May 2024 4-H Newsletter
4-H Calendar
4-H Club Happenings
State 4-H News
Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News
May 1: ESE Dairy, Working Steer, Horse Animal Approval Forms due
May 1: Paul Merrill 4-H Memorial Fund Applications Due
May 13: Maker Monday, 4:30-5:30 PM, 4-H Office, Falmouth, ME
May 16: CC 4-H Leaders & Volunteers Meeting, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Online & Gorham Public Works, 80 Huston Road, Gorham
May 22: Wacky Wednesday, 3:00-4:00 PM, Windham Public Library
June 1: June Jamboree, Cumberland Fairgrounds
June 5: Fryeburg Fair 4-H Market Lamb Intent Form due to Cumberland County Office.
Animal Approvals
Anyone wishing to show animals at any 4-H shows/events at fairs this year must have a valid Animal Approval Form. All forms must be filled out, signed by the club leader (on the line directly after the last animal listed), and signed and embossed by the county office. 4-Hers will receive a signed and embossed copy in the mail within approximately two weeks of the form being received in our office. The sooner they arrive, the sooner you will have them back.
Please pay special attention to the second side of the form which lists the proper identification needed for each species of animal. It is very important that this information, along with a signed lease form for any animal that you lease, is sent with your animal approval form. Forms will not be signed if there are leased animals on the form and no lease form, or if there is no extra identification for species of animals that need it. Please also note that each animal may only be leased by one 4-Her and listed on only one 4-Her’s animal approval form. The only exception is that one horse may be leased by two 4-H members and listed on two 4-Her’s animal approval forms. A maximum of 20 animals per species that require an animal approval form may be leased by a member.
Please note if you would like your Animal Approvals back to you in order to participate in some of the earlier fairs, please get them to me sooner rather than later. This allows time for review, processing, & return mailing. Please plan accordingly!
Forms can be found online on the General Volunteer Resources – Forms page.
If you have any questions or would like blank forms sent to you please email or call Allison at allison.pollock@maine.edu or 207.781.6099.
Tractor Supply Paper Clover Fundraiser
April 24th-May 12th, 2024
Purchase a paper clover at your local Tractor Supply store and support 4-H! This campaign directly benefits youth in Cumberland County, with 90% of donated funds staying in the state of Maine and 10% going to national 4-H programming.
Maker Series
One Monday or Wednesday afternoon each month January – May, we will offer a themed hands-on activity for youth ages 5-12 that will include crafts or science. 5-8 year-olds must have an adult present for assistance and some projects encourage adult assistance for all ages. Current 4-H enrollment is not necessary for participation in the Maker Series program. Registration ends one week prior to each class or when full (maximum of 10). The same theme will be provided at both locations for each month.
MAKER MONDAY
Dates: Monday, May 13
Time: 4:30-5:30 PM
Ages: 5-10 year olds
Location: UMaine Extension Cumberland Office, 75 Clearwater Dr, Falmouth
Cost: FREE, Registration is required
Click Here to Register for May 13th
WACKY WEDNESDAY
Dates: Wednesday, May 22
Time: 3:00-4:00 PM
Grades: K-6th
Location: Windham Public Library, 217 Windham Center Rd, Windham
Cost: Free drop-in program; no registrations are needed for these sessions.
Have questions? Contact Allison by email allison.pollock@maine.edu or phone 207.781.6099.
CC 4-H Leaders Association Meeting – May 16, 7:00PM
Join us on Thursday, May 16 at 7:00p.m. in person at the Gorham Public Works Building (80 Huston Road, Gorham) These meetings are a chance to meet volunteers, and to offer input on 4-H programming in Cumberland County! All volunteers are welcome and encouraged to attend! If you would like the Zoom link please email Allison, allison.pollock@maine.edu
June Jamboree – June 1, 2024
June Jamboree is once again right around the corner. It is a time for 4-H members to see what others are doing in their 4-H projects, with a chance to learn new things, to see old friends and to make new ones. June Jamboree will also assist 4-H members in preparing for the Cumberland County Fair in September. 4-H club members have the opportunity to participate in many animal clinics, shows, and workshops. There will be workshops about Dairy, Horses, Rabbits, Sheep, Swine, and Working Steer.
