September 2024 4-H Newsletter

4-H Happenings

A monthly newsletter for Hancock County 4-H Members

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Table of Contents

Upcoming Dates| County News | Club News | State News | Leaders Meeting Minutes

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Upcoming Dates to Remember

August 29 through September 2 – Blue Hill Fair
September 10 – 6:30 pm 4-H Leaders’ Meeting
September 18 – 6:00 pm Lock Stock and Barrel Informational Meeting
September 20 – 2:00 pm DIY Ice Cream Workshop at Ellsworth Library
September 27 – Movie Night at the Office: Encanto and S’mores!
October 1 – Re-enrollment Begins
October 6 to 12 – National 4-H Week
October 7 – Project Records Due
October 14 – Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Office Closed)
October 26 – 10:00 am Cloverfest celebration
October 30 – Photo Contest Due
November 20 – County Re-enrollment Deadline

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County News

Movie Night!

Join us for a magical evening under the stars at 4-H Movie Night at the Extension office! On Friday, September 27, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, we’re featuring the enchanting film Encanto. Enjoy the vibrant colors and catchy tunes of this beloved movie while hanging out with your 4-H friends. We’ll also have s’mores ready for you to roast and enjoy by the campfire. Participants are welcome to bring their own food if they’d like, but definitely bring your smile and movie-watching spirit. All are welcome, so invite your friends from school or family too!

Register now using this form to help us ensure we will have enough supplies for everyone. You can also make a request for a reasonable accommodation. Registration will close the day of the event. We can’t wait to see you there!

4-H at the Blue Hill Fair

We want to share a massive thank you to all the 4-H’ers who submitted exhibits this year. It is so inspiring to see what youth can create when they take the time to express themselves and learn new skills. We even had a submission to our new category, science and data!

We had six amazing judges this year who shared their time to provide great feedback on every project. Thank you, judges, for showing us how easy it is to love 4-H. Hand in hand with our judges, thank you to all the families and volunteers who helped us set up and decorate the fairgrounds this year. Between a last-minute scarecrow competition, painting the steer pen, and all our usual decorations, the fairgrounds looked amazing and welcoming to fair-goers! We could not have done it without all of you!

Those who visited the exhibit hall may have seen some amazing new photo stands courtesy of the Jolly Juniors 4-H Club. We want to share a special thank you with Katherine Jordan, who brought these amazing creations together. So many memories will be captured for years to come. Let us know if you want to help create a new one to add to the collection for next year!

It wouldn’t be the Blue Hill Fair without the 4-H Food Booth, which would not be possible without the incredible outpouring of support from 4-H Volunteers! The food booth is truly a herculean, volunteer-driven effort, and we had another very successful year. All proceeds from the food booth support 4-H programming in Hancock County throughout the year.

Steer Ticket Results!

Thank you to everyone who participated or donated to the steer raffle. We did great work this year and were able to raise $3,510 for our 4-H youth programs! This year’s top seller was Maesen H from the Jolly Juniors 4-H Club! The steer was graciously raised by Emma C, one of our Independent 4-H members, and her family. Our winner this year was Brian Stuart from Mariaville. Congratulations Brian!

We want to share one more special thank you to Doug Sargent and all those who have helped to rebuild our steer pen at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds. Many hands make light work (even though it may not have felt so light), and this beautiful new steer pen is proof of that!

The Exhibit Hall

We had 41 exhibitors putting in 139 exhibits and receiving $1,304 in premiums.

Best Projects:

Sculpture – Olivia C, Independent
Photography – Olivia C, Independent
Painting – Owen C, Independent
Nature Collections – Ruby B, Independent
Crochet – Annabelle S, Service Squad
Weaving – Nayeli M, Independent
Animal – Noah R, Service Squad & Lock Stock and Barrel
Writing Collection – Alexis M, Service Squad
Sewing – Alexis M, Service Squad
Creativity Unlimited – Kowen S, Service Squad
Lynne Clement Award – Ruby B, Independent
Best in Show – Nayeli M, Independent
Razor Crosman – Amelia C, Independent
Dwight Sargent 4-H Citizenship Award – Alexis M, Service Squad

Livestock Awards:

4-H Workshops

Last month, Leah led our classic seaweed lava lamp activity, during which the youth learned about how algae can impact our daily lives, especially our food systems. The youth had a blast exploring the different sea creatures that live on Maine’s beautiful coast!

