January 2020 4-H Newsletter

January 13, 2020 4-H News

4-H Happenings

A monthly newsletter for Hancock County 4-H Members

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Upcoming Dates to Remember

January 14 – 6:30 pm – Leaders’ Meeting – Extension Office – dinner provided by Extension Staff
January 21 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Extension Office Closed
February 6 – 4-H Page Day in Augusta – See State News
February 8 – 8:30 – 3:00 – 4-H Unconference – Ellsworth High School
February 11 – 6:30 pm – Leaders’ Meeting – Extension Office
Feb. 21-23 – Becoming an Outdoors Woman Program – see State News

County News

The 2019 Ellsworth Christmas Parade – The 2019 Ellsworth Christmas parade, themed “Silver Bells,” was well attended with many marching units, floats, bands and, of course, Santa Claus! Our Hancock County 4-H unit had two clubs participating, and with 25 4-H’ers members and their leaders, we were an awesome presence! The Horse & Rider Club had a float with goats wearing tutus and three beautiful young ladies wearing bells and berets handing out candy to the children. They were named “The Silver Belles”! The other club participating was the Spruced-Up Homesteaders. They decorated their vintage farm truck and filled it with lots of young club members: it was a crowd favorite!

Since this is an annual activity in Ellsworth, it gives us exposure that we might not have otherwise. Many people remark each year that they didn’t know that 4-H was around anymore. It gives us a chance to tell them (and others watching the parade) that 4-H is indeed still around and very active in Hancock County! Please plan to join us for the 2020 parade next December! Submitted by Heather Linnehan, club leader and committee chair.

Happy New Year – The 4-H staff wants to send a big THANK YOU to all 4-H members, volunteers, parents, and families! We are looking forward to 2020 and hope you are too! Here are a few of the fun things to get excited about in 2020:

Public Speaking – March 7th County Tournament and April 4th State Tournament – Hancock County continues to have some of the highest participation statewide, let’s continue our long tradition of providing opportunities for youth to practice this important life skill
Photo Contest – July 17 – you can enter photos from the ENTIRE year, so start snapping away!
National 4-H Trips – such as Citizen Washington Focus and National Summits are open to
teens in Hancock County and are a great opportunity to travel and learn by doing in the
4-H way.
Scholarships – Being a member of Hancock County 4-H makes you eligible for lots of
financial support (for college, 4-H Summer Camp, Leadership programs, and more)…
learn about all of the opportunities this year and take advantage of them!
Special Interest Programs – such as the Egg Business Project and Aquaculture Projects are
happening around Hancock County. We will be adding more 4-H Gardening programs this year with Zabet’s expertise, so stay tuned for opportunities.
AND SO MUCH MORE!!!! Stay updated by reading the newsletter, visiting our website
and facebook page.

Leaders’ Meeting – the next Leaders’ Association meeting will be on January 14 at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be provided. If you cannot attend in person – join the meeting by computer! Contact the Extension at 667-8212 and we will send you a link.

Welcome New Volunteers – We are pleased to announce a newly trained leader who has completed her training and paperwork in Hancock County.
Goshia Parker – Castine – Peninsula Explorers
Welcome to the 4-H Family!

UMaine 4-H Unconference – not your average volunteer forum!
Help us spread the word about the UMaine 4-H Unconferences, which will be held 8:30-3:00 on:

Saturday, February 8th in Ellsworth – Ellsworth High School (snow date February 29th)
Saturday, March 14th in Lewiston

This is designed for 4-H volunteers, teen leaders and community partners to come together and talk about 4-H ideas that are important to them.

Share with your volunteers and teens about this event. The website has much more information about the day: Pre-registration is required.

It is FREE – a light breakfast and full lunch are provided. Funds are available to help with travel costs. We want to help volunteers get there.

Each county is invited to donate a door prize. This should be something volunteers in your county would want to win. Examples of popular prizes last year were club flags and camp chairs.

We would love to have 4-H staff join us. Here’s a quick form to let us know how you would like to help: Questions – let us know!

