November 2021 4-H Newsletter

November 2, 2021 4-H News

4-H Happenings

A monthly newsletter for Hancock County 4-H Members

Download the PDF

Jolly Juniors Scarecrow Contest Rules PDF

Upcoming Dates to Remember

November 1 – Re-enrollment Forms are Due in the Extension Office
November 4 – 6:00 pm – Hybrid Leaders’ Association – Contact the Office for Details
November 11 – Veteran’s Day – Extension Office Closed
November 25-26 – Thanksgiving – Extension Office Closed
December 24 – Extension Office Closed
December 31 – State Deadline for Re-enrollment – No Exceptions

County News

4-H Leadership in Action Award
Congratulations to Sherry F., Hancock County 4-H’er and the 2021 recipient of the Hancock County Extension Association’s 4-H Leadership in Action Award! In 4-H, we regularly recognize youth for developing skills and knowledge, but this award is unique in that we are recognizing a member who has put those skills and knowledge into action and as a result, has become a leader among her peers and in her community.
Sherry is well-known in the 4-H community for her impressive and ambitious sewing projects! This year, she sewed a formal dress pattern that she said was advanced – and at times, difficult to understand. She completed the project in time for the Blue Hill Fair and ended up not only getting a blue ribbon but also the “Best in Project” and “Best in Show” ribbons as well! She hopes to plan, design, pattern, and sew a dress of her own imagination in the near future.
Sherry is a wonderful example of a true leader… at just 16 years old, Sherry already has an impressive resume that includes leadership positions such as:
– An ambassador for her current high school
– A council member for the Maine 4-H State Youth Council, which is a leadership opportunity for 4-H teens across the state to serve as a liaison between local 4-H programs and state 4-H programs
– The student representative for the Maine State Commission for the Deaf/HOH
– The student representative on the school board for the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf.
– Sherry is also a runner, and has used her running to benefit her community through a 4K race, a walk/run virtual charity race and other fundraisers.
Sherry’s Leadership in Hancock County 4-H is about more than simply a list of her accomplishments – but rather, in true 4-H fashion, it is about what she does everyday to “make the best better”. We are all looking forward to following Sherry’s bright future ahead. Please join us in congratulating Sherry as the 4-H Youth Leadership in Action award recipient this year!

Important Office Updates for Winter – Please note that there are some major upcoming changes to our office coming this winter! Joyce Fortier will be retiring in early December after 18 years of service to 4-H and Cooperative Extension! We wish her the very best in her well-deserved retirement! Carla Scocchi will be on maternity leave until the end of February celebrating the birth of her second child. This leaves Hancock County without any local 4-H staff over the winter months – but don’t sweat! – our wonderful colleagues in the Washington County office have agreed to support our local 4-H program in our absence. Don’t hesitate to contact Sue Baez in our Hancock County Extension Office to be connected with a 4-H staff member who can support you. In the meantime, you will be receiving limited newsletter communications (state news only) from us until March 2022. Thanks for your understanding, and we wish you a wonderful winter season!

Leaders’ Meeting – The next Leaders’ Association meeting will be November 4th at 6:00. This will be a Hybrid Meeting – contact office for details

4-H Enrollment 2021-2022 – Reminder – The deadline is earlier this year due to upcoming changes in our office – November 1st. If you have not turned yours in, please do as soon as possible.

Intent form for the 2022 Fryeburg Beef Sale – is now updated and online. There are a number of significant changes this year from the past. Please see item 4 in the State News!

Scarecrow Contest – The Jolly Juniors are sponsoring a Scarecrow Contest during the month of November! Please see the attached flyer and join in the fun!! Spread the word!!

Volunteer Survey – This winter we will be offering the Cabin Fever Series for 4-H Volunteers – a one hour workshop each month in January, February and March. We want some input from our volunteers re: workshop topics they are interested in and time of day/days of week that would work well for them. If you would please take the time to complete this 60 second survey it would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome New Volunteer – We are pleased to announce a newly trained 4-H leader who has completed his training and paperwork in Hancock County.

Tim Parson – Peninsula Explorers – Brooklin

Welcome to the 4-H Family!

Leaders’ Association 2021 – 2022 Officers:

President: Brenda Jordan
Vice-President: Heather Linnehan
Treasurer: Terry Swazey
Secretary : Lisa Carney
Board Members: Joanne Jodrey, Dwight Sargent and Lee Sargent

Volunteers – Thank you again to all of our 4-H volunteers. Listed below are leaders who have reached important milestones this year through their volunteer service with 4-H:

First Year Volunteers
Cynthia Andrews – Goats n’ More
Cathy Gibbs – Independent
Melissa Malmstedt – Independent
Scarlett Tudor – Independent

Five Year Volunteers
Rosie Evans – Spruced Up Homesteaders
Monica Jodrey – Jolly Juniors
Diana Sikkel – Rails N’ Trails
Robert Sikkel – Rails N’ Trails
Kristen Webber – Horse & Rider

Fifteen Year Volunteers
Joanne Jodrey – Jolly Juniors

Twenty Year Volunteers
Sherry Davis – Lock, Stock & Barrel
Carolyn Pelkey – Independent
Stephanie Prentiss – Independent
Sarah Swazey – Horse of Course

Twenty-five Year Volunteers
Elaine Gokey – Horse of Course
Larry King – Independent

Thirty Year Volunteers
Jennifer Dunn – Jolly Juniors

Thirty-five Year Volunteers
Annie Smith – Horse of Course

Fifty Year Volunteers
Arnona Silsby – Independent

Congratulations to all!

