomes resulting from the commitment of financial support, volunteer hours, resources and expertise that have been provided by our Corporate Partners. It is a chance for 4-H Alberta to thank our dedicated Corporate Partners, as well as to provide a firsthand opportunity for our partners to engage directly with 4-H members and leaders in order to fully grasp the benefits and value of the 4-H program.

Each 4-H participant and his or her family are invited to join us for dinner as well.

*Each position will be biased on first come first serve basis

If you or your club are interested in participating in this unique occasion, please fill out the attached application form prior to October 9, 2015. For additional information, please call: 587.999.2240 Email: erickson@4hab.com. Thank you!

4-H is Olds College's Partner of the Year

4-H Alberta is pleased and proud to announce that 4-H has received the prestigious honour of being selected as Olds College’s Partner of the Year! Long been recognized as one of the premier post secondary institutions in Western Canada, specializing in the field of agriculture, Olds College has a distinguished history that is enmeshed with 4-H.

The Partner of the Year is the most prestigious award offered by Olds College, and 4-H is delighted to receive such a distinction. Olds College is holding its annual “Growing a Legacy Gala” on Friday March 21, 2014. At this event, 4-H will be recognized and receive recognition as Olds College’s Partner of the Year.

  

“One of the highlights of Gala is always the celebration of our new Partner of the Year and we certainly couldn’t pick one that resembles Olds College more closely.” said Dr. (H.J.) Tom Thompson, President of Olds College. “The partnership between Olds College and 4-H developed organically, and is based upon shared priorities such as the development of leadership in rural communities, and the desire to help young people reach their potential.”

The recipient of this award must reflect the mission of Olds College and support the values, mandate and mission in a manner that has a positive, measurable and lasting impact on the College. The parallels between 4-H and Olds College began over 100 years ago. 1913 saw two notable achievements; the opening of the Olds School of Agriculture and Home Economics, and the establishment of Canada’s first 4-H club in Manitoba. Shortly after the first club was introduced, Alberta’s first club, the Olds Junior Pig Club, was founded by Olds College founder and first President, W.J. Elliot in 1917.

“4-H is proud to be recognized as the 2014 Olds College Partner of the Year. We value the working relationship we have with Olds College in providing educational and personal development opportunities” says 4-H Council of Alberta President, Mark Sayers. “The history between Olds College and 4-H go all the way back to 1917 when the first 4-H club in Alberta was created right on the campus of Olds College.”

“We are very fortunate that Olds College understands the importance of developing responsible and motivated young leaders in Canada,” said Shannon Benner, CEO of 4-H Canada. “4-H is committed to providing Canada’s youth with expansive skills, strong leadership abilities and a dynamic range of positive experiences.”

In addition to holding similar values, the relationship between 4-H and Olds College can be seen by the nearly 20% of Olds College students who have been 4-H members. Young people who participate in the 4-H program have already been exposed to the values that Olds College promotes. 4-H has trained these young people to believe in hard work, learning by doing, strong communication, entrepreneurship and team work and they find a home at Olds College because we hold these same values as they do. These values can be seen through the 4-H motto, “Learn to do by doing”, as well as the Olds College mandate to offer real-life, hands-on education.

Olds College is a 4-H Alberta Champion sponsor. The institution supports 4-H Alberta Leaders’ Conference and 4-H Alberta Senior Members’ Conference. Olds College is a Partner Host of 4-H Alberta Club Week, 4-H Alberta Selections and a supporter of 4-H Alberta Magazine through advertising support.