A New Year, a new Project Record! – 4-H Project Records are used by 4-H members of all ages to demonstrate the goals they have set, what they have learned, and what they have achieved during their 4-H year. 4-H youth all over the world are working on Project Records throughout the year – you are not alone! In Hancock County, we have a special program for Project Records where youth can receive cash prizes and ribbons for submitting them for judging in September. As you are planning your 4-H projects this year, we encourage you to keep a record of your experience by using the 4-H Project Records. Visit the website to download the records and learn more.

4-H Public Speaking Reminder – Every 4-H member in Hancock County is encouraged to participate in Public Speaking! Youth choose a topic of their choice and then practice the important life skill of public speaking by giving presentations to their clubs, community, and at the county and state tournaments.

The Hancock County 4-H Public Speaking Tournament will be held on March 7. ALL 4-H’ers are encouraged to practice their Public Speaking Presentations in January and February before the county tournament!

Get all the details – including tips for planning your presentation and registration for the 2020 county tournament – on the Public Speaking page on our county website! *Note: you can access this page and other programs/events under the “Programs” tab on the 4-H main menu.

Animal Science Project Webpage – For youth and volunteers involved in 4-H Livestock projects, we have created a new webpage to serve as a resource for the many dates, deadlines, and events & commodity-specific information. We hope this will be a valuable resource to help you access forms and meet appropriate deadlines. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance and please read the newsletter for announcements!

Maine CPR &First Aid – Jesse Rishani will be instructing a CPR & First Aid Course on Saturday, January 18, at 9:30 am, at Lone Spruce Farm (Spruced Up Homesteaders) in Dedham. If you’re interested, please sign up on their Facebook page or contact Kristin at lonesprucefarmhomeschool@gmail.com.

JOANN and 4-H Partnership – 4-H Fabric is currently on clearance at Joann Fabric! If you make some-thing with 4-H fabric, send us a photo – we love to see your projects! Also, don’t forget to sign up for the 4-H rewardsprograms to get VERY good coupons and even more discounts.

JOANN will hold another paper clover-style fundraising campaign for 4-H from March 1 – April 30 where patrons will be asked to donate to 4-H at checkout. We encourage you to spread the word! The funds raised in Maine will stay local – the total amount raised will be split evenly between all counties and all 4-H Camp & Learning Centers.

Maine Envirothon – Envirothon is a state and nationwide natural resource problem-solving 4-H Safe Space Logo competition for grades 9-12. Students compete outdoors in five natural resource areas: aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and a current national environmental issue. Regional and state competitions are held each spring, and the top Maine team qualifies for the North American Envirothon finals – an opportunity to compete against teams from across the United States and Canada. Hancock County 4-H’ers are encouraged to start an Envirothon team! More information can be found on the Maine Envirothon Website, or pick up a brochure at the Extension Office.

UMaine Extension’s Commitment to Civil Rights – This message is being sent as a reminder of UMaine Cooperative Extension’s commitment to ensuring the civil rights of its clients. Every member of the 4-H community must be treated fairly, equitably, with dignity and respect in employment and education. This policy applies to all – regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, including transgender status or gender expression, citizenship status, and marital or family status.

Each 4-H Volunteer has an important role in ensuring that our programs are open and accessible to all youth in accordance with the goals of the program, and for maintaining a positive and equitable environment. The challenge, for each of us, is to make special efforts to seek out diversity. We must be able to show we have made all responsible efforts to reach community members who are traditionally underrepresented in our programs and groups.

We each become more effective in teaching and learning when we are open to a diversity of ideas, cultures, experiences and backgrounds. Not only are our lives enriched, but we also build healthier communities for learning and living.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Extension Office with questions.

Club News

Spruced up Homesteaders – This month the Spruced Up Homesteaders wrapped up

their bakingsession and completed their cookbooks! They are now prepared to make and share scones, baguettes, and crackers! (And they’ve gotten pretty good at setting a proper table!) they also had the awesome opportunity to surprise the staff at the Northern Lights Blue Hill ER with notes of gratitude and treats like garlic bread, cookies, and hot cocoa! The kids wrapped up their community service time by sharing space at the local park, and had a great time celebrating the day together! They also gathered for some sledding and pot luck fun in celebration of Chanukah and Christmas! We are so appreciative to be welcoming in a new year with these amazing children! Submitted by leader Kristin Beauchamp

Horse & Rider – The Horse & Riders met at Heather’s on Dec. 14 for their annual Christmas party. The group played seven “Minute to Win It” games before snacks of ice cream, punch, cupcakes & cookies. After, we had a gift swap. Sally & Heather presented all of the members with gifts before leaving. Submitted by Sally Jordan, leader.

