Re: [RC] The next generation - Stephanie E Caldwell
Lisa,
I'm only 20 and just aged out of 4-H here in North
Carolina. I wasn't very active in the animal science part, but instead focused
on Arts and Community service. If you want to make the 4-H'ers remember you
sponser a class at the district show or a presentation prize. I received tons of
awards, district, state, and national level and I can tell you all of my donors.
I buy products from certain companies because they sponsored a 4-H event, it's
not expensive but it makes a *huge* difference to us kids that receive them. My
biggest accomplishment was getting into Honor Club, it's elite and it means alot
of work in many project areas and in the community. My donor for my ribbon and
metal was a family from North Carolina, the son "tapped" me in. That
$15 donation for my ribbon means more to me now than the corporation that funded
my way to national events.
Why doesn't the AERC, SERA, etc... donate to 4-H
and other youth organizations? The "show" horse people do.
I got a call from a high school grad looking for
someone to trailer her horse up to Gainesville where she will be going to
college. Actually, her teacher Peggy Biram who works at our local high school
vo-ag dept called me first. She said this girl rescued this horse and couldn't
get anyone to trailer her horse for her.
I picked her and the horse up this morning at
7a.m. The horse was a walking, but very shiny and clean, skeleton. The young
lady has had her for 3 weeks and has already nursed the 2 year old filly
through a colic and is trying to get some ulcers under control. She told
me she spent all her savings and graduation money on this horse. The next
director for the Human Society?
She drives a blue sparkly '66 Chevy pick-up that
says "Country Girl". Her belongings that were packed in the truck were a
suitcase, horse feed, dog food, cat food, bowls, cages, a very large Shepard
mix, a tiny Chihuahua and two cats. I asked her if she had a house and she
said no, she was in an apartment. I said "And your taking all your animals?"
She looked at me so confused and said "Well, yeah" Duh, silly me. She is
going to college for pre-vet and hopes to become an equine vet. She said she
wanted to pay me for the ride and I advised her to study hard, take care of
her animals, become a great vet and then call me. We'll talk then! The next
President to AAEP? Head vet at a ride?
Peggy Biram works very hard at getting some of
these young equestrians involved in endurance riding. Thank you Peggy!! She
has to fight the system to get permission for these kids to go to the rides.
She packs, drives, feeds and sponsors the riders. ( I don't understand why it
is sooo easy to get the football team to away games but a teacher has to jump
loops to take the kids camping?) This girl I met today did her first ride at
Green Swamp with Peggy and is hooked. She loved the trails and
camping. The next Commissioner of Education? Agriculture? Forestry
division?
If you have a chance to influence the younger
crowd, take advantage of it. They are the future for us in more ways than we
an imagine. Remember the polls? The future foresters, environmentalists,
county commissioners and others who influence our trails, research and
economics are the ones we need to talk to now. This young lady has
already learned how important it is to get involved in something because
it is the right thing to do. She obviously has already been influenced by some
wonderful people.
Thanks to people like Peggy, Maryben,(Queen Jr.
sponsor) and others who take the time to talk to our young people, there
is hope for our world yet.
Ahhh, to be 18 again and know what I know
now. Well, I don't know THAT much more than I did at 18. I do know true love.
I do know that kids are a blessing and that families are importent. And I
know that a friendship can last a lifetime, as long as you don't
kill them trying to keep them involved in your horse world.
Lisa Salas, The Odd fArm
What whould you attempt to do, if you knew you
could not fail?
