Ten 4-H members from across the Rainy River District will be heading to New Brunswick next week as part of a Canadian exchange.
The youths, ranging in age from 13-17, will leave Sunday (July 1) and spend one week in rural areas near Hampstead. Then their counterparts will visit here at the end of July.
“The kids are getting excited,” said Kathy Bodnar, who is the adult chaperone for the trip and has two children taking part.
“I thought it would be interesting to go.”
Bodnar explained each participant is delegated to stay with a host family when they are there, and vice-versa when the New Brunswick participants visit Rainy River District.
“To actually stay with a family is really nice because then you actually get to see what they really do there, and you probably get to see more because the people live there and know different things to see and do,” Bodnar reasoned.
The participants already have made contact with one another through phone calls and e-mails.
“They’ll know a little bit about each other before they get there,” she added.
Bodnar said they don’t know all of the places they will be visiting while in the Maritime province, but said they will be going to the ocean and to a historical site.
“It will be a lot of fun,” she enthused, noting most of the local 4-H members have not been on a trip like this. In fact, for some, it will be their first time on an airplane.
“Just that part will be an experience, too,” Bodnar said.
She noted the trip will be a lot of things to the teens.
“It lets them see a different part of Canada, meet new people, and just something for them to get involved in,” she remarked.
“It’s kind of to give the kids a little bit better idea of the geographic nature of our country and give them a little bit experience travelling,” said local 4-H co-ordinator Tracy Hyatt.
She explained the program is organized through Canadian 4-H, in conjunction with Connections Canada.
The local 4-H has participated in a similar exchange before, but not in recent years.
Hyatt said they submitted an application in February and were selected for the exchange. She added just 30 groups—that’s 15 exchanges—will take place in Canada through this organization this year.
Back here, the local 4-H members hope to provide their New Brunswick visitors with a tour of the Abitibi-Consolidated mill in Fort Frances, a visit to the Manitou Mounds, a camping experience, and the chance to help prepare for the Rainy River Valley Agricultural Society’s annual fall fair in Emo.
In order to pay for the activities when their exchange partners are here, the group held an action in May as a fundraiser.
“It will be a lot of fun for them and a really great experience for them,” Hyatt enthused.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
