Proudly sponsored by Farm Credit Canada, 4-H Canada’s Honourary Membership recognizes individuals who have embodied 4-H values through their life and have delivered outstanding services to one or more levels of the organization.
This recognition was created in 1950 to acknowledge individuals who have made outstanding contributions to 4-H in Canada. Honourary Members are nominated by members of 4-H Canada and approved by the Board of Directors.
Selection Criteria
The nominee must have one or more of the following:
- Involvement, at one or more levels, in 4-H in Canada for a minimum of 10 years.
- Involvement in any capacity of 4-H, whether as a volunteer, professional, or in another capacity.
- Demonstrated significant initiative, leadership, and a positive impact on 4-H.
HONOURARY MEMBERSHIP - SPONSORED BY FCC
2023
Kim Beilby – Brandon, MB
Joining a 4-H Beef Club as a youth member was a life-changing experience for Kim Beilby of Brandon, MB - leading her to pursue a 33-year career in public service, with many of those years directly working to enhance and grow the 4-H movement in Canada.
From 1986 to 2005, Kim was the Regional 4-H & Youth Specialist for the Manitoba Department of Agriculture, renowned for innovative and relevant 4-H program development. She wrote over 20 4-H project manuals which reflected her collaborative approach in working with experienced volunteer leaders and industry subject matter experts to ensure accurate, balanced, and timely materials.
In 1999, Kim spearheaded the Manitoba 4-H Quality Equation educational framework and resource, which became the basis of all leadership development work within Manitoba 4-H. From there, she managed the Manitoba 4-H Program from 2005 to 2008, positively impacting 1,800 volunteers and over 4,000 youth members through her results-oriented and team-based approach. Kim’s next venture involved taking the lead on the restructuring of 4-H Manitoba’s governance. The program delivery structure she established in 2006 remains in place today, and became the basis for the successful transition of oversight from the government to the Manitoba 4-H Council.
After spending 11 years dedicated to various branches of Manitoba government policy, strategic planning, and industry foundations, Kim’s career came full circle. Prior to her retirement from the public service sector, she dedicated her wealth of experience and knowledge in programs, partnerships, and policy to the 4-H funding portfolio.
Throughout her life, Kim has lived and breathed 4-H, and has been a true champion for rural communities and agriculture within Manitoba, with the ripple effect of her contributions reaching across the country, and around the world.
In recognition of her tireless dedication to the 4-H movement in Canada - and the agriculture industry as a whole - 4-H Canada is thrilled to welcome Kim as a lifetime Honourary Member
HONOURARY MEMBERSHIP - SPONSORED BY FCC
2023
Mary-Ann Carson - Maidstone, SK
A beloved name within the 4-H Saskatchewan community, Mary-Ann Carson of Maidstone, SK has devoted more than 37 years to 4-H in a variety of roles, from youth member to club leader to Saskatchewan 4-H Council president.
Throughout her 4-H journey, Mary-Ann has been an inspiration to the leaders, parents, co-workers, and youth members around her. First joining 4-H as a youth member in the Happy Valley and Edgeley Multiple 4-H Clubs, she went on to become a volunteer leader, and has dedicated over 35 years to the Maidstone Gully Multiple 4-H Club.
Mary-Ann has also had a huge impact at the governance level of 4-H in Canada, volunteering for executive positions on the Saskatchewan 4-H Council and Foundation for 23 years, as well as eight years at the national level on the 4-H Canada Board of Directors. She is also a long-standing volunteer with the District 35 4-H Council in Saskatchewan, where she’s dedicated her time and energy to numerous committees, and helped to spearhead the Chad Bullerwell Memorial Bursary and the District 35 Hall of Fame.
From judging Achievement Days to hosting exchange programs to organizing the multi-project portion of the annual 4-H Expo in Lloydminster, SK, Mary-Ann continues to be highly active in the 4-H community, dedicating countless hours to the 4-H program. Her efforts have been celebrated through the Saskatchewan 4-H Council’s Golden Jubilee Award for Outstanding Service, and she was inducted into the Saskatchewan 4-H Council Hall of Fame in 2011.
4-H Canada is proud to add lifetime Honourary Member to Mary-Ann’s impressive list of accolades in recognition of her contributions to the 4-H movement in Canada.
View the list of Honorary Members
Supported by
FCC