by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
DOUGLAS — “It’s pretty awesome,” said Erica Rice.
The awesomeness is winning the Region 2 Outstanding New Leader award for 4-H Ontario.
“To be nominated was fantastic,” the dairy farmer said. “I enjoy being a leader, I enjoy doing stuff with the kids. I think 4-H is really important…It teaches you more how to deal with people, and especially teaches you patience. Working with animals teaches you lots and lots of patience.”
She and husband Michael John, along with their three children, Mclean, Kinly and Masen, operate a dairy farm on Rice Line near Douglas.
Ms. Rice is completing her second year as a leader, although Mclean, Kinly and Masen have been involved in 4-H for much longer.
She does admit that while she has been a leader for only two years, since her children have been involved, she has helped out when she felt it was needed.
“When I wasn’t a leader, I would step in and help the kids if there weren’t enough leaders,” Ms. Rice said.
When there was the possibility the Renfrew County Dairy Club was going to shut down because there was no leader, she and husband Michael John stepped in. They completed the necessary requirements to become leaders and the club survives today. Ms. Rice said she’s also become a co-leader in other clubs, including geocaching, judging and minature horse. She noted in 2017 the regional judging event will be hosted by Renfrew County 4-H.
Earning the reward is an honour, she said.
“I think I must have done a really good job, because I wouldn’t have been nominated,” she said. “As Agatha Crogie (county-co-ordinator) has said, she knows if she needs something, she can come to me.”
New to the board a year ago, Ms. Rice is vice-president this year.
Ms. Rice enjoys working with the children and knows she has an influence on them.
“If you’re positive, they’re positive,” she said. “Sometimes, some kids don’t want to do certain things, but you just learn to teach them to try it.”
As a leader, you learn how to work with people, sometimes to even get around them so they see a positive to something they see only as a negative, she explained.
Some children don’t want to try something because they think they’ll fail, and no child likes to fail, Ms. Rice said.
“As a leader, I need to figure out a way to help them get over that fear so they will try something new,” she said.
When the judging panel was reviewing the applications, Evelyn Chambers, of the Region 2 board, said part of the criteria is looking to see which nominee fulfills the four Hs of 4-H.
When asked how she fulfills the four Hs, Ms. Rice said:
Head: I show different ways to run different meetings, such as clipping, showmanship, and how to use different items
Heart: donating my time helps the kids be the best they can be
Hands: showing and demonstrating how to do things such as holding halters and how their hands can be gentle yet strong when necessary.
Health: staying active
Ms. Crogie said when it was time to nominate a new leader, who is someone who has been a leader for less than three years, there were two leaders who came to mind right away — Ms. Rice and Reyna McHale-Wytenberg.
“We have a number of new leaders and it came down to two,” she said. “They are both strong leaders.”
These are people who went “above and beyond” what was required of them as leaders, who ensured they reached every cut-off date so their club members didn’t miss out on something and who knew they were there to teach the kids, to help them grow.
“We could only nominate one and that was really tough,” Ms. Crogie said.
This same situation also occurred last year, she recalled, so they settled it this year the same as last year.
“We put their names in a hat and drew the winning name out,” she said.
It was the only way to be fair instead of choosing one over the other, Ms. Crogie explained.
“it’s very hard to vote on your peers,” she said.
However, with only two to choose from, Ms. Crogie added, “All of our leaders are pro-active. We’ve lucked out with leaders.”
And, that’s why the decision was a tough one to make, she added.
Ms. Chambers said the award is offered through Gay Lee Foods Corporation.
It’s a way of acknowledging participating 4-H volunteers who are new to the program, she said.
Region 2 board requests nominations and a panel of three prior award winners review the nominations, she said.
“The winner is chosen based on certain criteria they must meet,” Ms. Chambers said. “It’s very difficult to judge because those nominated all deserve an award.”
One of the criteria is to determine which nominee meets the 4-H in the 4-H pledge, which is
I pledge my head to clearer thinking
My heart to greater loyalty,
My hands to larger service
and my health to better living,
for my club, my community,
my country and my world.
“What it boils down to is who is involved and dedicated to be more than the average volunteer and who gives a lot to the program,” she said.
When those on the panel have scored the nominees, Ms. Chambers is provided with the sheets and she tallies up the scores to determine the award winner.
Ms. Rice will be presented with the award at the Renfrew County 4-H banquet which is usually held in November.
