T azewell. Tribune. 4-H Member Newsletter January Katharine

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1 T azewell Tribune 4-H Member Newsletter January 2017 University of Illinois Extension ~ Fulton, Mason, Peoria, Tazewell Unit Horsin Around Special Interest Club Do you know someone who is horse-crazy and wants to learn all about horses? We have the perfect Special Interest Club for them! Youth do not need a horse or even be enrolled in the 4-H Horse project to join our fun study group called "Horse Bowl and Hippology". A younger age group of 8 to 12 years old (younger yet may attend with an adult) and an older group from 13 to 18 years old will meet weekly for three months starting in January and run through April to look over the 4-H Horse Manuals and other reference materials, and then play a game called "Horse Bowl". We also bring in lots of horse items & equipment for good old fashioned "horsing around" fun. When: Tuesdays, January through April 4:00-5:00 p.m. *times and dates may vary depending on members schedules Where: Christian Life Academy ~ Hopedale, IL If interested please call Vera Betzelberger at or verabetzelberger@yahoo.com. Dear 4-H Families, Well, that was a soggy weekend! I never excepted to have a thunderstorm in the middle of January. Perhaps, spring is closer than we think I know these next couple of weeks will fly by, especially with all the 4-H events happening. I highly encourage you to take a good look at this newsletter, as there are a lot of important articles. There is one event in particular I want to share with you. If you have never experienced Clover Clinic, then this is the year to do it! We have a great line-up of instructors and volunteers for the day, and I have always loved this event. My first experience with Clover Clinic was as an instructor about seven years ago, and I had a blast! Now, here I am as part of the planning committee. Talk about life coming full circle. Clover Clinic is a great opportunity to explore new areas of interest and make new friends. If you are free on February 18, I would highly recommend attending this annual event. With everything going on, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. I am always happy to help. Katharine Katharine Girone Tazewell 4-H Program Coordinator girone1@illinois.edu Livestock Judging Opportunities If anyone is interested in upcoming livestock judging events all across Illinois, please contact Katharine at the Extension Office.

2 February 11 Federation Mtg., 2 p.m., Judy s House 16 Leaders & Superintendents Mtg., 7 p.m., Extension Office, Pekin 18 Clover Clinic, ICC 23 Dog SPIN Club begins, 6 p.m. March 1 4-H Enrollment deadline for ALL projects 2 Tri-County Rocketeers Mtg., 6:30 p.m., Extension Office, Pekin 4 4-H Night with the Peoria Rivermen, 7 p.m. 9 Federation Mtg., 6:30 p.m., Extension Office, Pekin April 4 Leaders & Superintendents Mtg., 7 p.m., Extension Office, Pekin 6 Tri-County Rocketeers Mtg., 6:30 p.m., Extension Office, Pekin 11 Archery begins, 6:30 p.m., Livestock Review Building, Pekin 13 Federation Mtg., 6:30 p.m., Extension Office, Pekin 15 Horse Lease/ID Papers Due 26 Horse Committee Mtg., 6:30 p.m., Extension Office, Pekin University of Illinois Extension Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit 1505 Valle Vista, Pekin, girone1@illinois.edu Tazewell County Extension Staff: Earl Allen County Director Anita Wilkinson Communications & 4-H Special Projects Katharine Girone 4-H Program Coordinator Holly Koch 4-H Program Coordinator Kaitlyn Streitmatter INEP Program Coordinator Paula Evans INEP Community Worker Kellie Roecker INEP Community Worker Sheila Bolliger Office Support Debbie Shelby -Office Support University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need reasonable accommodations to participate in any of the activities offered in this newsletter, please contact the Extension office at USDA and Local Extension Councils Cooperating. Federation News February Meeting Saturday, February 11 at 2 p.m. Judy s House We will be making cards as a service project. Please watch your mail and s carefully for upcoming details. Interested in a new culture? Do you enjoy learning about different cultures? Does learning a new language sound exciting? The Chinese Language Institute and the ICC International Center is hosting Chinese classes and would love for you to join them! ICC s Visiting Chinese Scholar is teaching free classes centered around the Chinese language and culture. Also, the scholar is willing to help individual 4-Hers on Passport to the World and International projects. Club leaders, are you looking for a fun program for one of your monthly meetings? Clubs are also encouraged to hold a meeting at ICC s International Center and have a program on the Chinese culture. They have presented topics such as kite making, tea ceremonies, Chinese games, Calligraphy and much more. If your club is not able to make it to ICC s International Center, Shari West is happy to come to you and present. Please contact Shari West at or at swest@icc.edu for more information. Steer Tattoo & Weigh In Steer Tattoo and Weigh In is scheduled for Saturday, February 4 from 7 8 a.m. at Greenhaven Animal Clinic in San Jose. All those planning to exhibit steers at the Illinois State Fair must have the animal weighed and tattooed. Tazewell, Mason and Logan County 4-H are all weighing in on the same day. The schedule is very tight. It is critical that anyone needing steers weighed, contact the Tazewell Extension Office to reserve a time slot. The backup date due to weather is set for Saturday, February 11 at 7 8 a.m.

