Beaver Staff
Nine youths from the Lennox and Addington 4-H Club will have a chance to see how the other side of Canada lives and then show off their own community when they take part in a cultural exchange this summer.
They’ll visit Deep Creek, B.C. July 2-10 and then from Aug. 6-15 members from the B.C. based 4-H Club will visit L&A County’s rural community. This will mark the second time the local club has taken part in a national exchange. Deep Creek is in the central interior region of B.C. east of Kamloops and south of Kelowna.
The local group hopes to showcase the region’s rich historical and first nations heritage in Eastern Ontario to the Deep Creek exchange participants by touring them around key historical sites like Fort Henry, Ottawa and the Parliament buildings, First Nations sites, activities and more.
“I’m interested in meeting 4-H members from other provinces while creating long-lasting memories,” says exchange participant Kaitlin Kimmett. “Living in another part of the country for a week will definitely be interesting and I hope to learn about British Columbia and make new friends.”
Prior to heading out west the kids will be looking to do a bit of fundraising to offset their travel and hosting costs. On March 31 they’ll be hosting an Easter Extravaganza at the Napanee Fairgrounds, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include easter egg hunt, petting zoo with rabbits, goats and sheep, children’s activity area with crafts, vendors, canteen and more. Admission is $5 for anyone two and older.
The group has also received a pair of grants to help cover their costs in the form of $1,500 from 4-H Canada and $500 from Farm Credit Canada. They’ve also set up an online donation page at www.gofundme.com/4Hexchange.