December 2019
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Be sure to scroll down to see State 4-H Office Core Newsletter, too!
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Upcoming Events and Important Dates
December 17 KLLA Meeting, 6pm, KL Extension office
December 31 Deadline Extended Re-enrollment paperwork due at KL Extension
January 10 ESE Beef Intent to Participate form due
January 15 4-H Public Speaking at Maine Ag Trades Show, 2-4:30pm, Augusta Civic Center
January 21 KLLA Meeting, 6pm, Extension office
January 31 Oxton Trust Applications due
December Birthdays
Happy Birthday to Isabelle B., Annie B., and Eric R.!
Did You File Your Club’s E-postcard?
If you are a 4-H Club Leader, you are required to file an annual e-Postcard (form 990N) with the IRS by November 15. Did you miss the deadline? Please file now! You can use the instructions on the Extension website or download IRS Publication 5248 (PDF) to file. Please remember to print your confirmation and send a copy to this office. Thanks!
Re-enrollment Forms Due December 31
The deadline to submit 4-H re-enrollment forms has been extended. All enrollment, health and photo release forms are now due at the Extension office by December 31. Check with your club leader if you have not received your re-enrollment packet yet. If you need help completing your forms or need another copy of the packet, contact your leader or Pamela Doherty at this office.
Consider a Maine Garden Day Gift Certificate
Give the gift of horticultural learning! Gift certificates for Maine Garden Day are available until December 18; $30.00 for students, $60.00 general admission. This information-rich conference by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at Lewiston High School. Gift certificate recipients will need to register for specific workshops online when registration becomes available on January 1. Recipients will receive instructions for how to register and a Maine Garden Day brochure along with their gift certificate in the mail. Gift certificates are non-transferable, non-refundable and will expire the day after this event. Gift certificate date has passed.
4-H Members to Present at Ag Trades Show in Augusta
Several Knox-Lincoln 4-H members will be participating in a multi-county public speaking presentation block on January 15 at the State of Maine Agriculture Trades Show at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta. 4-H members will be presenting short talks on agriculture-related topics on the event’s presentation stage from 2-4:30pm. Stop by if you are at the show! The annual show, presented by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, runs January 14-16. Information about the show.
Youth Beekeeping Scholarships Offered
The Kennebec Beekeepers Association in Augusta is offering to sponsor two 4-H students (age 14 or older) for the 2019/2020 school year. Parents must be completely committed to their child’s participation for the duration of the program. The youth scholarship provides:
-free enrollment and educational materials for a beginner beekeeping course held in Augusta on four consecutive Saturdays in February 2020. (Weather postponements may cause classes to run into March.)
-opportunity to work with live hives at Viles Arboretum and various club member apiaries in early spring.
-all appropriate clothing and gear to work with bees as safely as possible, free to keep for their personal use.
– opportunity to assist harvesting and bottling of honey in late summer.
Youth must have no known allergies to insect bites/stings. Stings are going to happen! Students will be expected to attend open hive days to work the hives with club members. These are usually done on Saturdays but sometimes Sunday due to weather.
To apply, email Alisha.r.targonski@maine.edu by January 1, 2020 with subject line “Beekeeping Mentorship.”
In the body of the email provide the following:
– Name of youth
– Age as of January 1, 2020
– Address
– Phone number
– Email address for youth and adult
– Confirmation that you are able to attend the four Saturday trainings in February.
– Confirmation that you are able to attend any required meetings, events, caretaking, harvest, bottling, etc. for the coming year.
– Tell us about your interest in bees and beekeeping.
Hold the Date: Indoor Field Day February 15
Hold the date for an active indoor Field Day on February 15 at The PITCH multisport complex, 2606 Camden Road (Route 90) in Warren. This will include mini soccer lessons and other active play for all ages!
Oxton Trust Applications Due January 31 for All of 2020
Through the generosity and foresight of Robert Oxton, the Oxton Trust Fund was established to support
4-H youth development programs and activities in Knox and Lincoln Counties. The funds are available annually. In an effort to streamline the grant process and better track funds awarded, the Oxton Trust Committee has voted to change from a bi-annual application schedule to a once-a-year application process. This means that clubs, volunteers and members must anticipate what funds they expect to request for the entire 2020 calendar year, and submit an application for funds to the Oxton Trust Committee by January 31, 2020.
Since this is the time of year that clubs are creating their club plan for the year, it seems like a logical time to have these applications due. If, however, a club, volunteer or member discovers a need for funds at a later date in 2020, a special meeting of the committee can be called and an application considered at any time. Funds available for mid-year requests, however, will be more limited.
Grants may be awarded for 4-H youth development programs and projects falling into one of the following areas: leadership, youth development and special programs. Applications can be submitted by
4-H staff, volunteers or members enrolled in the Knox and Lincoln Counties 4-H program. Download the application form or request it at the Extension office in Waldoboro.
State 4-H Office Core Newsletter
4-H Page Day
4-H Page Day will be Thursday, February 6. From 8:30 am-12:30 pm youth will serve as pages in the House and Senate—ushering notes and correspondence within and between chambers. And in the afternoon, details still working themselves out, our group will meet at the Maine State Library/Museum to learn more about Maine’s history and having hands-on experience with the archives related to the Bicentennial. See the January Core News for information on registering for this day!
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.
4-H Science Saturdays 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 10:00 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
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.
Winter Becoming an Outdoors Woman Program
The 2020 Winter Becoming an Outdoors Woman program will be held 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. Information on our website, or call 207.665.2068.
Save the Date! 4-H Animal Science Bonanza
January 11, 2020 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. For more information contact Andrea, Extension Field Specialist, 603.352.4550 or andrea.sawyer@unh.edu.