RBC Royal Bank extends 4-H commitment
A key 4-H supporter since 1947, the bank’s on board for at least three more years.
You never know how far the RBC Royal Bank® 4-H Interprovincial Exchange can take someone. For many a Canadian rural youth, the exchange has been a life-changing experience that lays the groundwork for a lifetime of leadership in agriculture.
RBC Royal Bank has been a 4-H supporter since 1947, and has sponsored the exchange program since it began in 1963. Since then, more than 3,000 young Canadians have taken part. Typically, 4-H members visit a different type of farm than they’re familiar with at home, in a part of the country they’ve never seen before. These 4-Hers come home inspired, with a new understanding of agriculture and of Canada.
According to Brian Little, the exchange program is one part agritourism, one part agricultural leadership training and one part quiet nation-building.
"The exchange program is a tremendous opportunity for rural youth to experience life and agriculture in other provinces," says Little, RBC Royal Bank’s National Manager, Agriculture and Agribusiness. "Think of an Ontario 4-H member who gets to spend time on a ranch in Alberta or Saskatchewan. Or a young person from the Maritimes who visits a farm in B.C. This is a truly unique institution in Canadian agriculture, and we’re delighted to have supported it for the past 41 years."
NEW COMMITMENT IN PLACE
Thanks to a recent agreement between RBC Royal Bank and the Canadian 4-H Council, that support will extend for at least another three years.
Little is excited about 4-H activities planned through 2007. He particularly likes the feature under which trips are reciprocal. In other words, two 4-H members are twinned (one in Quebec, say, and another in PEI) and exchange visits to each other’s family farms during the year.
How has the exchange program managed to grow and thrive over the past 41 years? Little thinks he knows. "On one hand, it’s the quality of the exchange itself," he says. "With some exchange programs, you see Niagara Falls and the provincial capital, and that’s about it. 4-H goes beyond the tourist attractions, so youth can learn about the people, the culture and the community they’re visiting."
In Little’s view, the 4-Hers themselves also make the program what it is.
"Remember, these young people are the cream of the crop," he says. "The 50 participants each year are selected from among thousands of 4-H members across Canada. So it’s no surprise they are such great ambassadors for their communities, and very often become leaders in agriculture."
Little proudly recalls his own days in 4-H. From 1958 to 1965, he was a member of the calf and grain clubs in Rosemont, Ont., northwest of Toronto. While not selected for the exchange program (no hard feelings, by the way), he fondly remembers many 4-H outings to the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.
In fact, 4-H has long been a sort of farm team for future RBC Royal Bank agriculture staff. Many are past 4-Hers, and some are exchange program alumni.
Says Little: "The RBC Royal Bank 4-H Interprovincial Exchange is part of the fabric of Canadian agriculture and rural life. We’re thrilled to strengthen our relationship with 4-H as we approach our 60th year of sponsorship."
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