December 2018 4-H Newsletter

December 7, 2018 4-H News

4-H Happenings

A monthly newsletter for Hancock County 4-H Members

Download the PDF

Upcoming Dates to Remember

December 24-25 – Christmas – Extension Office Closed
December 31 – State Deadline for Re-enrollment Forms – No Exceptions
January 1 – New Year’s Day – Extension Office Closed
January 8 – 6:30 pm – Leaders’ Meeting – Extension Office
January 21 – Martin Luther King Day – Extension Office Closed
January 26 – 8:30 am – UMaine 4-H Unconference
January 29 – 4-H Day in Augusta

County News

2018 Leaders’ Banquet

Our 2018 4-H Leaders’ Banquet was held on November 17th at the Halcyon Grange in Blue Hill. To switch things up this year, the Leaders’ Association opted to treat the leaders to a bountiful brunch prepared by the accommodating crew at the Grange. As we entered the Grange, the aroma of freshly made cinnamon buns wafted in the air. We started off the event with some social time, while prepping for our always anticipated Chinese Auction. We continued the afternoon with a delicious array of brunch treats from the Grange volunteers.

We recognized volunteers who have given their time to serve in our 4-H community. We also recognized the work of some individuals who have gone above and beyond to help continue the great work of our 4-H program.

Lisa Carney was given the “Keeping it Cool Award” for covering multiple roles during June Jamboree and her dedicated Carla, Rosie, Lisa & Joyce service Rosie, Carla, Heather & Joyce as secretary for the past 12 years. Heather Linnehan was given the “Carrying us Through Award” for always participating and helping to organize multiple 4-H events. Norma Hardison was recognized for her 50 years of service and dedication to 4-H’ers and leaders throughout the years.

We completed the afternoon with the annual Chinese Auction. Many thanks to all of our volunteers for their dedication and many hours of service and to the Leaders’ Association for providing us with a beautiful meal and enjoyable afternoon.

Re-enrollment Deadline – County deadline has already passed! Last notice! ALL paperwork must be turned in to the Extension Office by Monday, December 31st. There will be no exceptions. If you do not re-enroll, you will not be eligible to participate in 4-H this year.

Leaders’ Meeting – the next Leaders’ Association meeting will be on January 8 at 6:30 pm. If you cannot attend in person – join the meeting by computer! Go to: https ://maine.zoom.us/my/hancock4h or by phone 1-646-876-9923, then enter the meeting ID #207 667 8212.

Welcome New Volunteers – We are pleased to announce two newly VOLTed leaders who have completed their training and paperwork in Hancock County.

Shannon Byers – Lamoine – Egg Business Project Leader
Katelyn Smith – Castine – Intern from Maine Maritime Academy

Welcome to the 4-H Family!

Leader Recognition – Congratulations to the following leaders:
One Year Pins
Sue Carlisle – Independent
Christina Siddons – Independent
Bryce Farnham – Independent
Amberosity Gott – Independent
Diana Helmandollar – Free 2 Be
Kasha Robertson – Rails N’ Trails
Carla Scocchi – Independent
Wayne Simmons – Mega Builders
Eric White – Independent

Five Year Pins
Eugenio Bertin – Free 2 Be
Audra Porter – Rails N’ Trails
Jessica St. Amand – Independent

Ten Year Pins
Paula Collins – Jolly Juniors
Joyce Fortier – Independent

Fifteen Year Pins
Frank Butler – Lock, Stock & Barrel
Bill Carney – Independent
Robin Foster – Union River Valley
Brenda Jordan – Jolly Juniors
Heather Linnehan – Horse & Rider
Marjorie Peronto – Kids Can Grow
Lee Sargent – Rails N’ Trail

Twenty Year Pins
Sheila O’Donnell – Independent
Terry Swazey – Horse of Course

Twenty-five Year Pin
George Dunn – Jolly Juniors

Thirty Year Pin
Karen Bender – Independent

Fifty Year Pin
Norma Hardison – Jolly Juniors

New Website – Please check out our NEW and IMPROVED Hancock County 4-H Website! We are still adding lots of great new stuff, but take a few minutes to poke around and become familiar with all of the resources on the new site (especially under “Current 4-H Members”). Bonus points if you fill out the website feedback form on the left hand side of the screen! Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks and online registrations for 4-H events throughout the year.

