A picture taken during last year's local 4-H Beef Club Show and Sale. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Community support

River Valley Resilience Retreat named recipient of 4-H Charity Steer auction

Mar 2, 2023 | 5:18 PM

The Prince Albert Regional Beef 4-H Show and Sale is just over three months away, and money raised from the Charity Steer Auction will be used to enhance a local retreat for front line workers.

The River Valley Resilience Retreat, sits in the Rural Municipality of Prince Albert and, according to their website, offers Public Safety Personnel (PSP) a safe place to rest and rejuvenate among their peers.

Each year, the 4-H clubs rotate which members are responsible for raising the steer, and this year the honour went to the West PA 4-H Beef Club. The club’s general leader Katie Wilson told paNOW the decision on which cause to support, came from the youth members.

“The member that brought river valley up, felt that since it was local within our community, we knew the funds would stay local and that it encompasses so many people,” she said. “We’re talking anywhere from nurses, to doctors, to tow tuck drivers, to volunteer fire fighters”

The 2022 Prince Albert Regional 4-H Beef Show and Sale took place June 12 and 13 at the Prince Albert Exhibition Grounds. (Prince Albert Regional Beef 4-H)

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While police officers, firefighters, and EMS workers are obvious examples of frontline workers who may need a space to recover, the retreat also has spots for people in other lines of work as well.

And with respect to specific details, money raised will be used to build an on site cabin for families to stay at, while attending the retreat. As many as five cabins are needed.

“If a family has suffered possible suicide attempts or they are struggling from being on scene at a terrible accident, and there’s the ripple effect in the family,” Wilson explained.

The charity steer program has been with the club since 2001, with local members raising over $320,000 throughout the years. Last year’s steer raised over $30,000 for the Victoria Hospital Foundation, and the year prior close to $50,000 was raised for the Saskatoon Cancer Centre..

Donations are being accepted until the day of the show and sale on June 12, and can be made by contacting any member of the 4-H Club.

“Anybody that has a $25 donation, their name goes in a draw to possibly win that charity steer,” Wilson said.

The charity steer is currently being looked after by a local area family and was picked out in November. JGL Livestock donated the cost of the steer and Lake Country Co-p donated two tonnes of a beef ration to feed the steer.

In a statement provided to paNOW, Michelle McKeaveney, Cofounder of the River Valley Resilience Retreat, explained the 4-H Way of life has been very important to a lot of their board members.

“Including our founders and it is so wonderful to see the support coming from such a beautiful place like our neighbors, the West Prince 4-H beef club. The children chose us and I think that’s what it’s beautiful,” she said.

Jeff Reeder, the retreat’s other cofounder, also expressed his appreciation for the PA West 4H Beef Club’s decision.

“What makes it even better is that it was the 4H members that made the decision to support us. To have the understanding of the importance of mental health at such a young age is a testament that education is working,” he said.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell