A group of students stand in a field as they learn about White Nose Syndrome in little brown bats.--News Photo Anna Smith
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
A joint effort between the Kiwanis Clubs of Medicine Hat and environmental organizations from across southern Alberta, students had the chance to leave the city for a unique ranch experience.
Paul von Heune, vice president of the Golden K Kiwanis Club of Medicine Hat, hosts the event at his home out in Cypress County, and says the initiative was borne out of a desire to see the service clubs come together.
“When I joined Kiwanis, I discovered that the three Kiwanis Clubs didn’t work together as well as I thought they should,” said von Heune. “I came up with the idea of bringing kids out to our ranch and working with the kids, but having the three clubs working together to try and create some continuity and some shared efforts.”
After finding this was similar with non-governmental organizations such as the Southeastern Alberta Watershed Alliance, or Grasslands Naturalists and the Prairie Conservation Forum out of Lethbridge, the idea then became to include as many groups as they could in the name of Endangered Species Day, which falls on May 16.
As such, von Heune has had four schools visit his ranch with their Grade 4-5 students over the past few weeks to do a variety of activities, and simply spend some time away from the bustle of the city proper.
Students visited a variety of stations from morning to mid-afternoon, learning about various subjects such as the importance of beaver dams, wildlife-safe fencing, benthic organisms in Ross Creek and white nose syndrome in little brown bats, but also simply having the chance to enjoy being outside and build a few life experiences.
“There’s a group in the shop, and they are making memory journals,” said von Heune. “We have kids roasting hot dogs over a fire, which some of them have never gotten to do before, or even just playing with my German shepherd. And it’s quiet out here. There’s no cell service, so it’s a chance for them to get really hands-on and for us to pass on our knowledge and sense of community.”
While organizing this many groups over such a large area to come to one ranch was a trial, von Heune has found the experience rewarding, and an ideal way to close out the spring season while the weather is nice.
“We have Kirby England, who runs You Betula Environmental out of Lethbridge to teach the kids about beaver dams, we have SEAWA … getting everyone out here … people are working, people are retired, they have health limitations,” said von Heune. “But it’s worth it.”
He considers this event, with the final group visiting on June 5, to be an excellent example of what these groups do with all of the support that they receive from the greater community.
“This is what Kiwanis is about,” said von Heune. “We’re trying to help kids, we’re doing it as volunteers, with no cost to the youth. We don’t begrudge the cost to us, but we can use the help, whether that’s taking part in our fundraisers or with your time. We’re all always looking for new people.”