Jolly Juniors – 4-H honored our Veterans by supporting the annual Wreaths Across America convoy as they travel to Arlington Cemetery. Many of our former Jolly Juniors have served our country and that is just one of the reasons we show our gratitude to the men and women of the United States.

The Cloverbud group enjoyed the Christmas village scavenger hunt sponsored by the Community Closet in Ellsworth. To say it was hard is a bit of an understatement! Lots of things to look at and find! Cloverbuds brought a non-perishable food item as one way to support our friends and neighbors who might need a little extra help.

The Jolly Juniors 4-H club wishes everyone a Happy New Year!! We will wear our 4-H pride every day!! Submitted by Brenda Jordan, club leader

Rails N’ Trails – Well I’ll start with the good news about the Bucksport Parade of Lights! There were lots of people & floats in attendance. We passed out all 288 green Mardi gras beads out before we got half way through! We really had a good time “despite” (…here comes the bad news) the power inverter died about 50 feet into the parade! So the only lights we had in the “parade of lights” parade was one single light up clover that you can see above our heads! Awh well – like I said, we still had a good time! Submitted by Lee Sargent, club leader

State News

1.Save the Date for 2020 Maine 4-H Days
Maine 4-H Days will take place July 16 – 19, 2020 at the Windsor Fairgrounds. If you are interested in helping to plan next year’s event, please contact Jessy Brainerd at jessica.brainerd@maine.edu or 207.581.3877.

2. 4-H Science Saturdays are Returning in 2020! – Thanks to the generous support of the Maine 4-H Foundation, we will be offering opportunities for middle/early high school aged youth to visit the UMaine campus for targeted science or engineering experiences!
Science Saturday programs run from 10 AM – 1:30 PM, and include time for youth to engage in hands-on activities with professors and current UMaine students, as well as time for lunch in a UMaine dining hall!
We need your input! What topics should we offer? Please let us know by filling out the survey

3. 4-H Statewide Teen Dance Seeks Planning Committee Members – There is a small group of 4-H members who would like to plan a statewide formal dance for teen 4-H members across the state. We are looking for teen volunteers who would like to be a part of the planning committee for this Winter event. FMI please contact Maddie Gray maddicus83@gmail.com.

4. Winter Becoming an Outdoors Woman Program – The 2019 Winter Becoming an Outdoors Woman program will be held on February 21 – 23, 2020 at Bryant Pond 4-H Camp and Learning Center, 17 Conservation Lane, Bryant Pond ME 04219 in Oxford County. This fun weekend is geared towards women seeking new ways to get outdoors, meet new friends, and challenge themselves. All meals and lodging are provided and space is limited to 36 participants. For more information or call 207.665.2068.

5. Save the Date! 4-H Animal Science Bonanza – January 11, 2020 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, at the Walpole Elementary School, 8 Bemis Rd, Walpole, NH. This 4-H program will have beef, sheep, goat, dairy, and horse workshops with guest speakers. To register – go online by January 6, 2020. For more information contact Andrea, Extension Field Specialist, 603.352.4550 or andrea.sawyer@unh.edu.

6. Maine 4-H Project Records Survey – The final survey regarding the Maine 4-H Project Records is available. 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. This is the third of three surveys. 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. You will be entered in for a drawing of a Hannaford Gift Card. The survey is available here:

7. Maine 4-H Horse Team – February 1st is the deadline to submit the intent to participate in the Maine 4-H Horse Team. You will find the intent form here FMI please contact Kristy Ouellette, kristy.ouellette@maine.edu.

