BONNYVILLE – During the Bonnyville 4-H District 2025 Show and Sale, The Town of Bonnyville purchased a steer named Trouble at the auction and donated the meat to local non-profits.
Renee Stoyles, acting CAO for the Town of Bonnyville, explained that this is the second year the Town has purchased a steer from the 4-H show and sale. As council was invited again this year to attend the sale, they included the purchasing of a 4-H steer in their budget, and plan to continue the new tradition.
“We enjoy it. We like to give back to the community as well,” said Stoyles.
She said Deputy Mayor David Sharun and councillors Phil Kushnir and Brian McEvoy attended the sale where they purchased the steer, and later hand delivered the processed beef to six local non-profit's, including Kiev’s Ki Hi Youth Camp, Camp St. Louis, Bonnyville Outreach School, Bonnyville Indian-Metis Rehabilitation Centre, Bonnylodge, and Stepping Stones Crisis Society.
Sharun spoke highly of their experience attending the show and sale.
“The whole thing was such a positive experience. All around it was a good day with good people – just like last year as well . . . All those 4-H kids do so much work with their steers and the animals are so well behaved, groomed, and looked after,” said Sharun.
Sharun said council wanted to purchase a steer from the Bonnyville area, and knowing some of the owners, he went to the pens to take a look at some of the steers. The 4-H kids spoke with Sharun, and showed their steers to him, and he was impressed with how well-spoken and confident the kids were.
“[The show and sale] gives these kids a good boost - a vote of confidence to know that what they’re doing is worthwhile, and that we need them in our communities, to take over the family farms,” said Sharun.
He reports that the steer they purchased was processed into about 850 pounds of beef, cut into roasts and hamburgers to be offered to each non-profit.
“It was such a feel-good day getting to deliver the beef. They were all genuinely happy, and a lot of these people we all know from one area of our lives or another - so it made that connection even more special,” said Sharun.
