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Big Lake 4-H Club: Meet the club members and projects for 62nd annual show and sale

On Monday, Aug. 10 from 12 to 6 p.m. you are welcome to view the animals at the WL Stockyards

Anthony DiMarco

Hello all! My name Is Anthony DiMarco, I am lot #1, and this is my sixth year in 4-H and my second year as a senior member.

I am an active member of the Big Lake 4-H club, and this year I am our clubs’ Safety Officer as well as Club Reporter.

My project I chose this year is Market Turkey. I purchased my turkeys from Rochester Hatchery through Beaver Valley Feeds here in Williams Lake.

My turkeys have been growing on our family’s small farm since late April, and have been enjoying the unusually large amounts of rain and the fresh grass that came with it. I would like to thank everyone who helped make the continuation of this 4-H year possible in themidst of these challenging times.

Although there is no show this year, our 4-H community made the effort to reschedule and adapt to the changes that have been presented to us. I wish everyone the best this year, stay safe.

Georgie DiMarco

Virtual hellos and hugs to all! My name is Georgia DiMarco, I am a senior member as well as the President of the Big Lake 4-H Club, this is my 11th year in 4-H, and this year I am raising a market swine. His name is M. My sister’s pig’s name is also M. M&M … get it … ahaha… and that’s enough social isolation for me.

M is definitely a big boy. I’ve talked to him about it, he refuses to stop growing. He is a Duroc/Large Black/Large White cross — a breed I have never raised before. He is well muscled and very broad, and I predict he will near 300lbs by the sale.

In the midst of all the chaos, our 4-H District has worked hard to continue to make 2020 a successful year for the members. In doing so, they came to a compromise for this year’s Show and Sale: nix the shows and keep the sale. Rather than a weeklong event like it has been in the past, buyers will be allowed to walk through the barn from 12pm-6pm on Monday, August 10th, and a virtual live auction will commence at 6:30pm and run later into the evening. I wish I could be there to talk to everyone personally, but due to COVID constraints, I will be on my couch—watching the live auction of course. Keep an eye out for Lot #2 and stay safe!

READ MORE: 4-H sale to go ahead in August

Maria DiMarco

Hello! My name is Maria DiMarco and I am a senior member of the Big Lake 4-H Club. This year I have raised a very big pig named M! He is a Duroc/Large Black/Large White cross that I purchased from Fred and Elaine Stafford. I’ve never raised a Large Black before, but the breed is known for its very rich tasting meat. M will be for sale, Lot #3, at the 4-H live/virtual auction August 10th, 2020, at the Williams Lake Stockyards. The sale begins at 6:30 p.m, so don’t be late!

Harley Gentles

Hello, my name is Harley Gentles; I am in the Big Lake 4-H Club. My pig’s name is Vader he is a Landrace Yorkshire cross.

Luke Gentles

Hello my name is Luke Gentles; I am 13 years old and I am in the Big Lake 4-H Club, this is my third year in 4-H and third year as a swine member, this year my swine is a male Berkshire-Hereford cross named “sky walker.”

Zoe Kugelstadt

Hello my name is Zoe Kugelstadt and I am a junior member of the Big Lake 4-H club. This is my third year in 4-H and my second year as a junior. Last year I focused on poultry and this year my project is a market lamb. He is a Suffolk/Dorset cross named Jupiter. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Roma Tingle for breeding and supplying me with my lamb this year, and thank all the buyers at the 4-H Sale for supporting myself and the 4-H community.

Etta Salter

Hello my name is Etta Salter and I am a junior member of the Big Lake 4-H Club. This is my very first year in 4h and my first year as a junior. This year for my first project I raised a market lamb. She is a Suffolk Dorset Cross named Sunny. I am lot #9. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Roma Tingle for breeding and supplying me with my lamb this year, and thank all the buyers at the 4-H Sale for supporting myself and my fellow 4-H members.

Angus Paul

Hi my name is Angus Paul. I am 14 years old and I am a senior in the Big Lake 4-H Club. This is my second year in 4-H. I am raising a market hog that will be sold at the Williams Lake sale, he is lot#8. My swine’s name is JarJar Binks, he is a Berkshire cross that is home bred from our farm Ridgeway Farms. JarJar Binks is kind of a different pig; he does not like to be scratched behind his ears and will grumble. JarJar Binks will be for sale on Aug. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Williams Lake Stockyards, there will also be online bidding at www.dlms.ca.

Emily Swan

Hi, my name is Emily Swan (Lot #11) and I am a senior member and the secretary of the Big Lake 4-H Club. This is my ninth year in 4-H and my fifth year in beef. This year I am raising a Black Angus market steer that I named Diesel. I bought from my grandpa, Don Swan. I also was raising a cow-calf project but unfortunately the calf died.

The Williams Lake 4H annual event will continue this year but due to the pandemic there will only be a sale. On Monday August 10th from 12 to 6 pm you are welcome to view the animals at the WL Stockyards. The sale will begin at 6:30pm. In a normal year we would invite you to come visit, unfortunately, because of Covid-19, social distancing will be enforced and no 4H members are allowed on site this year.

Thanks to all who support our local 4H clubs year after year!

Chase Gentles

Hi, my name is Chase Gentles. I am nine years old. I am with Big Lake 4-H Club. My pigs name is Bobafett, and she is a Duroc cross breed.

Taya Sepkowski

Hey there, I am Taya Sepkowski or lot #10; I am a senior member, Vice President and the Treasurer of the Big Lake 4-H Club, this is my 10th year in 4-H. My market steer this year is Freddie he is a Black Angus/Speckle Park that I got the honor of buying from Joanne Cook and her late husband Royce. I chose my steer this year because of his impeccable conformation, combined with my successful feeding program, I knew I would have another prime graded steer like his brother, that I raised last year. I personally believe and know this steer is the best yet. Freddie has finished out perfectly as a powerful calf with a strong top line, which is going to provide some of the best-graded tastiest beef. Like all the 4-H members, this is my first year without having a chance to show case my animal in our District shows and this picture doesn’t show how perfectly finished he is. All buyers will have the opportunity to view him on Aug 10th at the Williams Lake Stockyards from noon to 6 p.m. Thank you to all of the community and buyers support, without you, 4-H would surely struggle. Thank you to my 2019 buyer Gibraltar Mine. Sincerely, Taya.



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