8. 4-H Page Day in Augusta – February 6, 2020 – UMaineDay at the Legislature, Thursday, February 6, 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. It’s fast paced and pages will be moving around the chambers quite a bit, taking direction from the Clerks. We will meet at 8:30 for 4-H pictures and an orientation. Then at 9:00am we will divide our group with one going to the House and the other to the Senate where each group will receive their instructions. Session will begin by 10:00am and will likely conclude around 12:30pm, but the timing is never certain.
NEW: Bicentennial Exploration with the Maine State Museum! The Museum will host our group from 1:30-3:00pm with a free interactive learning series they have developed around documents and artifacts from 200 years ago- giving everyone a new understanding of the process Maine underwent to achieve statehood. The voting might surprise you! What were the moral implications of Maine achieving statehood? Statehood is a messy process and we’re diving into it! Their Bicentennial exhibit will not yet be open, so they are offering us a sneak peak!
If you are interested in serving as a page, please email Alisha Targonski at alisha.r.targonski@maine.eduwith the subject line “Page Day.”
We would love to 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 31. 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. Your slot will only be reserved if you send this complete information:
– Full Name
– Current Age
– Mailing Address, Town, Zip Code
– County (find it here: type town name into www.google.com)
– Phone Number – Email Address (this is how we will confirm you)
– Name of your School/Homeschool – 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.

9. Higher Education Scholarships – The Maine 4-H Foundation provides a number of scholarships for graduating seniors. The applications are found on line and are due in the county office by March 1 and to the Maine 4-H Foundation by March 8th. Please see the rubric and application requirements on line.

10. Camp Scholarships Available – The Maine 4-H Foundation has camp scholarships ranging from $100-$200 available for 4-H members to any one week of 4-H camp. Try one of our University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Centers at Blueberry Cove, Bryant Pond, Greenland Point and Tanglewood. Call the camps to ask for a scholarship. Scholarships are based on need and first come, first serve.

11. 2020 Maine 4-H Beef ESE Intent to Participate – The 2020 Maine 4-H Beef ESE Intent to Participate Form is now available online. Forms must be submitted to your county office by January 10, 2020 and will be forwarded to the Aroostook County Extension Office, Attn: Mari Glatter, 18 Military St, Houlton, ME 04730. This is a requirement for all youth intending to participate as members of the 4-H Beef Team at the Eastern States Exposition in September 2020.

12. National 4-H Dairy Conference – The 66th National 4-H Dairy Conference will be held September 27 to September 30, 2020in Madison, Wisconsin. It will be held in conjunction with World Dairy Expo and attendees will have the chance to visit Expo as part of the conference agenda. Additionally, the conference will offer opportunities to learn more about careers in agriculture, seminars on dairy topics, and a wealth of chances to interact with dairy 4-H members from across the country.
The Maine 4H Animal Science Dairy Committee would love to try and send/support a team of motivated kiddos who are involved with the Dairy Goat, or Dairy Cattle Project Areas for this very unique and meaningful opportunity.
The National 4H Dairy Conference requires that 4H team members: Have spent at least 3 years in those project areas, and be at least 15 years old but not yet older than 18 (4H age).
We are also looking for potential VOLT Chaperones who might like to help organize and facilitate this trip. If we have an idea of how many kids are interested we can plan our fundraising efforts accordingly. Interested parties can contact Tara marble at tara.marble@maine.edu, or 207-778-4650 at the Franklin County Office.

13. Congratulations to the Agri-Science & Healthy Living Summit Delegates for 2020 – In early December, delegates were chosen to attend the National Youth Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summit Trips to be held in Washington, D.C. this Winter. Summits provide an opportunity for youth to learn more about their own sparks and create an action plan to bring back to Maine to teach or provide resources for area youth. These ten scholarship spots are generously funded by the Maine 4-H Foundation. Congratulations to Agri-Science delegates Noah B. (Cumberland), Owen B. (Penobscot), Natalie D. (Cumberland), Susannah H. (Piscataquis), and Rachel W. (Cumberland)! Congratulations to Healthy Living Summit delegates Kalayaan C. (York), Nathan D. ( Knox/Lincoln), Maddie G. (Androscoggin/Sagadahoc), Jordyn M. (Androscoggin/Sagadahoc), Samuel P. (Washington), with Grace T. (York) as an alternate! If you have any questions about these Summit Trips or would like more information about applications for next year, please contact Sara Conant, sara.conant@maine.eduor Alisha Targonski, alisha.r.targonski@maine.eduabout Healthy Living, and Tara Marble, tara.marble@maine.edu about Agri-Science

Cooperative Extension in Hancock County