Franklin County 4-H News, October 2022
Table of Contents
Franklin County 4-H Calendar
- October 1: Re-enrollment is open on ZSuite
- October 2-8: National 4-H Week
- October 2-8: Fryeburg Fair Week
- October 10: Indigenous People’s Day – Extension Office Closed
- October 19: Public Speaking Workshop held by Zoom 6pm – 7pm
- October 19: two-part online training for adults interested in becoming 4-H volunteers from 6–7 p.m.
- October 23: Independent Club Meeting in Farmington 2pm – 4pm
- October 26: two-part online training for adults interested in becoming 4-H volunteers from 6–7 p.m.
Franklin County 4-H Leaders’ Association
The October Leaders’ Association meeting will be held in person or via zoom. Please bring your questions and ideas! We all look forward to seeing you all at 7:00 p.m. on October 20th.
Zoom information will be included in the Agenda for the meeting.
All enrolled 4-H Volunteers are members of their county Leaders’ Association. Your leadership support is encouraged and vital in deciding the focus of our county 4-H programs.
All volunteers, please keep up to date with the newest COVID information and UMaine guidance on this site.
County News
4-H Re-enrollment Paperwork
The new 4-H year starts October 1. There is a new option available for families for the new 4-H Year. Starting October 1st , families will have the ability to log into their account and complete their re-enrollment, as well as all required
forms, online. If you were enrolled for the 2021-2022 year, you can simply visit:
https://4h.zsuite.org/ – click “Forgot Password?” and complete the prompts using the email address you receive your 4-H communications to. If you would prefer to continue to complete paper forms, they can be found online at:
https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/forms/ or by reaching out to your county office.
We would ask that if 4-H members are planning to re-enroll to please do the following:
- Complete and sign all paperwork
- Get required signatures
- Return paperwork to the Extension Office
If you plan to try out for Eastern States, apply for national trips, apply for scholarships, and or
complete an approval form to show animals at the fair, be sure to get your re-enrollment paperwork to
the Extension Office by the December 31st deadline. Volunteers as well are asked to fill out the enrollment
form, the Standards of Behavior Form, and Photo Release (if they so choose). Return all paperwork
to the Extension Office ASAP.
Farmington Fair
Congratulations to all of our 4-H’ers whose work is recognized during the fair. And many thanks to our youth and adult volunteers and staff who contribute “To Make the Best Better”!
Farmington Fair Best in Show
Congratulations to the Best in Show at the Farmington Fair! Well done!
Eastern States Exposition Results for Franklin County Members
Congratulations to all participants at the Eastern States Exposition! The community is very proud of your accomplishments.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension Homemakers Fundraising Request
WE WANT YOUR CAN TABS!
The Franklin County Extension Homemakers are collecting can tabs to benefit the Ronald McDonald House services. The Ronald McDonald House allows parents who are far away from home to stay close to their hospitalized child without the expense of hotel and food costs. The can tab program is important to the Ronald McDonald House because it provides extra revenue that can help make up for donations families cannot make. To house a family the cost is between $100 and $140 a night. That is 280 pounds of tabs! They only ask for $10 a night contribution but no family is turned away. There are two Ronald McDonald Houses located in Maine, one in Bangor and one in Portland.
Tabs are small in size, but they have a big impact. Ask your family, friends, relatives, businesses, service clubs, bottle redemption centers, police stations, schools co-workers, church, etc. to save the tabs. This is an on-going community service that the Homemakers have under taken.
We don’t care what the tabs are collected in; zip lock bags, cardboard boxes, coffee cans, pill bottles, glass jars, or plastic trash bags. If you would like a container to collect tabs in, they are available at the Extension office.
Donations of any size can be left at the Franklin County Extension Office.
Please help us collect as many tabs as possible for this worthy cause. Together we can make an impact on the lives of many.
State 4-H News
2022-2023 Re-Enrollment Process
There is a new option available for families for the new 4-H Year. Starting October 1st , families will
have the ability to log into their account and complete their re-enrollment, as well as all required
forms, online. If you were enrolled for the 2021-2022 year, you can simply visit:
https://4h.zsuite.org/ – click “Forgot Password?” and complete the prompts using the email
address you receive your 4-H communications to. There is a help menu that offers step-by-step
instructions in the system, as well as live chat for questions. You are also welcome to reach out to
your county staff or to the State Office at 4-H@maine.edu. If you would prefer to continue to
complete paper forms, they can be found online at:
https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/forms/ or by reaching out to your county office.
