January Update

4-H VOLUNTEER UPDATE

January 2008

1. VOLUNTEER KICK-OFF & UPDATES

     January 31 - Home Ec & Misc., 7:00 p.m. 

     February 2 - Livestock & Misc Clubs,  9:30 p.m.

     February 21 - Livestock, Home Ec & Misc Clubs  7:00 p.m.

ONE advisor from each club should attend one of these meetings.  Advisors unalbe to attend - need to meet with Ann by appointment.  NO walk-ins please................

Discuss topics:  new project requirements, livestock rule changes, home economics projects information, 4-H Club Chartering and so forth.

 2.  NEW VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Volunteers - please encourage parenats and others you know who work well with children to begin the process of becoming a volunteer.  Not only do adults support youth, they also gain valuable life skills.

Potential volunteers, need to:  Complete and application, Sign the "Youth Protection Policy", Give three written references, participate in a group interview, complete a fingerprint check, participate in a required new volunteer orientation & training.

3. NEW 4-H ADVISOR HANDBOOK

A new 4-H Club Advisor Handbook has been developed to assist volunteers with club work.

Included in this resource: Welcome to 4-H, Club Management, Learning the 4-H Way, Club Members, Volunteering, A Family Affair, & Managing Risks

Visit http://advisorshandbook.ohio4h.org/index.html

4. 2008 4-H CALENDAR

The 2008 4-H Calendar in being updated and will be available with the Club Starter Packets. Review this calendar and mark your personal calendar with important 4-H dates. Please keep your 4-H families informed regarding important dates.

5. 2008 FAMILY GUIDE ON-LINE

The 2008 Family Guide is available at www.ohio4h.org. We have one copy available for each family in the Club Starter Packets.

6. YEAR END CLUB PACKETS AVAILABLE

Pick up year-end club packet today.......

Member certificates, year pins, and leftover fair awards, are included. It is an advisor’s responsibility to make sure every member receives a certificate, year pins and any leftover’s projects in a timely fashion.

Please make every effort to have one of the club advisors stop by the office and pick up these important documents at your earliest convenience.

 

7. 4-H MEMBERSHIP GUIDELINES

Traditional 4-H Membership -  Youth interested in joining 4-H MUST be age 8 and in the third grade as of January 1st of current year.  Ohio 4-H Membership ends DECEMBER 31 of the year when an individual attains the age of 19.  If a ember turns 19 on January 1 or after in the current year, they can still be a member that year.

Cloverbud Member -

Younger children are eligible to participate in the Cloverbud Program beginning at age 5 and in kindergarten (January 1, 2008) and may continue until they reach traditional 4-H age. A Cloverbud curriculum is designed for use in club meetings to provide developmentally appropriate learning experiences and activities for younger children.

*** Cloverbud members are not allowed to complete a 4-H project designed for traditional members.

8. RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS

As clubs get started for the year, this is a great opportunity to recruit new members for your club. Encourage members to invite friends, neighbors and schoolmates to join your club. Set a goal in your club to increase membership by 10, 15 or more.

As all of you know, 4-H offers many positive learning and social experiences for youth through project work, relationship building, leadership activities, community service work and more. Join in recruiting new members and watch the 4-H program grow. Over 1000 members participated in the Seneca County 4-H program last year.

I am working with several older 4-H youth to tell the 4-H story in the 3^rd and 4^th grade classes through out Seneca County, Tiffin City and Fostoria City schools. Responses from interested youth are being received. I will be contacting advisors with names of interested new members.

I greatly appreciate your willingness to accept new members into your club. PLEASE help these new members feel WELCOME and included in your club.

9. JR. 4-H CAMP DATES -

Friday, June 6 thru Monday, June 9

Members in the 3^rd grade (Jan.1) or are 13 prior to

June 6 are eligible to attend 4-H camp. Youth turning age 14 before June 6 are not eligible to attend Junior 4-H Camp. Camp is held each year at Kelleys Island. Hope you plan to join us for this fun-filled, outdoor educational and environmental experience.

Camp registration form and additional information will be provided with eligible members’ project books.

10. JOIN COUNTY JUNIOR LEADERSHIP

Please encourage older youth, ages 13 and older to join the Seneca County Junior Leadership Club.

The next Junior Leadership meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Extension office. Encourage members to call us!! 419-447-9722, ext 13.

11.

FAIR DATES

                                                                      SENECA COUNTY FAIR

Monday, July 21 through Sunday, July 27.

ATTICA INDEPENDENT FAIR

Wednesday, August 6 through Sunday, August 10

 

 

12. SENECA COUNTY 4-H WEBSITE

Check out the 4-H Website

YES..... our 4-H website will soon be done. Some important dates and information will be posted.

Watch for 4-H Family Newsletters, project information and requirements, 4-H Volunteer Handbook, New Volunteer Handbook, Livestock Project Interviews & Skill-a-thon study information, links to other 4-H related website, and so forth.

Any ideas and suggestions for information you would find helpful on the website, please let me know. I want to make this a very useful tool for advisors and 4-H families.

Visit our site at: seneca.osu.edu

13. MULTI-COUNTY   4-H VOLUNTEER RETREAT

** Mark Your Calendar **

The 4-H Volunteer Retreat is scheduled for Saturday, March 1, 2008 at the Presbyterian Church located in Bucyrus.  Registration begins at 8:45 a.m. with the program starting at 9:00 a.m.

For more information and registration form, see the 4-H Family Newsletter, December 2007 Issure, or give me a call.