2018 Ellsworth Christmas Parade – After many years of participation in the parade Christmas Parade 2018 , this year the 4-H

members were able to be spectators and enjoy watching the parade. They sure looked sharp in their 4-H green!

Egg Business Project coming to Hancock County 4-H – This spring, Hancock County 4-H will participate in the 4-H Egg Business Project. This program will provide learning experiences in business, entrepreneurship, record keeping, documentation, problem-solving, food safety, and animal husbandry. In addition, participants will learn about, understand, and follow state and local regulations for producing and selling poultry eggs. This project is being coordinated by a 4-H Volunteer with support from UMaine Extension Staff around the state. Stay tuned for more information, including how to participate, coming this spring!

Volunteer Insurance & Liability

In this day and age, we are all concerned about our potential liability exposure. What will happen if someone is injured or property is damaged during a 4-H event that I am leading? What happens if I am sued because of an accident that happens while I am volunteering? Generally, authorized 4-H volunteers have liability protection while doing educational activities on behalf of University of Maine Cooperative Extension. However, the University will not pay expenses if the person did not act in good faith and with the reasonable belief that their action was appropriate and in the best interest of the University, or if the person had reasonable cause to believe that their action was illegal.

As I continue to work with Cooperative Extension’s many policies and procedures, I feel it is important to ensure that you are informed and knowledgeable about what you need to do to protect yourself from potential liability issues.

The University requires that 4-H volunteers follow these steps to make sure they are protected by the University’s liability insurance while performing University-related activities:

Be a certified and enrolled 4-H Volunteer with the Extension office. Other adults who support the 4-H program should be under the direction of enrolled, certified volunteers. The Good Samaritan Law and the Volunteer Protection Act may provide protection for other volunteers.
Teach, model, and emphasize safety in all 4-H activities, as outlined in the Standards of Behavior (PDF) contract that you are required to sign annually. If there is an issue, the University will ask detailed questions about your risk management practices (see Risk Management Practices).
Make sure that activities are approved by County 4-H Staff; this includes any field trips, fundraising events, or “special events” that your club is organizing. Documentation is important in case we are questioned about whether a specific volunteer or activity is covered.
Make sure Extension staff know when and where the approved activities take place. You can inform us in whichever method of communication works for you — email, phone, in person, or even Facebook!

If you haven’t reviewed these policies in awhile, or if you are a new 4-H Volunteer, I encourage you to explore the Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines for Volunteers. This is a very large document with a lot of important information, so please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions, or are looking for specific information. I am always eager to meet with any volunteer to discuss what these policies look like “in the real world” – in a way that is most applicable to your program. I am always learning along with you and want to be sure you are protected while doing the great work that you do!

Contact:
Carla Scocchi, 4-H Youth Development Professional
carla.scocchi@maine.edu
(207) 667-8212

Club News

Jolly Juniors – held their annual wreath making and cookie swap last week. Amy Folmer led the 4-Hers in making wreaths and centerpieces while Mercy Hardison and Jessica McDevitt did crafts with them. Lots of yummy cookies were swapped and fun was had by all!

Spruced Up Homesteaders –Just a few of our 4-H kids are seen here practicing their attitude of gratitude as they write thank you notes to our thoughtful sewing machine donor! Today our group of about 15 kids discussed their goals, made and baked blueberry hand pies, wrote thank you cards, helped with night time farm chores and found some time for free play in between it all! We are so proud of our “Spruced Up Homesteaders” and we are so excited to see where they will go when using their “Head for clearer thinking, Heart for greater loyalty, Hands for larger service, and Health for better living.” Thank you Kristin Beauchamp, club leader, for your willingness to guide this club.

The Peninsula Explorers had an awesome opening session of the NIGHT SKY THEME this month! Youth learned about constellations, navigational stars, and the celestial sphere rotation around the North Star. It was a crystal clear dark night and Blue Hill Heritage Trust’s Surry Forest property was a great spot for stargazing! This month, the Peninsula Explorers will be visiting Maine Maritime Academy’s Planetarium in Castine.