3 Take Note Donations needed for 4-H Clover Clinic To help us save money for Clover Clinic supplies, we are reaching out to our 4-H families for items that may be hiding in your storage cupboards. If you would like to clean out some of your storage space, these are the items we are currently needing: Bud vases Ribbon (any size, color, and kind will work) Donations can be dropped off at the Tazewell Extension Office. There are also youth who are not typically able to attend Clover Clinic due to financial hardship. If your family would like to make a donation to provide a Clover Clinic scholarship, feel free to contact Katharine to discus that opportunity. 4-H Enrollment is ONLINE... Go to: IL.4Honline.com and create your family profile It s time to enroll in 4-H, and it s a gazillion times easier than ever before! This year all enrollment is done ONLINE! Go to IL.4Honline.com and set up your family profile. Register every member or leader in your family all at once. Choose your club. Choose your projects. BOOM! You re done. You can now view your official 4-H information and edit that information all year long from your computer or mobile device. Every change is tracked by who made the change and the time/date changes were made to your profile. Illinois 4-H is always looking for ways to make things easier for families and clubs. We think this is a homerun! The 4-H leaders in Tazewell County are trained and are distributing your enrollment materials. Feel free to stop by the Extension Office if you would like some one-on-one assistance or use a computer. As always, you can contact Katharine, girone1@illinois.edu, if you have any questions. High School Seniors Send Katharine your Sr. Picture to be included in the H Show Book. An electronic version is best, but a hard copy will work, too. Please include the following information: Name 4-H Club(s) (include county clubs as well as State committees) If you have had a project focus or favorite project, what is it? In a short description describe one of the following: Something you learned during your years in 4-H A favorite 4-H memory Advice to younger 4-Hers What are your plans for next year? Are there any 4-H volunteers you would like to thank publicly? Send to girone1@illinois.edu or 1505 Valle Vista, Pekin, Deadline is March 1, H Show Book Cover Design Contest Calling all artists, graphic designers and photographers! We would like you to create a cover for the new 4-H Show Book. Designs can be drawn by hand or designed on the computer. You are welcome to incorporate original photographs or clipart into your design. Copyrighted work is not allowed. The theme for this year s fair is Building the Future. If you would like to use the 4-H logo, please contact the Extension Office to receive an official electronic copy. Information that must appear on the cover: 2017 Tazewell 4-H Show & Jr. Fair Book July 31, August 1, August 2 Mineral Springs Park, Pekin Contact the Extension Office for information about basic design principles. Designs are due to the Extension Office by February 1, H Enrollment Deadline: ALL Projects March 1, 2017