14.  OHIO VOLUNTEER CONFERENCE & RECOGNITION BANQUET

The 2008 Ohio 4-H Volunteer Conference and Bob Evans Farms 4-H Recognition Luncheon will be held SATURDAY, MARCH * at the Columbus Convention Center.  Registration due: Friday, February 8th.

15.  SCHOOL ENRICHMENT QUILTING PROGRAM   -  FABRIC PIECES NEEDED......

I am working on a quilting program to present in the Tiffin City and Seneca County Schools - 4th grade classes.  Several teachers have expressed interest in participating.  I am in need of fabric pieces measuring 1/8 yard or more.  Any scrap fabrics you would be willing to donate would be appreciated.

16.  4-H & FFA MEMBERSHIP

A REMINDER!! Youth choosing to belong to both 4-H and FFA MUST select projects that are separate and different (also different animals and/or products) in an effort to broaden their experiences and learning.

Following are examples that are considered separate and different projects.

Sheep Breeding - Market Lambs

Market Steer - Beef Breeding

Swine Breeding -  Market Hog

Horse Production  - Horse Riding

Market Goats  - Breeding Goats

Broilers  - Laying Flock

Electricity  - Woodworking

Soybeans - Corn

Exploring Forests -  Tree Planting

 

17. SECRETARY & TREASURER BOOKS  - AVAILABLE FOR PICK-UP

The secretary and treasurer books were reviewed and are here for pick-up.

New filler pages for the secretary and treasurer books are copied and ready.

 

18. LIVESTOCK CHANGES

Swine -

- Recommended pigs be born by mid to late February.

- Weigh-in at the fair will begin at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, July 21

- RE: HAIR LENGTH - Slick clipping or body shaving of hair on market hogs, except ears, tail, and underline is prohibited. Hair length of market hogs can be checked at anytime while on the fairgrounds.

Beef -

- Members are encouraged to consider taking a Market Heifer project

Turkeys -

- Hatch date for turkeys is February 20 - not over 22 weeks old by show date.

Check out the 2008 Seneca Co. 4-H & Junior Fair Livestock Requirement Summary for other changes. One copy will be provided for each family with the Club Starter Packets. PLEASE distribute this information to each family with livestock projects.

 

19. OHIO BEEF EXPO BEST

JUNIOR SHOW

A beef judging contest is being held in conjunction with the Ohio Beef Expo on Saturday, March 15 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.

Beef Quality Assurance session begins as 1:00 p.m.

Visit website at: or contact: Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, beef@ohiobeef.org

 

20. Q A REQUIREMENTS

** All 4-H and FFA Exhibitors**

In accordance with the Ohio Department of Agriculture -rules, exhibitors with market projects - steers, feeders, heifers, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, also lactating goats and dairy are required to attend Quality Assurance and complete a Drug Use Notification Form (DUNF).

**FIRST TIME 4-H & FFA EXHIBITORS

- must attend a county-wide Quality Assurance program accompanied by a parent/guardian. If the exhibitors’ animals are not housed at their home address, a custodian (grandparent, uncle/aunt, neighbor, etc.) of the animal (residing where the animal is housed) may attend the meeting.

Dates for county-wide Quality Assurance will soon be set. Check the next newsletter for confirmed dates.

All EXPERIENCED 4-H & FFA EXHIBITORS

Youth with two or more years livestock experience are required to participate in one of the following :

Quality Assurance program presented at a local 4-H Club or FFA Chapter meeting. Livestock exhibitors with - beef, sheep, poultry and lactating dairy must attend.

Attend one of the County-Wide QA Training meeting

 CHANGE:  Beef exhibitors arrending the QA program at the Ohio Beef Expo - participants' certificatres will be accepted.

CHANGE: Swine exhibitors MUST attend a county-wide Swine Clinic and QA program. Exhibitors unable to attend this meeting MUST attend one of the county-wide QA training.

Goat Clinic & QA program - all market and lactating goat exhibitors are strongly encouraged to attend. Exhibitors unable to attend may attend the county-wide QA training or QA in club meeting.

  

QA Programs in club meetings MUST include an in-depth discussion of 3 Good Production Practices -

#s 4, 5 & 6 and a hands-on Quality Assurance activity.

Resource information is available at the Extension office.

REQUIRED once QA is completed:

An attendance sheet will be provided for participants to sign and return to the Extension office once QA presentation is completed. Also, include the QA presenter’s signature.

All QA presenters MUST be a Certified Instructor. For more information about becoming a Certified Instructor, contact Ann at 419-447-9722 ext. 13.

Also, for a list of QA Certified presenters and resource information, contact Ann.

 

21. 2008 4-H SOURCE BOOK

Need to order 4-H apparel, 4-H gifts, 4-H stickers or anything 4-H? Just visit  http://www4-Hmall.org/ohio and click onto the 4-H Mall! National 4-H Supply Service proudly announces the 4-H Fair Share Program! A special Ohio link has been created to the 4-H Mall where Ohio 4-H will receive 10% of the value of the merchandise ordered. Your order will automatically count toward Ohio’s 10% commission. There is no extra effort required on your part! Please note - only orders placed through the on-line store.

22.  Help needed at FLEA MARKETS

The Jr. Fair Foundation is seeking help from 4-H clubs with flea markets for this coming year. Assistance isneeded to work with the morning breakfast, clean-up and parking cars.  For dates and times available contact Diane Routzahn at 419-448-1369 to volunteer.

Ohio State University Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all research and related educational programs are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or veteran status. This statement is in accordance with United States Civil Rights Laws and the USDA. Keith L Smith, PhD., Associate Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Director, Ohio State University Extension.