WHITE FOX, Sask. – Blackie is eating his head off for the sake of
cancer.
The black and white, spotted face steer is spending several months
gaining weight on a farm near White Fox, Sask. It will be auctioned off
at the Prince Albert 4-H regional show June 3 to raise money for the
Canadian Cancer Society’s Saskatchewan programs.
Charity 2002, its official name, is the second run at fundraising for
this 4-H region. The seven clubs involved won an award from the
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provincial agricultural fairs society for the idea, which was borrowed
from a Calgary area club.
Charity 2001, purchased by Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, raised $3,898.50
for the Saskatchewan chapter of the liver foundation. That is about
triple what the animal would have brought commercially.
More than 150 4-H members in the clubs in northeastern Saskatchewan
helped buy this year’s steer. With donated feed and care, Charity 2002
should weigh about 1,050 pounds when sold.
The animal was born March 12, 2001, and weighed 750 lb. Dec. 1, 2001,
when the 4-H members picked it as their latest fundraiser for charity.
Les Watson, who leads the 4-H Choiceland general club, has the steer on
his farm.
His daughter, who is in the club, is halter-breaking it. The other club
members will help show the charity steer at the summer event.
“When we get to the show, the kids do it all. He’ll be fed, watered and
cleaned up there. Clipped too,” said Watson.
“They’re doing it to give back to the community for its support of
their club.”
The project will help them become responsible, caring people, said
Watson.
Charity 2002 is being insured by a company in Shellbrook, Sask., for
its market worth.
And in case anything happens to it, Watson is feeding another steer in
the pen with it. The backup steer even looks like the original, with a
spotted face and black coat.
