August 2020
Send articles to cynthia.rogers@maine.edu
Be sure to scroll down to see State 4-H Office Core Newsletter, too!
Follow Knox-Lincoln 4-H on Facebook!
All 4-H In-person Club Meetings and Events Canceled Until Further Notice
Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation in Maine, UMaine Extension is canceling all 4-H club meetings and in-person events until further notice (no matter what size group). More guidance will come soon. Thank you for your patience!
All county offices are closed, but most staff are working our regular hours from home. Some offices are scheduled to open in August. We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more information. Please contact the county office via email if you have specific questions. You can leave a voice mail message on the main office phone, but it may not be heard for several days.
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
August 14 Maine 4-H Virtual Exhibit Hall goes live!
August 15-September 15 Maine 4-H Virtual Fun Run
September 10 KLLA Meeting, 6 pm
September 30 KL 4-H Photography Contest entries due
September 30 Project Records due
September 30 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photo Contest entries due
August Birthdays
Happy Birthday to Alanna S. and Ava S.!
2020 Virtual 4-H Exhibit Hall
Nearly 200 project entries were submitted for judging in the Maine 4-H Virtual Exhibit Hall! Judging is complete and the Virtual Exhibit Hall is live! We are excited for you to see your ribbons and tour the exhibits! Thanks to everyone who entered projects and to those who judged. Check it out!
Enter the 2020 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photo Contest
Get your entries ready for the Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photography Contest 2020! For safety and logistics of judging, this year’s contest will be completely digital. That means you won’t need to print or send any photos physically! Upload your photos and complete your entry forms online. We will print your photos for inclusion in the 4-H Gallery at the Knox-Lincoln Extension office.
This contest is open to any Knox-Lincoln 4-H member age 9 and up. Entries will be accepted through September 30, 2020. Members can enter up to four photos that were taken between October 1, 2019, and September 30, 2020. Go to Photo Contest for more information, or contact Cindy Rogers at 207.832.0343 or cynthia.rogers@maine.edu.
Project and Activity Records Due September 30
Project Records and Cloverbud Activity Records are due for judging by September. Be recognized for your year of project work!
Have you tried doing your records on your computer? You can still print records and submit them that way, but we encourage you to try the digital records! Some things you need to know:
- Decide which form is right for you. The record level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) might not exactly match your age. Read the descriptions for each to help you decide.
- Download the form to your computer and save the record as you go. Do not fill the record out online.
- Keep it simple. Please only include information for this 4-H year (Oct. 1, 2019-Sept. 30, 2020). You can add a few photos and awards if you want, but try not to add too much extra stuff.
- Refer to the rubric for your form under Project Record Judging (at the link above) to be sure you are providing the information judges will be looking for.
- Ask for help if you need it! Your club leader and county 4-H staff are here to help.
- Submit the finished record via email to cynthia.rogers@maine.edu. Awards will be announced at the 4-H Achievement Awards Celebration (date and format to be determined). The Project Record forms, guides, judging rubrics, and instructions can be found at here.
What Have You Been Doing? Send Photos!
Have you been working on a project? Did you join in the 4-H Summer Learning Program and made something cool? Did you enter a project in the 4-H Virtual Exhibit Hall? Please send us a photo or drawing of what you did so we can share it! We don’t know exactly what the 2020 4-H Achievement Celebration will look like this fall, but we would like to have a collection KL 4-H accomplishments to share when the time comes! Just email your photo or art, and a paragraph about your experience to cynthia.rogers@maine.edu. We’d love to see!
Maine 4-H Virtual Fun Run
Help ME Conquer the Maine Coastline Virtual Run/Walk/Bike
3,478 miles of coastline! Photo Courtesy of Maine.gov.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H would like to invite you to join us as we try to run, walk, and bike all the way along the coast of Maine! Together our goal is to cover 3,478 miles by running, walking, and biking from August 15-September 15.
Along the way, we will introduce more people to the hidden secrets of UMaine Extension 4-H. Just like the coast of Maine, there are so many amazing experiences and things to explore! Our goal is to share some great events, fun programs, and projects you can participate in when you join 4-H while getting outside and staying active!
It’s simple! All you have to do is register to participate and then log your miles. Anyone can join! Current 4-H members, family, friends, teachers, cousins—anyone! We hope you will share this fun event on Facebook and email. You can even invite your classmates on your next Zoom call. The more people that join, the better chance we have of reaching our goal. Upon registration, you will receive a tracking sheet to log your miles. You can run, walk, bike, rollerblade, or even jump rope for your miles. You can do one mile a day or more! Every mile adds up. Get outside, enjoy the fresh air, and stay active.
You can follow the progress of conquering the Maine Coastline by visiting the website and clicking on the clover icons on the map. Each checkpoint on the map features a video that shares a fun fact about the landmark, as well as a fun fact about 4-H. To get you started, click on the University of Maine at Orono icon for a welcome video!
For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Cathy Gray, 207.581.8203; cathy.gray@maine.edu.
Online Support for Club Leaders
During this time of social distancing, it is hard to not be meeting in person with our 4-H club members. The idea of setting up and hosting a virtual 4-H club meeting might feel a bit overwhelming. But virtual meetings can allow you to still meet as a group and help 4-H members in your club continue to feel a sense of belonging. This series of tip sheets is designed to help our volunteers explore and learn how to have virtual 4-H club meetings. Each tip sheet provides tangible ideas to help you navigate virtual meetings. Short how-to video clips are embedded to provide additional information. If you have additional questions about virtual 4-H club meetings, reach out to your local 4-H staff for support. We are happy to help.
State 4-H Office Core Newsletter
Coming Soon: Maine and Northeast Regional 4-H Dog Photo Contests
Enter the Maine 4-H Dog Photo Contest. Photos will be uploaded and judged. Winners in each of five categories will move on to the Northeast Regional 4-H Dog Photo Contest to compete against winners from several other states. ALL enrolled 4-Hers may enter, not just dog or photography project members. Visit the Maine 4-H Dog Photo Contest page for more information as it becomes available.
Fryeburg Fair Virtual 4-H Animal Project Show (No Market Animals)
A Note from Fryeburg Fair: While we cannot be together in person this year, Fryeburg Fair would love to have you participate in our 4-H Animal Project Virtual Show. Please create a 30 to 45-second video and provide a photo of you and your animal. The video and photo should be taken as if you are in the show ring and the camera is the judge. This event is an exhibition of projects and not a judged event. One entry per person per animal type.
Submit one form per animal type (One Entry Per Person Per Animal Type), you may use the “submit another response” link after each submission. Entry deadline is September 1, 2020. All submissions become the property of the Fryeburg Fair.
2020 Big E Has Been Canceled
It has just been announced that the Big E has been canceled for 2020. The official statement from them “The Big E is so much more than just a fair, it is tradition, it is celebration, it is the showcase of everything we are so proud of in New England. This is why our hearts are heavy as we bring you this news. For the safety of our fairgoers, staff, vendors, entertainers, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers and the broader community, the 2020 Big E has been canceled. Thank you all for your support and we’ll see you September 17-October 3, 2021, when we can all celebrate together again.”