You can find more information on our website: https://extension.umaine.edu/cumberland/4h/events/june-jamboree/
Beach Clean Up
Save the Date: June 28th, 2024 at 1pm
Teen Council has planned a county-wide Community Service Activity for all 4-H Clubs to participate in. We are hoping to have as many people participate in this event as possible. More details will be coming soon as soon as we finalize our location..
We’re helping Friends of Casco Bay keep our coastal waters clean! The litter and marine debris that wind up on our shores come from many sources. Some debris is the result of careless beachgoers, boaters, fishing vessels, and ships. Some are carried by stormwater as debris flows from our yards and parking lots into storm drains that empty into Casco Bay. This debris degrades the environmental health of our waters and reduces the quality of life of those who live, work, and play on Casco Bay. We will provide all the tools and information you need.
Club Happenings
GNG Food Pantry Project
In April, the GNG Food Pantry Project collected donations and handed out information and stickers at the New Gloucester and Gray Transfer Stations. The fundraiser was very successful, even in all kinds of weather.
Your 4-H Club Happenings could be featured here! Just email allison.pollock@maine.edu by the 28th of each month with information about your club meetings, events, or fundraisers. Pictures are always a plus!
State 4-H News May 2024
UMaine 4-H Invites You to be a Part of Pride 2024
4-H will be participating in Pride festivities in Portland on June 15, 2024. A pride event is a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community, the rights won, and recognition of these individuals as existing and loved members of our communities. 4-H will participate in the parade portion by walking with a banner. Participants should plan on being at the event from noon – 2:30pm.
This event is open to any 4-H member or 4-H volunteer. Friends, family, and 4-H alumni are welcome but must have a 4-H member/volunteer hosting them.
To register or for more information, go to this webpage. If you have questions you can email 4-hpride@maine.edu.
4-H Market Lamb Intent for Fryeburg Fair
Youth planning to participate in the Market Lamb program at Fryeburg Fair need to submit the 2024 Fryeburg Fair Market Lamb Intent form by June 5th. An online form is available, otherwise youth can print and mail a copy downloaded from the website.
4-H Tick Project
The 4-H Tick Project is a community science project engaging K-12 youth and educators, made possible through a partnership between 4-H Youth Development, UMaine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab, Maine Forest Tick Survey, and members of the Learning Ecosystems Northeast partnership. The project provides youth an opportunity to explore ticks and tick-borne diseases, which is a connected story of climate, ecosystem change, and public health.
All educators interested in teaching about ticks in Maine are encouraged to participate in the project at no cost to you. This is a great project for 4-H clubs, SPIN clubs, homeschool groups, and more. For more information and to register, visit the 4-H Tick Project webpage.
Save the Date: Maine 4-H Days is Happening in 2024!
Where: Windsor Fairgrounds, Windsor, Maine
When: Friday evening, July 19 – Saturday, July 20. Animal Science tracks are being scheduled from Friday, July 19 – Sunday, July 21.
Registration for the event for 4-H’ers and their families will be opening in mid-May. More information is coming soon. We can’t wait to see you there!
Do you know someone interested in becoming a 4-H Volunteer? Tell them about Start Your 4-H Journey!
University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer a two-part online informational session for adults interested in becoming Maine 4-H volunteers on May 22 & 29 from 6 – 7 p.m. “Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey” will provide participants with information about the UMaine Extension 4-H youth development program through four short e-Learning modules. Attendees will also participate in an experimental learning activity, learn about the key aspects of positive youth development, and be introduced to ages and stages of youth. The two one-hour virtual sessions will wrap up with an outline of next steps and an introduction to a county staff contact to help with the application process if desired.
Registration is required. The sessions are free. To register, visit our website.
For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Jennifer Lobley, jennifer.lobley@maine.edu, 207.255.3345.
Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News
UMaine Extension Cumberland County offers many different workshops throughout the year. To learn more about our workshop offerings please visit https://extension.umaine.edu/cumberland/upcoming-events/