State News

2019 Maine State Science Fair
It’s time to announce the 2019 Maine State Science Fair, to be held Saturday, March 23 at Bowdoin College in Brunswick. Prizes and awards include 12 four-year, full-tuition scholarships to The University of Maine (including admission to the UMaine Honors College), and major scholarships from University of New England, College of the Atlantic, and Husson University. In 2018, MSSF awarded over $1 million in scholarships and awards. Other scholarships may be announced in the coming weeks.

The Maine State Science Fair is open, without cost, to all Maine high school students who complete their own research or engineering project individually or in teams of 2-3. The purpose of MSSF is to present, learn, and discuss science with peers and STEM professionals from across Maine. Projects are invited from across all STEM disciplines: life sciences, agriculture, mathematics, computer sciences, psychology, energy, physics, marine science, environmental sciences, ecology, chemistry. All STEM projects are considered!

Important dates for this year’s MSSF:
– January 18 – student registration deadline.
– February 1 – research plan deadline.
– March 1 – preliminary research results deadline.
– March 23 – Maine State Science Fair.

More information can be found online at: https://www.jax.org/education-and-learning/high-school-students-and-undergraduates/maine-state-science-fair

2. 4-H Page Day in Augusta – January 29, 2019
UMaine Day at the Legislature, Tuesday, January 29, is approaching. It’s a day where Cooperative Extension gets to highlight our awesome programs, and 4-H is one of the best! Since legislators like to see 4-H members from their districts, 4-Hers (age 13 or older) are encouraged to serve as Honorary Pages. The Maine 4-H program has up to 30 slots for Honorary Pages.

What does a page do? Legislators are constantly communicating and making decisions while in session and pages make that communication possible. Pages hand out information packets or place the paper information on their desks. Pages will also run communication and documents directly from legislator to legislator.

If you are interested in serving as a page, please contact Diana at 207-622-7546 or diana.hartley@maine.edu.

We would love to have pages from all over the state represented. Slots, representing different state senators and representatives, will be filled in the order they are received, but the final deadline is January 20th. If the slot for your legislative district has been filled, your name will be added to a wait list in the order it is received. If you are leaving a message, please be sure to say “I am interested in serving as a 4-H Page at the Legislature on January 29”. Your slot will be reserved if you leave this complete information:
– Full Name – Age
– Mailing Address – County
– Phone Number – Email Address (this is how we will confirm you)
– Name of your School – Name of your 4-H Club
– Name of your Maine State Representative
– Name of your Maine State Senator
– Name of your Adult Chaperone
– Adult Chaperone’s cell phone number

4-H Honorary Pages will be in the Capitol from 8:30am– 3:00pm. A parent or 4-H volunteer must provide transportation and chaperoning. If you have questions, please let Alisha know at alisha.r.targonski@maine.edu.

Lewiston – Saturday, January 12, 2019 (snow date January 19, 2019)

Orono – Saturday, January 26, 2019 (snow date February 2, 2019)

To learn more and to register – visit https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/umaine-4-h-unconference/. Contact Sarah Sparks with any questions –sarah.sparks@maine.edu or 353-5550.

4. Digital Ambassador (DA) Info Sessions
For volunteers, teens, and staff: Learn about the program goals in Maine and how youth can help increase the digital literacy in their communities by teaching older adults. Two teen ambassadors and two adults are needed in every county participating. The DAs will host 6-10 learning sessions in their county between April 2019 and June 2020. DAs and adult volunteers will need to be able to travel to Columbus, Ohio, for a training session in February 2019 as well as participate in statewide online and in person trainings throughout the year. Information will be shared on how to get involved in this project in your home county.

Topic: 4-H Digital Ambassadors Info Session 1
Time: Dec 11, 2018 5:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://maine.zoom.us/j/990284312
Or Telephone: US: +1 646 876 9923 or +1 408 638 0968 or +1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 990 284 312
Topic: 4-H Digital Ambassador Info Session 2
Time: Dec 17, 2018 7:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://maine.zoom.us/j/595426226
Or Telephone: US: +1 646 876 9923 or +1 408 638 0968 or +1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 595 426 226

For more questions please contact Alisha Targonski at alisha.r.targonski@maine.edu.