This fall county offices are piloting a new club specifically for independent 4-H members. This is a space for
youth to come together and build relationships with their peers. We will share interests, projects, goals, and
plans for the year and then reflect on our learning throughout and at the end of the year. This is also a
great place to start if you are a new or recently enrolled independent member. We will meet 3 times
throughout the year as a group with county staff. This will be a space for youth to foster friendships with
peers and possibly come together to work on projects of similar interests. We are even hoping to get the
group to brainstorm common interests and work together on a community service project!
Register here! Meetings can be attended either in person or virtually and will be open to all ages. Dates
based on county/region.
Habitat and Wildlife Management Workshop
Come for an afternoon of outdoor fun and learning! Learn about fringe habitats and vegetation
management, investigate herpetology hotspots, and explore wetland habitats and birds of prey.
This workshop is co-hosted by the Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP), Maine 4-H and
CMP. While at the workshop, you can learn more about joining 4-H and WHEP! The workshop will
take place on October 9, 2022 from 1-4pm at the Bowdoinham Wildlife Management Area.
This event is free. You do not need to be enrolled in 4-H to participate. Parents should expect to
accompany their children during the workshop. For more information and to register, visit: Habitat and Wildlife Management Workshop.
The Maine 4-H Communication Science Team invites all enrolled 4-H members to the October
19th meeting for an open workshop. The meeting will be held via zoom from 6 – 7 pm. Team
members will teach tips and tricks to improve your presentation skills. Please
contact cathy.gray@maine.edu for more information.
Register Now for the 4-H Unconference
UMaine 4-H Unconference will be an organized forum for 4-H volunteers, club leaders, afterschool
providers, teachers, parents and teen leaders to gather. UMaine 4-H Unconference is intentionally
designed to have YOU teach and learn from each other. There is no agenda; you come with 4-H
ideas and topics you want to talk about or learn more about, and we’ll guide the process to get
folks into groups where YOU are the experts. Save the dates: Saturday, October 22nd and
Friday, November 11th. Come to one or both. Registration and more information is available at https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/unconference/.
Update: Deadline for Free Raffle and Maine 4-H Teen Leadership Survey is October 11th
Greetings 4-H’ers, I hope you are having a fantastic beginning to autumn. This is an invitation to
complete a SHORT survey (about 30 questions/5 minutes) and enter a free raffle for a 4-H lunch
tote or t-shirt (total of seven items). The survey is for anyone age 11+ who has been active in any
4-H activity since 2017. The survey and entry window into the raffle will close Tuesday,
October 11th !
To enter the raffle, simply add your contact information (email, phone #, etc.) to any of your
responses in the survey or send it to Andrew Hudacs in a separate email. Your responses will
help Andrew and others in Maine 4-H learn about your interests, post-high school plans, and
thoughts on 4-H leadership programs. The survey results will be used to improve Maine 4-H. If
you are a 4-H parent or club leader, please ask each child age 11+ complete at https://umaine.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5yXj7Bb1UdPYvqK.
Androscoggin/Sagadahoc 4-H Monthly Workshops – Open to All Maine 4-Hers!
Come join the Androscoggin and Sagadahoc counties 4-H program at their monthly workshops –
the Third Friday of every month (unless otherwise noted) from 6:00 – 7:30 pm at the Lisbon
Extension Office at 24 Main Street. Anyone interested can contact Melissa Freeman or Cathy
Gray to find out more information.
Currently Scheduled Topics:
– October 21, 2022 – Apples!
– November 18, 2022 – Card Making
– December 16, 2022 – Game Night
– January 20, 2023 – “Getting the Word Out” Digital Marketing
– February 17, 2023 – Short Film Making
– March 10, 2023 – Spa & Relaxation Science
– April 21, 2023 – Movie Premier Night
– May 19, 2023 – Wool Spinning Workshop
EFNEP Recipes: It’s Pumpkin Season!
October is a month full of festivities and surprises, and the one thing that is constant are
pumpkins! This month we have some great pumpkin-inspired recipes. Usually, we think of
pumpkins as something we carve or bake into pies (which is a good thing too!), but this amazing
fruit has a lot going for it, and it is actually a very healthy food choice! Pumpkins happen to be full
of vitamins, including vitamins A and C which help your vision, strengthen your immune system,
and can help reduce the risk of heart disease. They are also full of fiber and are low in calories.
Here are some healthy ways to enjoy pumpkin this fall: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Pumpkin Muffins, or a Pumpkin Smoothie!
For more delicious recipes, check out our UMaine EFNEP Mainely Dish Video Series. By Debbie
Barnett (EFNEP CEA in Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo counties – deborah.barnett@maine.edu).
Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) offers FREE nutrition education
classes to income-eligible adults with children, or young adults 19-25 years old, and if you are
eligible for programs such as SNAP, WIC, or Head Start. Find out more online.