We met the bus early Friday morning for the long ride to Red Deer.  Canadians love jokes, and everyone is asked to tell a joke during the bus ride (I didn’t, as I could no more tell a joke than fly!). So be sure to bring jokes.  When we arrived at the conference, there were so many people greeting you, it was overwhelming.  However, you were definitely not left to figure out where you were to go or what you were to do. 

 At the opening night ceremonies, we were encouraged to wear costumes that were part of the conference theme.  In addition, we had to sit at tables that were either our shoe size or best described our feet (sore, stinky, flat, etc.).  Then we were split into groups and had contests to build a ‘Leader’ doll.   There were several stations, some were easy and some weren’t, but each one was a building step towards the end ‘Leader.’  It was fun and gave you the change to meet new people.  After the following auction, I called it an early night so that I could meet my roommate before it got too late.

 Saturday morning dawned a beautiful day with lots of activities.  The first session I went to was titled, “Taking Down the Barriers.”  It was very enlightening, and I learned to seek first to listen, then seek to tell.  During the next seminar (my favorite), I learned that I am a convergent thinker with some divergent tendencies.  We learned about the 2 different kinds of thinking and then broke into groups to discuss the strengths and pitfalls of them.  After lunch, I attended, “Supporting Structures of the 4-H Council.”  Alberta has a different structure than we do, but I still learned some interesting tools, such as ‘In order to have a successful council, you need good Communication, Cooperation, and Compromise.'  The final session was “Blueprints for Success – Strategies to Get the Most Out of Your Meetings.”  The speaker said that no one likes meetings, so they need to be kept short, interesting, and fun.  It is important to incorporate everyone in the meetings and make them accountable.

 The formal banquet on Saturday night consisted of a very good speaker and lots of dancing, visiting, and games.  The motivational speaker on Sunday morning, Zandra Bell, was very funny.  She does a lot of research about the group she is speaking to and uses their experiences to get her lessons across.  Next, the closing ceremonies were held and we were dismissed from the conference.

 The way home didn’t seem as long as the way up.  Lots of conversations about 4-H programs and the conference made the time go by very fast.  I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to experience this conference and want to thank everyone who helped make it possible to attend.  I highly recommend this trip to all leaders.  I am an introvert and enjoyed it, so if you like people, you’ll have a blast!!!!