4-H Happenings

What a night at the annual Leaders’ Banquet held at the China Hill Restaurant. Delicious food and a fun night.


Norma Hardison being honored for 40 years of service with her husband, Floyd.	Methel & Joey Wilbur were honored for their work in the Blue Hill Fair Food booth.

Dec. 10	7:00 pm - Leaders’ Meeting - Extension Office
Dec. 25	Christmas Day - Extension Office Closed
Dec. 26	Extension Office Closed
Dec. 31	Enrollments are due in the Extension Office - no exceptions
Jan. 1	New Year’s Day - Extension Office Closed
Jan. 19	Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Extension Office Closed
Jan. 14	VOLT training at Waldo County Extension Office
May 16-17	4-H Edge Weekend at UMaine Campus
June 26-28	Maine 4-H Days at the Winsor Fairgrounds

Dear Mix n’ Match, Since I no longer run a 4-H club, I do not have to deal with project records as I used to. Plus they have changed over the years. My visit with Mix n’ Match in Steuben on doing project records was very helpful to me and I hope to them. Thanks for the questions and being such a nice group to work with. My advice to all who do records: Follow the directions of the Rubric and you will know what the judges are looking for and you will get the points you deserve for your work.

CLUB CHAT - to the Steuben half of the Mix n’ Match Club at Painted Pepper Farm.

The club is sitting around the table to listen and participate in a record keeping workshop done by Norma Hardison, 4-H Program Aide. Part of the group is Ella, Fay and Beckett.

Welcome New VOLTed Volunteers - This new 4-H year finds five newly VOLTEd leaders who have completed their training and paperwork in Hancock County.
    Jason Breault & Jessica Rollerson, Orland, Independents
    Joyce Fortier - Ellsworth, Independent
    BeLinda Harriman - Orland, Soaring Falcons Schoolagins
    Debra Parker - Hancock, The Clover Club
Congratulations and best wishes as you join the 4-H family!

Leader & Club Recognition - Congratulations to the following leaders:
· 1st year: Basil Bowden, Michael Carter, Stephanie Carter, Vicki Koehler, Cathy Leeman, Virginia Marston, Beth McCann, Lisa Reilich, and Troy Staples;
· 5 years: Joyce Anderson, Frank Butler, William Carney, Tracy Crossman, Robin Foster, Wendy Hesketh, Brenda Jordan, Gregg Jordan, Heather Linnehan, Marjorie Peronto, Paula Pusey, and Lee Sargent
· 10 years: Sheila O’Donnell and Terry Swazey
· 15 years: George Dunn and Robyn Patterson
· 20 years: Norwood Ames
· 25 years: Becky Ames
· 40 years: Norma Hardison.

Three clubs received their 4-H Charter:
· Barn Critters - leader Molly Varnum
· Handy Hands - leader Beth McCann
· The Dragonflies - leader Stephanie Carter

Re-Enrollment - Last notice! Leaders please be sure to complete ALL paperwork and return it to the Extension Office by Wednesday, December 31st. There will be no exceptions. If you do not re-enroll, this will be your last newsletter.

Congratulations - are extended to leader Larry King. He reported the following “We just got back from Kentucky (rabbit convention) late Tuesday. We placed one of our does 9th out of 122 in the class. Nicholas did even better placing 4th in the top twenty with 6th, 12th 13th, and 16th placings. He also received "NATIONAL" status by receiving "Youth Member of the Year" in the Mini-Lop Club. This comes from his short background in 4-H. He helps everyone at the shows and is very polite.
Along with all of this Eileen and I received top honors (again) for the 2007-2008 season by placing 1st in District 7 which gives us "District Breeders of the Year". So we join 8 other district winners as Top Breeders in the Nation. AND, Nicholas received the same in the youth standings again.”

Bicycle Course Being Offered - John Fink, Declaration of Independents, has graciously offered to teach a bicycle course if there are any clubs interested. Please contact John at 667-7181.

1. 4-H EDGE Weekend – It’s BACK……
Plans are underway for the 4-H EDGE Weekend 2009: Connecting Kids to Campus! We had such fun the past two years and this year promises to be even bigger! So put May 16 and 17 on your calendar right now. We are hoping to bring 100 kids to EDGE this year and we want to see you! Keep watching your newsletter for continuing details.
AND…Would you like to have a say in the EDGE plans?? Co-chairs of 2009 4-H EDGE, Kristy Meisner Ouellette and Christy Fitzpatrick are getting together a group of youth and adults who have attended either one or both of the previous EDGE Weekends to help us make plans for this year. We will be having a teleconference on Wednesday December 10 at 7 pm for anyone interested in contributing thoughts and ideas for the best EDGE yet! If you want to be part of this group, please email Kristy at: kmeisner@umext.maine.edu or Christy at cfitz@umext.maine.edu or call Christy at 1-800-287-1469 and leave your contact information. Once we know how many lines we need, we will let you know the number to call.