A Special Thank You – to the Gross Family in Bucksport. They have been raising the beef steer for the Blue Hill Fair Steer Ticket Raffle since 2014!

Our Sympathy goes out to the family of Bob Gallant who passed away on October 1st. He was such a great volunteer at the 4-H food booth for so many years. Not only will we miss his help in the booth but also his kind, witty, caring and humorous personality. Our love and thoughts are with his family at this time.

Club News

Rails N’ Trails – had a successful fundraising bottle drive this past weekend in preparation for our trip Rails N' Trails bottle drive to Equine Affaire in Springfield, Mass being held the middle of November. Equine Affaire is an educational “everything horse” event including demonstrations, training, and clinics put on by top notch trainers from all over the country. And let’s not forget the buildings full of wallet draining horse supplies. If you have bottles and cans that you would like to donate to our fundraising event please message the club leader Lee Sargent through Facebook or email (hoofnit29@yahoo.com) and we will happily come pick them up!! Thanks in advance! Submitted by club leader, Lee Sargent

BHHT Peninsula Explorers – met up to start their Fall Club all about learning Orienteering Skills.

Peninsula Explorers Local expert Tim Parson led the session at the Trust’s Hatch Cove Preserve in Castine. 4-H members learned how to read a real orienteering map, use a compass, and how to work as a team to find the various controls along the course.

The second week, BHHT’s Peninsula Explorers took to the woods to test their new skills on a real orienteering course, set up by 4-H Volunteer Tim Parson. They practiced compass bearings, map reading, and working as a team to complete the course!” Submitted by club leader, Chrissy Allen

Jolly Juniors – The older Jolly Junior members had their first meeting of the year to plan fall activities. We have been providing refreshments at the annual Turkey Shoots for the Waltham & Eastbrook Youth Association on Sundays in October. The pirates will be arriving at the Trunk or Treat event at the Eastbrook Community Building on Halloween! Stay tuned for photos next month!

Our club is sponsoring a scarecrow contest for 4-H clubs and independents at the Extension Office and one in the communities of Waltham, Eastbrook, & Mariaville! We can’t wait to see the entries and will share the results next month!

We have decided to celebrate the end of last club year with pizza, ice cream, and cupcakes and recognize those members who participated in county and club events over the past year.

Going to be a busy fall for the Jolly Juniors! Submitted by club leader, Brenda Jordan.

