The Maine 4-H Foundation along with area businesses is inviting your participation in the Maine Clover Promotion October 1-31 as part of its 4-H Month fundraising campaign. The project raises money for 25,000 youths involved in Maine 4-H.

How you can help >>

Recent findings from Tufts University’s “4-H Study of Positive Youth Development” indicate that young people in 4-H are three times more likely to contribute to their communities than youth not participating in 4-H. Annually 25,000 youth participate in Maine 4-H, which is the youth development program of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

Also during National 4-H Week, hundreds of thousands of youth from all around the nation will complete a single, innovative experiment on 4-H National Youth Science Day, which will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The 2011 National Science Experiment, Wired for Wind, will introduce young people to the possibilities of using wind as a clean, widely available, and low-cost source of renewable energy.

The project raises money for 25,000 youths involved in Maine 4-H. 4-H is the youth development program of University of Maine Cooperative Extension. The foundation calls the campaign a great way for all to contribute to the youth in our state and to identify local businesses as a youth supporter in their communities.

The Maine Clover Promotion enables business customers to buy a “clover” for $1. Some businesses have hung the clovers in their stores and some have chosen to give them to customers making the donation. Seventy percent of the contributions go directly to local county 4-H programs and thirty percent goes to statewide programs such as summer camps and trips.

Last year, more than 50 businesses participated and more than 6,000 people purchased clovers. The Maine 4-H Foundation invites all businesses to help make the 2011 campaign successful one. Contact the Maine 4-H Foundation directly at (207) 356-5904 or e-mail audrey.chapman@maine.edu for more information.

–Audrey Chapman, Executive Director, Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation

“4-H Making the Best Better”

(Roll your cursor over the images to see captions.)

They were Ashlie Hardy of Farmington in Franklin County, Cody Coutts of Chelsea in Kennebec County and Jessyca Rankin of Cornish and Aryn Martin of Gorham in Cumberland County.

They were selected by a panel of 4-H educators, volunteers or youth who have been on the trip in the past to represent Maine 4-H at the annual conference learned about challenges and trends in agriculture, cultural diversity, group dynamics and community service. The conference is intended to address the needs and issues of young people while helping to develop capable, competent and caring citizens with the knowledge and leadership skills to positively effect change in the world through hands-on and community-based experiences.

Maine 4-H youth are supported by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation and local county programs. 4-H is a community of six million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.

4-Hers with Senator Olympia Snowe

Students in the meeting included: Amanda Barrows of Union, Brent Barrows of Union, Eben Benson of Gorham, Catherine Berry of Phillips, Sara Conant of Windham, Victoria Corson of Farmington, Jordan Davis of Sabattus, Grace Gonnella of Old Town, Kayla Marie Hanson of Stetson, Steven Hanson of Stetson, Sadie James of Avon, Justin Lipkvich of Mariaville, Aryn Martin of Gorham, Brittany Moon of Freeport, Alex Nelson of Thorndike, Kate Pontbriand of Gouldsboro, Ben Pride of Limington, Brianna Springer Ellsworth, and Ben Yeaton of Acton.

Chaperones in the meeting included:  Kristy Ouellette, Extension Educator for the UMaine Cooperative Extension; Audrey Chapman, Executive Director of the Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation; and Lisa Davis.

4-H is the youth development program of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.  More than 20,000 Maine students participate in 4-H activities.

The Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation has awarded postsecondary scholarships of $1,000 each to seven 2010 graduating high school seniors.

Students were selected by the foundation’s scholarship committee made up of a panel of 4-H foundation trustees. The scholarships were established by private donations and benefit each student after successful completion of his or her first semester of undergraduate study.

Scholarships were made possible by the following individuals or their families: Theda Parker, K.C. Lovejoy, Evelyn L. Trotsky, Verna Church Witter, Doris Roberts, H. Lawrence, George Lawrence Humphrey, Azure Dillon and Gladys Conant.

The 2010 winners were Sara Conant of Windham (Cumberland County 4-H), Dana Tripp of Saco (York County 4-H), Anne F. Witick of Abbot (Piscataquis County 4-H), Kellene O’Hara of Caribou (Aroostook County 4-H), Dana Hayward of North Yarmouth (Cumberland County 4-H), Grace Gonnella of Old Town and Caleb Guerin of Glenburn (both Penobscot County 4-H).

In addition to postsecondary scholarships, the Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation supports 4-H programming statewide. For more information or to discuss charitable giving options please contact Audrey Chapman at (207) 581-1162 or (207) 356-5904, or audrey.chapman@maine.edu. Her physical mailing address is: 5741 Libby Hall, Room 103, Orono, ME 04469.