Stavely/Parkland 4-H Club celebrates 80th anniversary

By Rob Vogt
It was an opportunity to celebrate 80 years of learning to do by doing.
Members, alumni, family and friends gathered at the Stavely Community Centre on Sunday, Nov. 23, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Stavely/Parkland 4-H Club.
Darby Sundquist, herself a member for seven years, was the emcee for the event.
She noted the mission of 4-H is “4-H Alberta inspires, mentors and empowers youth to create positive change in communities through effective leadership.”
Its vision is “Empowered and connected communities built by youth.”
“I don’t think we have to take much of a look around to see that both of those have been ingrained in our community here in Stavely,” Sundquist said. “Such an achievement to be able to celebrate 80 years of this.”
The first beef club involving Stavely members was organized by Dick Mouser of Claresholm, and assisted by Rance Ralph of Stavely in 1941.
The boundaries of this club covered north and east of Parkland to south of Granum.
Stavely itself was part of the Calgary district agriculturalist’s area, which ran south of Calgary to the Starline Road south of Claresholm.
Since a district agriculturalist was not readily available, Lionel Perry was assigned to this area in 1942, with an office in Stavely.
As this club grew in membership, it was necessary to divide it and form two separate clubs with Mouser taking the south end and Ralph organizing the first Stavely 4-H club in 1945.
The first members on record were Johnny Anderson; Hazel, George and Roy Egger; Lola and Bryce Ralph; Eldon Mattie; Axel, Lenny, Margaret and Elizabeth Sundquist; Dennis Hanrahan; and Ardel, Irene and Leona Hoffman.
Two of those members – Margaret Marshall, who is 92, and Elizabeth Ohler who is 91 – are still living today.
At that time, meetings were held in the members’ homes and the families provided lunch and entertainment.
The first Stavely 4-H Club achievement day was held on June 4, 1946, at the Claresholm Stockyards.
Margaret Sundquist’s calf won club grand champion and topped the markets that day selling for $0.13 per pound. It is recorded that in 1975, Brian Hawk’s calf won club grand champion, selling for $0.80 per pound.
The average in 2025 was $5.18 per pound.
Over the years as membership spread to the Parkland district, the club name was changed to Stavely/Parkland 4-H Beef Club.
In the early years, weigh-in was held at the grain elevator, where the calves were weighed, tagged and catalogued.
The club achievement day was originally held at the Claresholm Stockyards but, in later years, achievement day was rotated between clubs in the district including Claresholm, Nanton, Fort Macleod and Stavely.
Sundquist noted achievement day is a day when members can look back and see how seven or eight months of dedication, early mornings, hard work and learning have finally paid off.
A 4-H year typically begins in November with weigh-in, the moment members commit to the project that will shape their year.
From there, the club holds meetings every month along with club activity. Sometimes it is just for fun, such as bowling, swimming, skiing, or spending time with residents at local seniors lodges.
The year also includes more structured events such as multi-species judging; public speaking; halter making; grooming clinics; and the mock show that prepares everyone for achievement day.
For years the club held an annual spaghetti supper fundraiser, and continues to be deeply involved in the community.
In the past several years, as membership declined, the club got creative and added the sheep project in 2018, then the horse project three years ago.
Sundquist also shared a list of the former leaders, that included Rance Ralph; Roy Duncan; Gordon Comstock; Brian Comstock; Ferland Wilford; Elis Oviat; Adrian Dykstra; Melvin Sundquist; Ken Hawk; Harold Andrews; Dyce Bolduc; David Bolduc; Brent Carey; Jackie Sawley; Brenda Halliwell; Dale Ohler; Norm Lewis; Steven Marshall; Murray and Leigh-Anna Glimsdale; Cheryl Sundquist; Jim and Laura Symens; Kaitlyn Bolduc; and Leanne Habraken.
The current leaders are Christy Patton; Veronica Lowe; Cale Place; Jamie Vang; Jill Vang; and the assistants are Robyn Todd; Sharon Lange; Leanne Habraken; Patty Klys and Richelle Stirling.
The club has 26 members, and is considered a multi-club with beef, sheep and equine projects.
“The 4-H experience is something you never forget,” Sundquist said, turning her attention to the current members.
“I’ve made lifelong friends and some of my best memories through these experiences, and I hope each of you will come away with the same lasting connections and stories to cherish.”