State News

Climate: Maine 4-H STEM Toolkit of the Month
Each month we will be highlighting a different 4-H STEM Toolkit available from UMaine Cooperative Extension 4-H Program!
In this series of activities, youth will explore the impact of weather and climate on humans, animals and plants and begin to understand what causes wind, snowfall, storms and other weather events. Youth will create construction paper snowstorms, indoor thunderstorms, learn how a tree stump can reveal the climate of a region and create an instrument to measure wind speed. By recreating these natural events, children experiment with the various factors that affect weather and climate – humidity, air pressure, temperature and elevation. They will also learn how weather forecasters use tools like contour maps to predict snowfall and temperature and discuss how animals and plants adapt to changing weather conditions. These hands-on activities allow kids to predict what will happen, test theories, then share their results. By gaining an understanding of the basic forces affecting climate, some of the mysteries of storms and wind are revealed and youth can see the impact of human activity on climate and environment. They’ll be introduced to climate vocabulary, gain an understanding of the importance of species diversity and learn how to be good environmental stewards. Learn more about the Climate Toolkit.
Learn more about this, and other 4-H STEM Toolkits online where you can see what is available for different age groups or topic areas.
4-H STEM Challenge – Galactic Quest SPIN Club
4-H Galactic Quest, a short term 4-H club will meet Mondays, 4:00-5:00 pm. Virtual meetings, held via Zoom, will be on November 15, 22, 29 & December 6. Galactic Quest is the 2021 National 4-H STEM Challenge.
Designed by Clemson University, the 2021 4-H STEM Challenge, Galactic Quest, focuses on the mysteries and adventures of space exploration. Galactic Quest explores the history of humans in space, the technology and resources needed for missions, and the obstacles humans encounter in orbit. 4-H Galactic Quest introduces youth to humans in space and the technology needed to get there. Participants will use stellar optics to build their own telescope, study the night sky, be introduced to cyber security and decoding, as well as design and build a mechanical claw. Participation is limited to Maine youth, ages 10-18.
Cost is approximately $20 for the materials kit. Limited financial assistance is available by request. Register here. Registration by November 1, 2021 is required.
Maine 4-H Virtual Teen Science Cafes Canceled – Due to unforeseen circumstances, Maine 4-H Virtual Teen Science Cafes will not be held this fall. We plan to begin a new session of Science Cafes starting in the spring and will post session dates, topics, and registration details to our website as they are finalized.
Important Changes for 2022 Fryeburg Fair Market Steer Intent to Sell Forms – There are a number of very important updates for 2022:
- This year the deadline for the form is December 31, 2021(postmarked), and the form MUST come with the bill of sale/statement of value of the cow, as well as the photos of the front and side view of the animal.
- We have an ONLINE form! The updated online form, as well as the printable word/pdf versions, are on the Beef page. There is also a link to the updated regulations for both Steers and Lambs at Fryeburg. Youth enrolled in 4-H outside of Maine (New Hampshire) will need to complete the paper forms and submit them to their local county office.
- Youth who submit the intent will need to complete the regular Animal Approval form and list “Fryeburg Sale” as the show class for the animal.
1. 4-H Agriculture Leadership Opportunity for Teens – The Maine 4-H Ag Leadership Program is accepting registrations for an eight-week agricultural education and leadership experience. This program is open to Maine youth ages 14-18. Youth involved in this program will have opportunities to pursue their interest in agriculture and explore career pathways. This includes mentoring in post-secondary opportunities, as well as sparking a passion to investigate and explore current issues around food systems, livestock, crop sciences, aquaculture, climate issues impacting food systems, social justice around food equity, and more. There is not a requirement to have previous 4-H membership, this program is open to all Maine youth with an interest.
  These opportunities will begin with a creation of an online learning cohort and will also include in-person experiences across the state and on the UMaine Campus.
  Visit the Maine 4-H Agricultural Leadership Ambassador Program webpage at for more information or to register.
2. National Youth Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summit Applications for 2022 Are Available Now!
  There are currently 12 scholarships available through funding from the Maine 4-H Foundation to send youth to the Washington, D.C. area for the Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summits in early 2022. Attendees will learn more about their area of interest by attending career panels, interactive workshops, and visiting related agencies throughout D.C. The Summits were created to empower youth to be well-informed citizens, expand engineering and agriculture experience, and increase connections to living a healthy lifestyle, all while being actively engaged in their communities.
  Healthy Living: February 10 – 13, 2022
  Agri-Science: March 10 – 13, 2022
  Eligibility: Youth ages 14 – 18. Enrolled in 4-H by December 31, 2021
  Participant Cost: $150.00 (Maine 4-H Foundation will cover the remainder of registration and flight costs – approximately $1,000.00).
  Application: This is a combined application for both the Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summits
  For more information about the National Youth Summits please visit here. If any youth would like to attend, but do not receive the scholarship funding, they may self-fund and attend. Counties are also welcome to provide full or partial-scholarships to youth. Email or call Sara, sara.conant@maine.edu, 207-781-6099, for more details on these options, or with any questions. Applications and Recommendations due by December 15, 2021.

Leaders Meeting Minutes

HANCOCK COUNTY 4-H LEADERS’ ASSOCIATION

October 12, 2021

–Zoom meeting due to COVID-19–

Present- Lisa Carney (online), Brenda Jordan (online), Heather Linnehan (online), Lee Sargent, Dwight Sargent, Terry Swazey, and office staff Carla Scocchi (online). (6)

Club Reports: Brenda’s club would like to put out a scarecrow challenge! Open to Waltham and Eastbrook families and other 4-H clubs.

Old Business:

Office – Zabet has officially left, Carla is leaving soon, and Joyce is retiring soon. The Washington county staff will be assisting while Carla is on leave. If you need anything, contact Sue in the office and she will connect you to the right person. Extension Office funding is flat this year, and the office will be advertising for Joyce’s and the CEA position after the new year.
Razor Crosman Award – The trophy arrived today. Carla will deliver to the Penobscot County Office, she is going up Thursday.

New Business:

Cloverfest – not happening this year.
Leader Banquet – not happening this year, but we will have a meeting in November. Maybe November 4th? No meeting in December.
Public speaking – assuming it will be in person this year, but Carla will not be back until end of February. Might have to start planning without her. Perhaps Jen Lobley can keep all of the Leader Association informed. Probably know after the holiday break if it will be in person or not.
Leader Association Officers for the year: Motion to have the Secretary cast a ballot to keep the slate of officers as is. Seconded and passed.

◦ President – Brenda Jordan
◦ Vice-President – Heather Linnehan
◦ Secretary – Lisa Carney
◦ Treasurer – Terry Swazey
◦ Board Member – Joanie Jodrey
◦ Board Member – Dwight Sargent
◦ Board Member – Lee Sargent

Adjourned at 5:37pm

Respectfully submitted by Lisa Carney, Secretary

Cooperative Extension in Hancock County