This month, join us for a tasty treat at the Ellsworth Public Library. Leah will lead a DIY ice cream workshop on Friday, September 20, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. See you there!

Project Records

Tell us all about your 4-H year through a project record! We want to know what skills you worked on, what goals you set, and your thoughts about 4-H. Project records will be due to the office on October 7, 2024, so if you haven’t already, get started by visiting our project records webpage. As always, contact the office with any questions you may have!

Re-enrollment

Another 4-H year begins on October 1! Re-enrollment instructions will be sent out soon, so keep an eye out for them in your inbox! All volunteers and members must complete re-enrollment by November 20. If you are experiencing issues using the online portal, ZSuite, please contact Andrea at andrea.mahoney@maine.edu or 207-667-8212 so we can help you through the process.

Photo Contest Scavenger Hunt!

Thank you to Robert R for participating in last month’s photo scavenger hunt! That certainly looks like a cozy space for your furry friend.

Join our monthly newsletter photo scavenger hunt! We encourage all 4-Hers to be inspired by our monthly themes and snap the perfect pictures. Then, you can submit your photos on the photo contest webpage for a chance to be featured in the following month’s newsletter!

September Scavenger Hunt Themes
– Fun with friends
– New skill unlocked
– Rest and relaxation
– In the kitchen, cooking up…

Photo Contest

I know many of our 4-Hers have been participating in the Scavenger Hunt this year, but don’t forget about our annual 4-H Photo Contest too! The due date for photo submission is October 30th, but the portal to submit your photos will open September 1st! Check out our webpage to learn more about guidelines and how to submit.

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Club News

The Service Squad: Last month, the Service Squad met to refine our crafts for the Blue Hill Fair activity tent. We chose a few different beading crafts so anyone who visited would have a craft to fit their interests. We also started to talk about a movie night event at the office for the county and decided Encanto would be an excellent choice for all ages.

Lock Stock and Barrel: The Lock Stock and Barrel 4-H club will have an ice cream social and informational meeting on Wednesday, September 18, at 6:00 pm at the Blue Hill Rifle and Pistol Club on Range Rd in Blue Hill. This is for youth 4-H aged 9 to 18 (9 as of December 31, 2024). The disciplines taught through the fall and winter are basic rifle safety and shooting skills, archery, wildlife, and black powder. For more information, call club leaders Norwood and Becky Ames: 207.567.3066

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State News

Super Sitters Virtual 4-H SPIN Club: Are you interested in babysitting? Do you have younger siblings at home? Do you want to feel more confident working with kids? This is the perfect 4-H club for you! The Super Sitter Babysitting Course is designed to prepare youth ages 12-16 for babysitting responsibilities. During this SPecial INterest club, teens will learn basic safety measures and how to respond to emergency situations when caring for young children. Participants will discover what is appropriate at various stages of child development through hands-on activities, scenarios and more! This club will meet virtually on Tuesdays from 3-4 pm October 15-November 12. One in-person session will be held on November 19th in Aroostook and Washington counties.

Participation is free; registration is required. Space is limited to 15 participants. Registration closes September 30th. Registered participants will receive a link to access the meetings online and will also be provided with at-home materials. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Gabrielle Brodek at gabrielle.brodek@maine.edu or 207.255.3345.

To register:
– Enrolled 4-H members need to be logged into ZSuite, and then go to the internal registration page.
– For youth who are outside of 4-H or don’t have a ZSuite account, please use the external registration page.

Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey Training: Thinking about becoming a 4-H volunteer? We are looking for people to help youth find their spark and thrive! We offer lots of ways to be involved depending on your time and interests. Join us for two one-hour virtual sessions to help you with your decision. By the end of the two-part series, you will have completed four short e-Learning modules to introduce you to the 4-H program, participate in an experiential learning activity, learn about the key aspects of positive youth development, and be introduced to ages and stages of youth. This core training will wrap up with an outline of next steps and an introduction to your county staff contact so you can begin the application process if you choose. No pressure to commit, no cost, and no reason to not attend! Please note, these sessions are for individuals who are not currently enrolled 4-H volunteers. For more information or to register, visit the information page.

Upcoming Sessions:
– Wednesdays, September 18 & 25, 2024 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
– Tuesdays, November 12 & 19,  2024 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm.

Northern Maine Children’s Water Festival at UMaine: Join Scarlett, Melissa, and the 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center as they explore organisms found in the ocean. Kids get a chance to touch, hold, investigate, and explore species found in the Gulf of Maine. This free, hands-on, learning festival is geared towards 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students. The event will be filled with a variety of water resource professionals that promote the value of clean water and healthy habitats, as well as provide teachers with materials and lessons they can use in their own classroom.

Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Location: University of Maine, Orono
For more information, visit the Children’s Water Festival 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. 

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Leaders’ Meeting Minutes

Hancock County 4-H Leaders Meeting of August 13, 2024 (via Zoom)

Attendees: Lisa Carney, Lisa Reilich, Terry Swazey, Elaine Robertson, Lee Sargent, Brenda Jordan, Andrea Mahoney, Leah McCluskey

Secretaries and Treasurer’s Reports:

• A motion was made to accept the Treasurers’ Report as read by Terry; seconded and approved.
• A motion was made to accept the Secretaries’ Report as printed in the newsletter; seconded and approved.

Club reports:

• Horse of Course
  • Terry, Elaine, and the Horse of Course club members raised quite a bit of money for the Bagaduce Equine Rescue.
  • They visited a farm that had numerous mini horses and they got to interact quite a bit with the horses, she invited them back to see the foals next year.
• Jolly Juniors
  • Jolly Juniors sold ticket at Eastbrook days and the Waltham History Days.
• Service Squad
  • The Junior Leaders are now the Hancock County Service Squad.
  • They practiced the bead crafts they will offer in the activity tent at the BHF. They are also planning a movie night at the office.

Old Business:

• Blue Hill Fair
  • The livestock department is holding Barnyard Olympics for adults. We should put it in the fair book for next year, open to all kids.
  • Lasso demo, watermelon eating contest, kids cornhole tournament are other possible activities. Improv?- we could try at Cloverfest this year.
  • Katherine Jordan is making photo op cutouts of a clover and a blueberry. 
  • Plenty of judges from the exhibit hall. Salads or subs for their lunch? Leah will ask them and get back to Terry.
• Food booth
  • Many volunteer slots still open.
  • Brenda may get the signs repainted.
  • Leah has UMaine aprons she can bring.
  • We’ll check power and water and set up a day to clean the booth. Most people want to do it in the afternoon.
• Horse show- quite a few entries already! The doors to the jump shed were fixed, but Terry had not received the bill yet.
• The steer pen has been fixed but has not been painted yet. Doug donated the materials, we should set up a thank you. Motion to give a HD card made, seconded and approved. Present after the Dwight Citizenship Award? We should have a plaque made in memory of Dwight that describes his contribution to the Blue Hill Fair Livestock Dept. Green or white paint on the pen? Paint Wednesday the 21st @ 8:30am. Green stain? Lee will price out.
• Leah has parking and entry passes.

New Business:

• Cloverfest
  • Workshops from last year worked well, ice cream was great but we don’t need as much.
  • Leah will bring the touch tank. VR was pretty cool.
  • Saturday the 26th of October 
  • The office was pretty tight last year; other locations? Surry might work, Leah will ask Glenn. 

Motion to adjourn at 7:30 pm

Respectfully submitted by Lisa Carney, Secretary