Lomond 4-H member donates steer to soup kitchen
Eva Ketchmark is an unsung 4-H hero! The 12-yearold from Lomond is a 4-H member, who recently volunteered at the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen with some of her classmates.
Eva was so moved by her experience, she donated a steer she raised from birth, said soup kitchen Executive Director Bill Ginther.
According to Ginther, Eva commented there are many homeless people who are deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and often don’t have food to eat. Eva’s mother Kathy told Ginther, they have arranged for the animal to be processed at the end of July and they will also pay for that, including the cutting, wrapping, and freezing.
“What a gift from someone that young who already cares deeply about those less fortunate than her,” said Ginther.
For donations, Ginther recalled, the steer donated by Eva is probably one of the more significant donations – not in terms of value, but just the way it happened. “What I do with school groups like that is I will just give them a bit of an overview of the work we’re doing and why we do it. To sort of give them a sense of what it would be like to be homeless and doing that quick comparison between them and our homeless neighbours,” Ginther said, adding Eva apparently went home and said something to her mom like,
“That’s where I belong and my life was changed.” Being a 4-H member, Ginther explained, into late summer 4-H members usually hold an auction to sell off animals raised by members. “She, as a 4-H member, raised a small calf from birth basically until it’s a pretty full-sized steer. What she did was she raised that and was going to have an auction, but the auction doesn’t happen now because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
So, Ginther said, Eva decided to give it to the soup kitchen to help the homeless.
With processing, the soup kitchen will also get to decide what the organization would like the processed meat cut in to, which will likely be ground beef, Ginther said. “Because it’s the most usable type of meat for us.”
Eva has become our “little sweetheart,” Ginther said.
“In terms of that age having such a bright mind and to think that deeply about the poor.”
Eva’s donation, Ginther added, will make a significant contribution to the soup kitchen in terms of its need to buy meat. “We won’t have to for a long time.”
Eva’s mom Kathy said she is very proud of her daughter.
“The club was looking at different options of how to go about selling the calves or whatever and one of the things they put out there was a donation, which is normally done as a club.”
“They usually have one calf at the start of the year they raise for selling to take the money to give it to somebody. Our club didn’t have that, but right away Eva thought donating was a really good idea,” Kathy added.
Kathy said her older daughter is doing the same thing.
“She’s donating, but we haven’t quite got a charity lined up yet for her.”
Eva said her 4-H club sale was cancelled and she thought - because of the current COVID-19 pandemic situation - it is often hard for food banks and soup kitchens to find meat and other food. “So it would be nice to donate it. After my experience at the soup kitchen, I thought maybe it would be nice to donate it to them because they’re helping all the homeless people and it’s a lot of people they’re helping.”
Kathy noted it is hoped when other youth hear about Eva’s story, it will maybe spur them to reach out to others and help in this confusing time.