MacDougall has led the Shawville 4-H club for about 10 years, and said she is looking forward to this new chapter with the organization, which offers skills development and leadership opportunities for youth.

“I am really excited to be able to take on this role and give back to 4-H. [It] has always been a community to me and I am looking forward to helping our community grow,” she said.

MacDougall said while her new role, which involved several rounds of interviews to secure, will focus largely on administrative work like grant applications and membership registrations, she will also liaise between local clubs and the provincial 4-H office to organize activities like the province-wide 4-H show that takes place every summer.

“One of the things that I am really looking forward to is going out and supporting the clubs, supporting the volunteers and the leaders and the membership, whether they need help with projects or whether they need help with dynamics in their club or funding support,” she said.

MacDougall, who also works as a supply teacher at Dr. S.E. McDowell Elementary School in Shawville, lives on her family’s farm in Bristol.

With parents, siblings and children all having participated in the 4-H club over the years, she says has seen the benefits of membership firsthand.

“Whether the kids are working on an animal project or a life skills project, there’s so many skills that they get to develop,” she said, listing leadership, teamwork, communication and public speaking skills as just a few examples.

“I grew up in it and I had so many opportunities and chances. I travelled nationally with 4-H [ . . . ] built friendships, met my husband. I think it really is a wonderful program. I’d like to keep it going and have it be the best program that it can be so that the youth today have that opportunity as well.”

MacDougall said that while it will be a change for her to no longer be as involved with Shawville 4-H as a club leader, she will stay involved as a 4-H parent and volunteer.

Gillian MacDougall of Bristol has been named the new provincial coordinator for Quebec 4-H.

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