3. UMaine 4-H Unconference – not your average volunteer forum!
UMaine 4-H Unconference – a volunteer forum led by 4-H volunteers for 4-H volunteers. UMaine 4-H Unconference will be an organized forum for 4-H volunteers, club leaders, afterschool providers, teachers, parents and teens 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. All experience levels are welcome and no one person has all the answers. Door prizes will be given at the end of the day.
Join us for one or both of these awesome dates! Registration begins at 8:30 and door prizes will be drawn by 3:00.

Lewiston – Saturday, January 12, 2019 (snow date January 19, 2019)
Orono – Saturday, January 26, 2019 (snow date February 2, 2019)

To learn more and to register – visit https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/umaine-4-h-unconference/. Contact Sarah Sparks with any questions –sarah.sparks@maine.edu or 353-5550.

Topic: 4-H Digital Ambassador Info Session 2
Time: Dec 17, 2018 7:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://maine.zoom.us/j/595426226
Or Telephone: US: +1 646 876 9923 or +1 408 638 0968 or +1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 595 426 226

For more questions please contact Alisha Targonski at alisha.r.targonski@maine.edu

5. Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summit Applications for 2019 Are Available Now! – There are currently seven scholarships available through funding from the Maine 4-H Foundation to send youth to the National 4-H Conference Center, just outside Washington, D.C., for the Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summits in early 2019.

Summit Information:
https://4hcenter.org/tours-programs/national-youth-summits
Agri-Science: January, 10-13, 2019
Healthy Living: February 15-18, 2019
Eligibility:Youth ages 14-18. Enrolled in 4-H by December 31, 2018.
Participant cost after scholarship is applied:$150.00 (Scholarship will cover remainder of registration & flight cost – approximately $700).
Application and more Summit information: https://goo.gl/forms/uOsPytnzFA5OLfY53. This is a combined application for both the Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summits.
Applications and Recommendations due by December 15, 2018.

If a youth would like to attend, but does not receive the scholarship funding, they may self-fund and attend. Email or call Sara, conant@maine.edu, 207.781.6099, for more details on this option or with any questions. Please

6. Please provide feedback on Project Records!
Click the following link to take the survey. https://umaine.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bP1iUM659wuRVrL

You are invited to participate in a statewide research project being conducted by Kristy Ouellette and Jennifer Lobley, Extension Educators at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. 4-H volunteers and staff from all over Maine will participate in this study.

Purpose of this research project: We recognize the value of our 4-H volunteers. As a state we have rolled out new 4-H Project Records. We want to have a better understanding of your beliefs and understandings of the function of these records. What will you be asked to do? If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete an on-line survey with questions pertaining to your attitudes and beliefs regarding 4-H project records in Maine. The survey will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete. Risks: Except for your time and inconvenience, there are no foreseeable risks to you in participating in this study. Benefits: You will be eligible to enter into a raffle for a $25.00 gift card to Hannaford. Confidentiality: As a participant you will be anonymous. Investigators or a student will enter data into a computer. Data will be kept on a secured computer with only the investigators or a student having access. Data will be kept for a period of 5 years. Voluntary: Participation is voluntary. If you choose to take part in this study, you may stop at any time during the study. You may skip any questions you do not wish to answer. Participation in the on-line survey implies consent to participate.

Contact Information: If you have any questions about this study, please contact Kristy Ouellette at 207.353.5550 or kristy.ouellette@maine.edu If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, please contact Gayle Jones, Assistant to the University of Maine’s Protection of Human Subjects Review Board, at 581.1498.

Cooking with Kids

Reindeer Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
72 small pretzel twists, or as needed
1/2 cup chocolate chips, or as needed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375º F
Beat butter, sugar, peanut butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Stir flour and baking soda into creamed butter mixture until well incorporated.
Roll dough into 36 balls. Flatten each ball and shape into an upside-down triangle. Press two pretzels into the two top corners of each triangle for the antlers. Press two chocolate chips into the center of each triangle for the eyes, and one chocolate chip or M&M on the bottom of the triangle for the nose. Arrange cookies on baking sheets.
Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Cooperative Extension in Hancock County