Letter From Janis

Dear 4-H Families:

What a busy summer we had!!! THANK YOU to everyone who helped in any way to make the summer 4-H shows and events successful. Without the support that you gave, the events would not have been possible. Much hard work by the 4-H members was evident from all of the fine 4-H projects. Congratulations on a job well done.

Constructive comments regarding the summer 4-H shows and events are always welcome. Please put your comments on paper and send them to the Extension Office, or email jblout@illinois.edu .

September 1^st begins a new 4-H year -- we're glad you're part of it!

This newsletter is our way of communicating with every 4-H family in Fulton County — show it to your parents!!! Please read it, and make note of dates that apply to your family. As always, call us at 547-3711 if we can help you in any way to get more out of 4-H.

In addition to the articles below, please also see the "Illinois Leader" posted on our website.

New 4-H Year Begins

September 1st begins a new 4-H year in Fulton County. Clubs will soon be having their organizational meetings and electing officers. Club enrollment materials will be given to Key Leaders at the 4-H Leaders' Meeting on Monday, October 3rd, at 6:30 p.m. To be a 4-H member in the 2011-2012 year, youth must be 8-18 years old (or in 3^rd grade) as of September 1, 2011.

4-H Achievement Program Set For November 6th

All 4-H families and friends are cordially invited to attend the annual 4-H Achievement Program on Sunday, November 6th, at 2:30 p.m. at the Lewistown Community High School Auditorium. Awards will be presented to many 4-H members. Key leaders will receive more information closer to the date.

4-H Federation Meeting -- October 24th

All 4-H members age 12 and over are invited to be a part of 4-H Federation. You'll meet new friends and get involved in countywide leadership activities.

This past year we continued our program to offer community service grant money to 4-H clubs, conducted Federation business meetings, and cleaned and set up for the foodstand and 4-H General Show. We sponsored the YMCA Night, and sewed stockings and wrote cards for the troops. We also did fun things like going to the State Fair together; making pizzas; helping at Farm Safety Day Camp, 4-H shows, and the Achievement Program; watching movies, playing games, and snacking!

The next 4-H Federation meeting will be on Monday, October 24th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Extension Office in Lewistown. Officers will be elected that night. If you are interested in holding an office, and cannot be there that night, call Janis at 547-3711, or email jblout@illinois.edu , and let her know. When the business meeting is over, there will be refreshments. Come join us if you're 12 or over — there's always food and fun!

A bus load of Fulton County 4-H Federation members, chaperones, and friends attended the Illinois State Fair on August 14th. They traveled by charter bus, and went out to eat as a group at Ryan's Buffet in Springfield. Then they went on to State Fair for some looking around before attending the concert by Jason Aldean, Chris Young, and Thompson Square. This event was their yearly outing that they earn through their participation in events during the year.

State Fair Participants

Congratulations to all the Fulton County 4-H members who participated at the Illinois State Fair Junior Show, in both livestock and non-livestock areas. As usual, our county was very well-represented. Next year's State Fair will be August 10-19, 2012.

Next year's State 4-H Horse Show will be July 24-29, 2012.

Thanks to all of our State Fair exhibitors for representing Fulton County so well.

Wanda Williams Inducted Into 4-H Hall Of Fame

The Illinois 4-H Foundation established the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame to honor extraordinary 4-H alumni, volunteers, and former 4-H staff.

Wanda Williams has been named a 4-H Hall of Fame Inductee for 2011. She is a leader of the Monterey 4-Hers 4-H Club in Fulton County, and has been a 4-H leader for 52 years. Previous inductees from Fulton County are Virginia Barnard, Frances Fisher, Sharon Spangler, Ruth Knott, and JoAnn Block.

Only one person per county may be nominated each year. Wanda will receive a commemorative Hall of Fame medallion for this honor.

Leader Of the Year and Volunteer Of the Year Recognitions

The Fulton County 4-H Program is once again planning to recognize adults who help to make 4-H strong in Fulton County. At the Volunteer Recognition Banquet to be held in early 2012, one 4-H Volunteer and one 4-H Leader will be recognized for their contributions to 4-H. To nominate someone, write a letter telling why you think they should receive the award, and send to the Fulton County Extension Office, 15411 N IL 100 Hwy, Lewistown, IL 61542. Nominations are due November 10.

4-H Cook Books

We still have quite a few 4-H cook books for sale at the Extension Office. This book was printed in 2010 as a fundraiser for 4-H, and is full of over 460 recipes from area 4-H families. If your family has a business, or a parent works at a business, where they could be sold to the public, please call the Extension Office at 547-3711 and talk to Janis about it. Thanks!

