Bonnie Malone    Kris Simpson
4-H Agent        4-H Program Assistant


 

November 2003

• 6 ~ Senior Fair Board, 7:30 p.m.

• 12 ~ Beef Committee Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

• 13-16 ~ North Central Regional Volunteer Forum, Peoria, Illinois

• 17 ~ HONOR CLUB DEADLINE

• 17 ~ Sale Committee, 7:00 p.m., Fairgrounds

• 18 ~ CARTEENS, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

• 27 ~ Thanksgiving Day, Office Closed

• 1 ~ COUNTY AWARD APPLICATIONS DUE

• 1 ~ 4-H Committee Budget Meeting, 6:00 p.m.

• 4 ~ Senior Fair Board, 7:30 p.m.

• 9 ~ CARTEENS, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

• 18 ~ Camp Counselor Training, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

• 25 ~ Christmas Day, Office Closed

January 2004

Important Dates for 4-H in 2004

• June 14 ~ Cloverbud Day Camp

• June 15-18 ~ Intermediate Camp

• June 21-24 ~ Junior Camp

• June 29 ~ Health & Safety Speaking Contest

• July 21 ~ Absentee Judging

• July 22 ~ Clothing Judging

• July 26 ~ State Fair Selections

• July 26 ~ Demonstration Contest

• July 29 ~ Foods Judging

• August 9 ~ Absentee Judging

All new 4-H advisors and all new Cloverbud advisors must attend training. Training dates for 2004 are as follows:

• New Advisor on Thursday, March 11

• Cloverbud Advisor on Monday, March 29

• New Advisor on Thursday, April 22

• Cloverbud Advisor on Wednesday, May 19

• New Advisor on Thursday, May 27

All training sessions are held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the County Administration Building.

New 4-H advisors must complete an application, provide fingerprints for a criminal background check ($15.00 money order), attend training, and be interviewed. Applications and fingerprint cards are available from the Extension Office.

Completion packets for all clubs were completed and available for pick up on October 16. Packets include completion certificates, membership pins, and left-over items from fair.

Organizational advisors should have received their club’s premium check and sheet detailing how to disperse the money. Premium checks expire on November 15. Checks should be cashed now. Each club should plan some type of recognition activity to give out premium money, certificates, pins, etc. DO NOT keep the member’s premium money until organizational time next year.

Completion certificates for some members are printed with the line through the name. If any of your members request a different certificate, please call Amy.

Special certificates for Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced level projects are available from the Extension Office for advisors to fill out for members.

Ohio State University Administrative Cabinet approved a change in the age requirements for 4-H membership.  The new requirements are: Eligibility for 4-H membership begins when a child has reached age 5 and is enrolled in kindergarten as of January 1 of the current year (Cloverbuds); membership to the 4-H club program begins when a child is at least age 8 and enrolled in 3^rd grade as of January 1 of the current year. Ohio 4-H membership ends December 31 of the year in which an individual attains the age of 19.

The rule change relates to beginning 4-H club program regular membership. Instead of 9 or 3^rd grade the new policy states 8 AND enrolled in the 3^rd grade for membership to the 4-H club program. There is no change on the upper age requirement.

191R Horse Safety Resource Guide - New

• 361 ~ Keeping Fit - New
• 446 ~ Money Fundamentals - New
• 447 ~ Money Moves - New
• 756 ~ Living History - New
• 177 ~ Basic Horse Training - Replacing 178
• 418 ~ Lounging Clothes - Replacing 416
• 434 ~ Growing On my Own - Replacing 431 (Living & Learning with Children)
• 435 ~ Growing With Others - Replacing 432 (More Living & Learning with Children)
• 436 ~ Growing in Communities - Replacing 433 (Teens Learn About Children)
•  442 ~ Family History Treasure Hunt - Replacing 441
• 127R ~ Dairy Resource Handbook and Dairy Project & Record Books will replace current dairy project books.
• 228R ~ Rabbit Resource Handbook will be used for all rabbit projects. Members will enroll in 225 - Breeding Rabbit Project and/or 226 - Market Rabbit Project.
• 352 ~ Safety in Everyday Living - Discontinued. First Aid must now be taken as a self-determined project (#365).

North Central Regional Volunteer Forum: The 2003 Forum will be held in Peoria, Illinois on November 13-16. Bonnie Malone, Kris Simpson, Deb Angell, Rita Daniels and Maryellen Hamernik are registered to attend. It’s not too late! Contact the Extension Office if you are still interested in participating.

Ohio 4-H Volunteer Conference: The 2004 Conference will be held on Saturday, March 13 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Cost per person will be $25.00. The 4-H Committee will meet in December to plan their budget for next year. A decision will be made at that time about providing stipends to advisors who plan to attend. The 4-H Committee has paid $10.00 of each advisor’s registration fee in past years. Mark the date on your calendar and plan to attend!