2. Discounted Train Fare to Boston for 4-H Groups!
The Downeaster Discovery Field Trip Program provides train transportation to youth groups (preschool- grade 12) for just $15 per person round trip. This fare is available to groups of at least 15 persons, including chaperones. The maximum total group size permitted Monday- Thursday is 75. The maximum total group size permitted on Sundays is 100. The Discovery fare applies to youth and chaperones. The following maximum number of adult chaperones will be permitted at the Discovery fare per group: Grade 5 and under: 1 per every 3 youth; Grade 6-12: 1 per ever 6 youth .
If you have questions regarding the Discovery program, contact the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority at 207-780-1000 x 108. The Downeaster Discovery Program is available only on the Amtrak Downeaster service between Portland, ME and Boston, MA.

3. Market Beef
All 4-Hers in the Market Beef project who plan to raise a steer for the Windsor Fair or Fryeburg Fair, need to send in an “Intent to Sell” form to their County Cooperative Extension office by January 2, 2009. The forms are available at your county office and on- line at: http://www.umext.maine.edu/4h/forms/beef/beefintent.htm.
In January, you will be contacted about the time and place to tag your steer. The person tagging your steer will have an approval form for you to fill out and s/he will record your tag numbers. Your approval form for your Market Beef project is due in your county Cooperative Extension office on February 16, 2009.

4. Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)
Start making plans now to visit our Nation’s Capitol during the week of July 4 to 11, 2009. CWF is a leadership program conducted by the National 4-H Council for high school youth ages 15 to 19. Delegations of 4-Hers from across the country spend six days touring the city and attending leadership skill-building workshops. This summer, the Maine delegation will leave on July 4 and return on July 11, 2009. You will stay at the National 4-H Conference Center just outside Washington, DC. Visiting the most popular sites in Washington will be a part of the trip.
Contact your county 4-H office to find out how to apply for this trip. Each county will have their own selection process.

5. Maine 4-H Days
Hold the date for Maine 4-H Days this year. Come to the Windsor Fairgrounds the weekend of June 26, 27, and 28 for a weekend filled with fun learning activities for the whole family. There will be various animal tracks, exciting enrichment tracks and this year we will add a volunteer track for 4-H leaders and parents.

6. Horse Study Sessions 4-H Horse Members!
Study sessions for horse knowledge will start up again in January. Study sessions will be done by video conference at various high schools throughout the state one Tuesday night of each month until May from 6-8pm. The study sessions will be held at eight different high schools around the state: Hampden Academy, Lewiston HS, Sanford HS, Oxford Hills HS, Houlton HS, Nokomis HS in Newport, Hall-Dale HS in Farmingdale.
The dates are: January 20, February 10, March 17, April 14, and May 19.
Who should attend? Anyone who would like to learn more about horses or might be interested in the Eastern States Equestrian Team, the Communications Team, the Hippology Team, Horse Judging Team or the Horse Quiz Bowl Team. These will be interactive study sessions with other 4-Hers from all over the state.
Updates and cancellations will be on the website at http://www.umext.maine.edu/4h/resources/horse/study.htm or contact Kate Slattery at slatterk@sad44.org or 836-3217 for more information.

7. National 4-H Conference
Eight delegates from Maine will attend the National 4-H Conference March 28 to April 2, 2009. They are Katie Thoutte, Sky Critchfield, and Dana Hayward from Cumberland County, Jodi Harnden from Franklin County, Anthony Severance from Hancock County, Molly Lindsey from Kennebec County, Katlyn Keane from Oxford County, and Grace Gonnella from Penobscot County.
This five day youth conference is held at the National 4-H Conference Center just outside of Washington, DC where 4-H delegations from every state meet to share ideas and form recommendations for the future of 4-H. Delegates participate in activities that emphasize civic engagement, youth-adult partnerships, and professional development.
If you are between the ages of 14 and 18, and would like to attend the National 4-H Conference in 2010, you can apply this spring. Deadline for your application is March 13, 2009 and more details can be found at www.umext.maine.edu/4h/events/natltripsletter.htm.

8. Infovets Educational Materials
Give that animal lover something special for the holidays! Order a CD for your favorite person who wants to learn more about the animals they love. For $27.95 each (includes shipping & handling), you can obtain a CD to gain knowledge about your cat, dog, horse, goat, sheep, beef or dairy. If you prefer the book style, you can purchase the manuals for all the groups mentioned. The manuals cost $80.95 each (includes shipping and handling). Mail your requests along with a check made out to York County Shepherds to:
UMCE – Donna Flint
21 Bradeen Street
Suite 302, Springvale, ME 04083
For more information contact Donna at 1-800-287-1535 or 324-2814.