4 Need Cash for College? Two scholarships are available to college-bound youth who have been 4-H members for at least five years. Both can be used at a 4-year university, community college, or trade school. Applications are due March 1 and open to high school seniors and college freshmen. The Illinois 4-H Livestock Scholarship is open to members who have demonstrated mastery in the livestock area and plan to continue their education in the area of agriculture. Members must have been involved in the livestock project a minimum of three years. One $1,000 scholarship is awarded each year. The Legacy of Leadership Scholarship is offered to members who have demonstrated overall mastery and leadership in the 4-H program. Eight $1000 scholarships are awarded each year. Scholarship applications are available at go.illinois.edu/4hscholarships. Applications are due March 1, If you re selected as one of the finalists, you ll be asked to submit a video of your 4-H accomplishments. Club News: Morton Helping Hands At the December meeting, the Morton Helping Hands 4-H Club made Snowman Soup kits to distribute. The members decorated cups to look like snowmen, and then added hot cocoa packets, marshmallows and candy canes. The kits were individually packaged and special handwritten notes were attached. The members brainstormed places to distribute their Snowman Soup kits. They were delivered to the employees of the Morton Police Department and the Children s Hospital of Illinois by a few of the members families. Emily Boecker Reporter/Photographer Club News: Green Valley Purple Ribbons & Toilers The Green Valley Purple Ribbons and Toilers met on Sunday, November 13 at the Methodist Church in Green Valley. The meeting started with making reindeer crafts and pizza dough. While the dough rose, we went to the Autumn Accolades Assisted Living and sang Christmas carols and handed out the reindeer ornaments. We then went back to the church and finished making pizza and played games. We all had a good time. At our January 8 meeting, upcoming events were discussed. The next meeting will be Sunday, February 19 at 4 p.m. Olivia Pendleton Reporter First Choice Agriculture Scholarship 1st Farm Credit Services is pleased to offer the First Choice Agriculture Scholarship. This scholarship will assist deserving high school seniors to further their education in an agriculture or rural life-related field of study. This scholarship provides 24 individual $1,500 scholarships to students within the 42-county service territory of 1st Farm Credit Services. The scholarship is for graduating high school seniors who have been accepted into an agriculture or agriculture-related curriculum at a university, college or community college and either reside or attend high school within 1st Farm Credit Services service territory. Agriculture -related fields include those that would contribute to the quality of rural life for people living in rural areas, or for those who want to return to a rural area to work in any field. Applications are now open. Learn more at -choice-agriculture-scholarship. Applications must be received by February 15. Get $500 for Research on Corn, Soybeans, and Small Grains If you are interested in research associated with growing OR cooking with corn, soybeans, and/or small grains, the Illinois Soybean Association and DuPont Pioneer Hi-Bred are offering $500 Clover Challenge Grants to 4-H members. The Illinois Soybean Association will provide five $500 grants for youth interested in a topic related to soybeans; while Pioneer Hi-Bred will provide five $500 grants for youth interested in exploration of corn or small grains. Research may relate to, but is not limited to, production practices, processing, crop and/or cropbyproduct utilization (nutrition related exploration). In both grant opportunities, 4-H members, ages 15-18, are challenged to research a topic over the course of the 4-H program year and design at least two different delivery methods to share their findings. Youth should select delivery methods that best showcase their findings which may include, but are not limited to, an educational presentation, video, flyer, or brochure. Successful applicants will select a mentor to work with during their study. The deadline for application submission is February 15, 2017 and projects must be completed by August 31, More information is available for the Clover Challenge Grant opportunity at the Illinois 4-H Foundation website: grants/clover. If you have questions, please contact Pat McGlaughlin, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development, State 4-H Office, patm@illinois.edu.

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10 New exhibit option in every project in 2017 We know that 4-H prepares you for the future and now, we re adding an exhibit class that lets you show off business opportunities and careers you could have based on your 4-H project! The Ready4Life Challenge class is available in EVERY 4-H project and open to any 4-H member who was at least 11 years old last September. Here is the exhibit description. Exhibits in this category must include the following: a) a physical representation of the career or business product such as a model, prototype or display/portfolio that includes images of accomplished work; b) verbal or written explanations that demonstrate knowledge of the related career or business fields, potential careers, and the appropriate requirements for achievement in those fields. The judging criteria for this class values thoroughness of career and/or business exploration and pursuit above the workmanship of the physical specimen on display. Have you started a business based on a 4-H project? Have you interviewed professionals in your 4-H project area? Have you considered marketing a product you make related to 4-H? We ve added state fair exhibit entries for these new Ready4Life exhibits. Start thinking today! Test your skills at State 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl The State 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl contest will be held Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 at the Chateau Hotel and Conference Center in Bloomington. The State 4-H contest will be held in conjunction with the Illinois Jr. Holstein Association Spring Thing workshop. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., and the dairy bowl contest will begin at 9 a.m. with the test. All 4-H members interested in participating are invited to attend; no need to be enrolled in dairy or own dairy cattle. There is no limit to who can attend from each county. Teams of four can compete, or individuals can be added to other teams. The State 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl team will be selected from the eligible 4-H members participating at this state contest. County offices have the registration information which is due Feb. 15. For information, contact Dave dfischer@illinois.edu or call Helping you make a difference locally Looking for funding support to conduct community service outreach in your community? 1 st Farm Credit Service is ready to help Illinois 4-H clubs across Illinois make positive and visible change to Illinois communities! Community Improvement Grants are a great way for Illinois teens to demonstrate their leadership on a local level as teen advocates working for positive change in their hometown! 1 st Farm Credit Service s Community Improvement Grant is inviting 4-H Clubs to apply for a $250 grant to support positive change and impact on the local community, involve youth development and education and better the places we live. Applications are due March Learn more and apply online at profile/community-improvement-grants. Find your place in agriculture Are you a young woman interested in a career in agriculture? Consider attending the Women Changing the Face of Agriculture Conference on the University of Illinois campus March 10. The keynote speaker is Elzandi Oosthuizen, vice president of global strategy at Monsanto. Oosthuizen s 12-year career with Monsanto began in South Africa and includes global and regional roles in the Seed and Traits, Crop Protection, and Vegetable operations. The conference offers career advice and direction for young women in high school and college who are thinking about a career in agriculture. At the conference, women learn more about careers in the industry, network with women from across the country and interact with others interested in similar careers. To learn more about the conference, visit womenchangingthefaceofagriculture.com. Think Summer and Register for Camp Registration for Summer Camp at 4-H Memorial Camp will open January 9. Go online at go.illinois.edu/4hcamp. Choose from four 5-day camp weeks: Week 1: June 4-8 Week 2: June Week 3: June Week 4: June 30 July 4 If you ve always loved camp, but are too old to attend, consider serving as a camp counselor or camp staff member. Applications are available online.

