As I show up to meet with Black Lake Elementary fifth grader Cade Cowell, I’m greeted at his front door by a bevy of animals. I can’t help by smile as a cat brushes up against me and a friendly smiling dog licks my hand. It’s very obvious this Thurston County 4-H family has a big love of animals.
When we sit down to talk, I can easily see where this love comes from. Cade’s mom Alena tells me she spent most of her childhood years participating in 4-H herself. “It was really beneficial because we got to give back and learn. There are so many ways to give back to the community and a lot of people don’t realize the need or how to go about helping.” These life lessons with community and animals led her to pursue a career as a veterinarian. Now Alena partners with Dr. Kim Martin and Dr. Mike Murphy to run Hawks Prairie Veterinary Hospital together.
With such a background, it’s no wonder Cade has been a part of 4-H since he was only five-years-old. And his older sister Fiona has been a great example to show him the ropes, participating herself for the past eight years.
I ask Cade what makes animals so special. The answer is simple. “They really cheer you up when you’re feeling down. That’s why I like them,” he says. How close he is to his animals shines through as Cade’s rescue dog Gunner snuggles up in his lap during our conversation. Along with Gunner, Cade will also show his siamese cat Tarzan this year.
I will admit I was a bit naive and thought 4-H was really only about farm animals, but it’s quite the opposite. Thurston County has five different 4-H clubs devoted completely to dogs, including Steamboat Island Kibbles & Bits, which Cade belongs to and numerous cat and rabbit clubs, such as Open Pawsibilities, where he participates with his cat.
During their weekly or monthly meetings, kids focus on learning basic obedience commands for their animals. Cade gave me a few words of advice. “I would say dogs are probably the easiest to train, cats not so much. I would recommend dogs if you want to start 4-H.” But what if you don’t have a dog of your own? Cade says that’s not a problem and you can still come and learn all about them. Besides, there is plenty of other projects to participate in. 4-H kids do arts and crafts, sewing, STEM, gardening/agriculture, baking, and public speaking during the fair.
As we continue talking, I am blown away by Cade’s speaking skills and the way he carries himself at the young age of ten. His mom tells me she really credits 4-H for giving him those life skills. “I think what I like the most is all the presentations. The kids learn to speak in public – and to speak well.” She tells me she started a veterinary science club of her own for 4-H and was amazed at the outcome. “There were kids in that club that wouldn’t say a peep. By the time they had been in the club for a couple years they were doing presentations, they were officers, their confidence was just huge.”
It’s obvious after listening to Cade and Alena that 4-H is about much more than just animals. Not only has Cade made many friends outside his school, but he tells me he really enjoys the community service aspect of the clubs. From pruning blackberry bushes along creek beds for salmon and clean-up projects, to taking their animals to nursing homes, 4-H teaches kids to give back to their communities.
Recently Cade decided to take these acts of service one step further. After seeing a Facebook post from King County about a 4-H group raising money for the people of Burundi, Africa, Cade wanted to follow suit. He read about their success with having a garage sale and began organizing one in Thurston County along with kids from other local 4-H clubs. According to Alena, Cade has received lots of help from other 4-H members and their parents.
As part of an ongoing effort, the money raised will go to the WSU 4-H Burundi Program. This group has partnered since 2012 with THARS, a Burundian organization, to provide education and supplies to the children in this small country. Cade says the children will then learn to plant vegetable gardens and grow much needed food. “It helps people. Burundi is one of the top three poorest countries in the world and I just thought it was cool that 4-H could team up with another organization to raise money.”
The garage sale will take place on Sunday, October 23 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Dogwoods Canine Play and Stay off Steamboat Island Road. The day before, the group will be accepting donations of items to sell from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. in the same location.
Cade and Alena are both looking forward to his sale and the new 4-H year upon them. The mother-son team encourages more people to get involved with the organization. Alena tells me she has five employees now working at her vet hospital who were in 4-H previously. “I look for these kind of attributes that 4-H brings out in people. These people are hardworking, compassionate, caring, and people I want to hire.”
Cade adds, “You should definitely do it. It’s a lot of fun and by the time you’re done you’re a much better person than when you started.”