4-H Premium Checks

4-H premium checks will be sent to members' homes by the end of September. On the portion of the check where ratings are listed, B = Blue, R = Red, W = White. These checks are only valid for 60 days from the date of issue. If a check is not cashed in 60 days, it WILL NOT be reissued.

This year there were a few 4-H members who exhibited projects in which they were not enrolled. No premium can be paid for projects exhibited unless you are enrolled in them. It's so important that you double-check your enrollments with your 4-H Key Leader before the May 1st enrollment deadline each year, so corrections can be made if needed.

Rural Youth Loans

The USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers youth loans as a way to help young people fund agriculture-related projects and gain experience. The youth must be participating in 4-H, FFA, or a similar organization. For more information, call the FSA office at 547-2233, or see this website —

http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=fmlp&topic=dfl-yl

Horse Show at Friendship Festival

There will be a Horse Show on Wednesday, September 14th, at 4 p.m., at the Canton Friendship Festival Grounds, sponsored by a Festival Committee. For more information, call Diane Simons at 647-1266. Pre-registration is not required.

4-H Club Radio Programs

If your club is unable to do its radio program as requested, please call the Extension Office at 547-3711. Our 4-H radio program airs on Sundays at 6:03 a.m. on WBYS 1560 AM. You need to have it done by the Thursday before the Sunday that it airs. Key leaders receive detailed information in the mail several weeks before your air date.

4-H Leader News

4-H Leaders' Meeting -- October 3rd

There will be a 4-H Leaders' Meeting on Monday, October 3rd, at 6:30 p.m., at the Extension Office in Lewistown. Each club is asked to have at least one adult leader present.

Topics will include club fiscal policies, premium rules, a review of enrollment materials, project changes for this year, upcoming events, and other youth-related topics. Key leaders may pick up their materials that evening to begin the 2011-2012 4-H year. There will be refreshments after the program, and door prizes will be given! If a club does not have at least one leader present, an individual meeting will need to be scheduled with Janis.

4-H Treasurer Books and 4-H Secretary Books Due at Extension Office

Please bring in your 4-H Club Treasurer Book and Secretary Book from the 2010-2011 4-H Year by September 30, 2011 (or you can bring them to the October 3rd Leaders' Meeting). We are required by the state to collect these every year. They will be returned to you this fall. This is not optional. Thank you to the clubs that have already brought theirs to the office. State 4-H Policy states that a 4-H club will NOT be re-enrolled for the new year until the Treasurer's and Secretary's Books for the prior year have been submitted.

4-H Insurance

Application forms for taking out 4-H Club medical/accident insurance are available at the Extension Office, or can be done online (call 547-3711 for web address). The coverage can be purchased per event, or on a yearly basis, and the cost is very reasonable.

The University of Illinois provides liability coverage for enrolled, screened volunteers who conduct 4-H events and activities. It is excess coverage, which means it pays after the person's own coverage pays.

Volunteer Screening

A state requirement of the 4-H Program is that we must screen all new volunteers, and have certain information on file for all volunteers. Any new leaders must complete an Extension Volunteer Application form, an Authorization For Background Check, and a Conviction Information Name Check Request form.

Do not submit an enrollment form for a new adult leader unless you have these forms completed by them. Volunteer Screening forms are good for five years, and then must be updated. Adults will not be viewed as

4-H leaders until their screening forms have been processed and are back from the state. If you have an adult in your club who has been serving in a leader capacity, and has not been screened, this is in violation of state policy. Please be sure your adult volunteers are all screened so they can be legally viewed as 4-H leaders.

Multi-County 4-H Leader and Officer Training

4-H leaders and club officers are invited to the JOINT Leader and Officer training on Saturday morning, November 5^th , in Peoria, Illinois (location to be announced). Club officers and leaders will participate in workshop sessions that deal with skills they will need as the 4-H year progresses. More information will be given to 4-H leaders when plans are finalized. Contact the Extension Office at 547-3711 for more information and for online registration details.

Project Changes For the 2011-2012 4-H Year

A listing of 4-H projects available can be found in the new Illinois Clover, pages 15-34. Your leader will have these very soon. Please discard old versions of the Illinois Clover that you may still have. You can also view the Illinois Clover online at http://www.4-h.uiuc.edu/projects/clover.pdf

New 4-H projects --

Exploring Your Environment 1 and 2 — Learn about real-world issues through investigations and explorations of the natural world. Includes basic ecological concepts showing how nature works and how we affect it and are affected by it.