11 All new website has information at click of button We know you want 4-H information every moment of every day and now, the NEW Illinois 4-H website has everything you need. Go to: 4h.extension.illinois.edu. New modern look filled with 2,000 photos of... you & your club members Easy-to-find information nothing is more than three clicks from the home page Easy links to apply for award Easy links to register for events More information about 4-H projects Direct link to 4-H Online enrollment & project selection Request buttons for programs you want in your county Easy-to-submit 4-H stories which we ll feature on the site and in social media Responsive design which will look great on your smart phone or computer Easy-to-use Donate Buttons let you give back to the program you love All-in-one library with all the 4-H documents you need. We d love to hear what you think of the new site. Send us a note at illinois4h@illinois.edu. Save the date Illini Summer Academies is expanding one more day to explore the University of Illinois campus and college life. NEW DAYS June NEW DORMS. NEW ACADEMIES, such as Ag Communications, Journalism, plus advance sessions of Microbiology and Human Development and Family Services. NEW ADVENTURES. Governor s Volunteer Service Awards Illinois citizens are recognized by the governor s office for volunteer service they have given in their local communities. The awards are presented to both individual volunteers and volunteer programs, recognizing the importance of volunteerism and community service in the State of Illinois. Governor s Volunteer Service Awards will be presented to one Youth (18 years and under); one Adult (19-54 years); and one Retiree/Senior (55+ years) in each of the Commission s five service regions across Illinois. In 2016, Emma Hoke of Milan was selected as the Northwest Illinois Governor s Volunteer Service Award winner for her service to the Handy Buds 4-H Group. The deadline for applying is 5 p.m. February 17. Complete online application and paper application submission information are available at A NEW National 4-H Month of Service: Consider what your club can do in April 4-H members have always demonstrated pride in the communities they call home. Whether they live in cities, towns, or rural areas, 4-H ers strive to find ways to make their communities better. We are excited to announce that 4-H ers in every county in the nation will be joining together in April 2017 to celebrate community service and service learning throughout their local communities. Service projects can be scheduled at any time during April; however, the celebration of service culminates with a National 4-H Day of Service on Saturday, April 29, H National Headquarters, National 4-H Council and State 4-H Partners are working with the National 4-H Citizenship Leadership team to provide you with tools to plan service experiences across the nation. Look for a toolkit soon, along with ways for you to report your club s accomplishments. If you are wondering how YOU can make a difference, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. probably said it best when he shared, Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don t have to have a college degree to serve. You don t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.

12 It s for the Birds: Become a 4-H Citizen Scientist with Project FeederWatch 4-H members who enjoy bird watching are invited to become a citizen scientist with Project FeederWatch. What is Project FeederWatch? Project FeederWatch lets you become the biologist of your own backyard. Participants identify the birds at their feeders from November April and submit their observations to the Cornell Lab. You can count every week or only once all season the time you spend is up to you! Using an easy online data entry, you can immediately see all of your counts and view colorful summaries and graphs. Anyone interested in birds can participate; you do not have to be an expert. All you need is a comfortable chair, a window and an interest in the birds in your neighborhood. There is an $18 fee which provides first time participants with a Project FeederWatch Kit and part of the fee helps to support the continuation of the program which is in its 30 th year. Once you register online you can immediately start collecting data at your feeders. 4-H members/families can obtain additional information and sign up online at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website: March 1 4-H Enrollment Deadline Anyone planning to enroll in Tazewell 4-H must complete their 4-H Online Enrollment and pay their program fee by March 1, 2017 in order to be eligible to register for the H Show. Remember members will not be approved until payment is received. Also, you must select ALL your projects by the March 1 deadline.

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14 University of Illinois Extension Tazewell County 1505 Valle Vista Pekin, IL PRSRT.STD. U.S. Postage Paid Lewistown, IL Permit No. 35 University of Illinois U.S. Department of Agriculture Local Extension Councils Cooperating University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please call The Dog Special Interest Club will start its spring session on Thursday, February 23, 6 p.m. Please RSVP to the leaders prior to February 18 for a head count and for any special instructions. SPIN Club enrollment forms are available at the Extension Office and online at downloads/62877.pdf. Leaders - Danielle Stuber: dstuber111@gmail.com Kelly Stuber: Meetings are held at the Stuber s indoor dog training facility. Open to all youth ages 8 to 18. Invite your friends! $20 4-H Program fee. Dog SPIN Club