All current 4-H members who will be 14-18 years old (4-H age) in 2004 will be receiving a packet in the mail in the near future. The packet includes an Opportunities Application and forms to fill out if interested in being an Intermediate or Junior Camp Counselor, Cloverbud Camp Counselor, Food Board member, 4-H Committee member, CARTEEN or Fashion Board member. Members interested in being a delegate to 4-H Youth Expo, Leadership Camp or Conservation Camp also apply through this packet. Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, December 1.

Members interested in applying for Achievement Awards based on project work, Ohio 4-H Ambassador, Ohio 4-H Scholarships, Christopher T. Norman Memorial Scholarship, or Carving New Ideas Camp mark those items on the application. Amy will then send the appropriate applications. Those applications are all due on Tuesday, January 20, 2004.

Enclosed with this newsletter is a letter from State 4-H Leader, Jeff King, to 4-H volunteers explaining the state 4-H cost recovery plan. In Huron County, all members will be affected by the additional $2.00 per project book which will be charged. Project books which were $2.00 in 2003 were scheduled to go up to $3.00 in 2004. The additional $2.00 in cost recovery will make every 4-H project book cost at least $5.00. Books like the Livestock Resource Guides will reflect actual cost of publication, plus $2.00 cost recovery.

The budget situation in Huron County is discouraging. This affects local Extension funding. There is a possibility that we may need to implement a membership fee within our county. The 4-H Committee will be updated on the county budget when they meet on December 1. Please share your thoughts on a membership fee to stay within Huron County with your 4-H Committee representatives or Bonnie.

A horse tack auction will be held at the Lorain County Fairgrounds on January 1, 2004 starting at 12:00 noon. Contact the Extension Office for a flyer.

Put Your Club in the Big Picture

Join the thousands of 4-H members, volunteers and alumni who have contributed to the new Ohio 4-H Center campaign. Currently, $9.5 million has been raised out of $12 million needed. Donations are still needed! If your club still has not given to the campaign, please consider an end of the year donation. Contact the Extension Office for information on how to donate.

The Division of Forestry is offering a special purchase of 250 Austrian Pine, White Pine or Green Ash tree seedlings at a discounted price to 4-H members. The trees are available in multiples of 250 and will be shipped to the Extension Office. Cost of the trees is $20.00 per 250. Make checks payable to OSU Extension. Orders must be received in the Extension Office by December 15.

The Huron County Humane Society is looking for a group to build a curved bridge over a swale to their new Dog Walk Park at their facility at 246 Woodlawn Ave. in Norwalk. They will provide the materials.

They are also in need of Purina Cat Chow in the blue bag and Purina Dog Chow. Contact Sue Heys, manager, at 419-663-7158 for more information.

The Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees is sponsoring a 4-H essay contest. The topic is "Swarming". Cash prizes will be given to national winners. Each state winner will receive a book. Each essay should be 750-1000 words in length. Essay are due by January 15. Contact the Extension Office for more information.

Huron County 4-H Cookbooks, available from the Extension Office, have a wonderful assortment of recipes from 4-H members, advisors and alumni. The cost is only $10.00 per book. Consider giving some as gifts this holiday season.

OSU Collegiate 4-H Club is sponsoring the Carving New Ideas Camp at Camp Ohio (near Utica) from December 12-14. The theme is Battle of the Sexes. The camp will feature a variety of sessions designed to build leadership and communication skills.

The camp is open to high school students only. The cost is $85.00. Registration forms are available in the Extension Office and must be turned in, with payment, by November 18.

Two 2003 bears are still available from the Extension Office. Other species of animals may be ordered. New for 2003 are mini plush Christmas ornaments. Flyers are available from the Extension Office.

Due to conflicts with the Erie County Fair schedule, all Huron County Fair activities must be completed by 3:00 p.m. on Sunday prior to fair. All projects will still be brought into the fair as in the past.

Skillathons may still be held on Sunday, as long as they are completed by 3:00 p.m. The Horse Skillathon will have to be moved to a different time slot and/or day. Other Skillathons may need to be moved away from Sunday next year.

The Swine Showmanship Show cannot be held on Sunday evening. The Swine Committee has met and will propose to the Senior Fair Board that the Swine Showmanship Show be held on Tuesday, August 17 at 5:30 p.m.

All department committees for the Junior Fair have met and discussed rules and procedures. Their recommendations for changes have been given to the Senior Fair Board for final approval. The Senior Fair Board will consider all proposals for changes at their regular monthly meeting on November 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Secretary’s Office. The total list of changes for 2004 will be included in the January newsletter.

Buckeye Leadership Workshop (BLW) welcomes those interested in developing or improving recreational leadership skills. A minimum age of 16 is required. BLW is held at Recreation Unlimited, 30 miles north of Columbus. Registration fee is $340.00. Partial scholarships are available. Contact the Extension Office for a flyer and scholarship application. Scholarship applications are due by January 5. Registration forms are due by February 20.

Information on arranging to "Experience College for a Day" at the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University is available from the Extension Office.

The Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI) in Wooster is hosting VisitATIon Days on November 22, December 11, March 18 and April 24. Contact the Extension Office for more information.