Discontinued project —

Sports Nutrition

Revised projects/manuals —

Passport To the World

Leadership (some units)

Robotics

Note:

Shooting Sports is still in the development process for our county. We do have a coordinator now, and two instructors, so it is moving forward. When we are ready to enroll 4-H members in this, an announcement will be in the 4-H newsletter.

4-H Program Fee

The 4-H Program fee will remain at $20.00 for this year. The fees will again be collected shortly after May 1st. Thank you to the clubs who met the deadline. As an alternative, 4-H club leaders may collect the fees throughout the year if they wish to, then submit them to the office after May 1st. As last year, no one will be denied membership because of inability to pay — there will be funds to cover the fee for those who cannot afford it. There will also be a family cap of $50.00 per family.

Illinois 4-H Website

The 4-H statewide website has lots of good information on opportunities for members and leaders. If you have not visited it for awhile, take a few minutes to see all that it has to offer —

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/state4h/

Fulton County 4-H Week -- October 17-21, 2011

"Join the Revolution Of Responsibility"

(or use a theme of your choice)

Your club is invited to help publicize its activities and Fulton County 4-H during 4-H Week, October 17-21, 2011. "Join the Revolution Of Responsibility" shows the public that 4-H members stand out in their communities in the way they take on responsibilities and help others. Fulton County 4-H is excited about what it has to offer, and wants to let everyone know!

We want the public to get involved in the 4-H Program, if they are not already! The list of ideas for 4-H promotion could be endless. Here are a few:

- Put up a Window Display or Bulletin Board (See contest rules below).

- Design a poster to be put up in store windows, in support of 4-H.

- Invite a new person to join your club — Do this one for sure!!!!!!

- Wear an article of clothing that has 4-H on it. — Wear 4-H T-shirts, green shirts, pins, etc.!!!

- Thank your leaders -- send a thank you note; bake him/her some cookies.

- Talk to your local newspaper or radio station about a 4-H story, or take out an ad in the paper.

- Give a talk, demonstration, or skit to civic organizations about what 4-H has to offer.

- Plan a member recruitment drive for your club; distribute fliers about 4-H to area schools.

......................................................................................................................................

WINDOW DISPLAY/BULLETIN BOARD CONTEST RULES

1. Displays must be in place by noon on Monday, October 17, and remain in the window until 5 p.m. on Friday, October 21.

2. Displays will be given ratings based on the same criteria as used in the past. Copies of the score

sheet are available at the Extension Office.

3. Entries are due to the Extension Office by October 13.

KEY LEADERS: Return the form below by October 13 to the Extension Office, to inform us of your

4-H Week plans (or call or email). Recognition will be given at the Achievement Program to all clubs that participate in some activity during this week (and notify us). Federation gives a cash award to clubs that do window displays or bulletin boards. The winning club in the Window Display Contest receives a traveling trophy and a monetary prize.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The ____________________________ 4-H Club will have a (check all that apply):

_____ Window Display, located at this town business___________________________

_____ Bulletin Board, located at this town business___________________________

_____ Will participate in Fulton County 4-H Week by (list other activities):

______________________________________________________________________

Leader signature____________________________________________________________

4-H Calendar

September

1 New 4-H Year begins — Welcome, New Members!!!

25 Pleasant Spacemakers 4-H Club Radio Program, 6:03 a.m.

October

3 4-H Leaders' Meeting, 6:30 p.m., at the Extension Office

13 Entries due for Window Display Contest

16 Country Wranglers 4-H Club Radio Program, 6:03 a.m.

17-21 Fulton County 4-H Week

24 4-H Federation meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Extension Office

31 Happy Halloween!

November

5 Multi-County 4-H Officers' and Leaders' Training in Peoria

6 Smithfield Up and Coming 4-H Club Radio Program, 6:03 a.m.

6 4-H Achievement Program, 2:30 p.m., Lewistown Community High School

10 Deadline for nominations for 4-H Leader and Volunteer of the Year

24-25 Extension Office closed for Thanksgiving holiday

27 Junior Master Gardeners 4-H Club Radio Program, 6:03 a.m.

Extension Office Hours

The Fulton County Extension Office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed during the lunch hour, 12 noon to 1 p.m. The answering machine is left on when we are out of the office, or when we are away from the phone. Our office is located in the lower level of the Farm Bureau Building, on the north edge of Lewistown.

If you are a person who needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in any of the listed programs or events, contact Janis Blout at University of Illinois Extension, Fulton County Office, phone 309-547-3711.

4-H Foodstand

Thanks to everyone

who worked at the

4-H Foodstand!!!