Ontario 4-H Foundation’s 15-foot handcrafted cedar canoe raised $14,580 for the Stanley Knapp Resource Development Endowment Fund.
The winning raffle ticket was drawn on Sept. 28 at the Ilderton Fair.
Why it matters: The Stanley Knapp Resource Development Fund supports 4-H project resource development, allowing Ontario’s youth an opportunity to expand their knowledge and access up-to-date information.
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The canoe was built by Ron McRae, a longtime 4-H supporter, alumnus, and grandson of Stanley Knapp, who started the first Boys’ and Girls’ Club in Waterloo in 1915, which was renamed 4-H Canada in 1952.
“I wanted to honour my parents, Murray and Dorothy, for the years they devoted to agriculture and 4-H here in Middlesex,” McRae explained. “This can be my way of putting the 4-H motto, ‘Learn to Do by Doing,’ into action, one strip of cedar at a time.”
The canoe, won by Danny Jefferies, will serve as a reminder of the community he’s long supported.
“I’ve been involved with the fair for years,” said Jefferies. “To win something that means so much to Ron and to the history of 4-H makes it even more special.”