9. Training Opportunity for 4-H and Master Gardener Volunteers and Extension Staff
WHAT: Kids Can Grow- An Experiential Model of Youth Gardening (see description below)
WHO: Presented by Frank Wertheim, Extension Educator
WHERE: University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Knox-Lincoln County Office, 377
Manktown Rd., Waldoboro, ME. See this link for directions: http://www.umext.maine.edu/KnoxLincolnCounties/directions.htm
WHEN: Wed., Dec. 10, 2008, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.,(Snow date: Tue., Dec. 16, 1:00 -3:30 p.m.)
TO REGISTER: Call Jeanne Pipicello: 800-244-2104 x 123 or e-mail jeannep@umext.maine.edu by December 8^th.

Kids Can Grow Are you interested in learning about a new experiential model of youth gardening? No – it’s not a gardening curriculum – Kids Can Grow was developed by University of Maine Cooperative Extension in York County in 1999. Through this five-month successful and comprehensive gardening program designed for children ages 7 – 12, youth learn how to grow nutritious vegetables, herbs and beautiful flowers for their families in their own 3 x 5 foot raised bed gardens at home using intensive square foot gardening techniques. The kids participate in a series of “hands on” gardening classes at a central location, and then repeat what they learn at home using materials we supply, and home visit help from a Master Gardener Volunteer mentor to assist and inspire them. The goal of this training will be to present the program model, gauge interest in starting new programs at new sites, and develop a support network to help make that happen. We will be seeking grant funds to pay for a pilot project at each new program site. We hope you can join us on December 10th.

4-H Happenings
An informational source for 4-H leaders in Hancock and Washington Counties

Important information regarding current and future realities
of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Budget
As of November 21, 2008

· The budget for Cooperative Extension from the University of Maine was cut by $516,868 for Fiscal Year 2009. Of this amount $413,604 was cut in July and an additional cut of $103,264 will occur in December. This is the largest single year reduction in Extension’s history.
· Funding from the USDA for UMaine Extension was reduced by $87,063 for FY 2008. The FY 2009 allocation to Extension has not been made, yet but flat funding is expected.
· County funding for 2009 has been largely flat across the state.
· The University of Maine is planning for a FY 2010 budget reduction of 10% or more. For Extension a reduction of 10% in University funding would be over $720,000.

Immediate impacts of this budget situation are:
· Based on what is known today no base funded employees are will be laid off. However, we cannot guarantee that all positions can be retained.
· Several base funded vacancies are not being filled pending the determination of the FY 2010 cut. These salary lines may be sacrificed to meet the next cut.
· We are being asked to reduce operational expenses in postage, travel and supplies and materials.
· Extension must prioritize our work to meet the highest priority needs of Maine people within our mission. We will have to do less with less and be more focused.

What will this mean for the Hancock County 4-H program?
· The Hancock County 4-H program will still continue, but it may look a bit different as we move forward in these tough economic times.
· Volunteers are exploring ideas to reduce the number of leaders’ association meetings each year, reducing travel for both staff and volunteers.
· The use of email and our county 4-H web-site will become the primary source of monthly information that was typically shared in a printed newsletter. The idea of moving to a bi-monthly or quarterly newsletter is being explored.
· Animal science committees have begun/or will begin to explore the use of video conferencing technology.
· New collaborations with afterschool programs, providing new delivery methods to reach more youth.
· County events such as June Jamboree and Horse Camp will need to be revisited- Blue Hill Fair Grounds will not be host to such events anymore due to their cost-saving measures.
· We will no longer receive $300 each year to offset the cost 4-H curriculum purchases.

Although these changes will impact how we have done business in the past, we ask that you help us to creatively work through these challenges and preserve the future of Cooperative Extension and 4-H. If you have any questions or have any cost-saving ideas, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Cooking With the Kids

Reindeer Faces
This healthy holiday sandwich is a low-sugar treat that is as
much fun to make as it is to eat!

1 can water-packed albacore tuna, drained
1 Tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
3 slices whole wheat bread
6 pretzel twists

1. Combine tuna and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Stir until smooth.
2. Place bread slices on a cutting board and cut each into triangles using a serrated knife or bread knife.
3. Spread triangles with tuna salad. Create a reindeer by decorating each triangle with two olives for eyes, a grape tomato for the nose, and two pretzel twists for the antlers.

Taken from Nutrition for Kids / Nov. Feeding Kids Newsletter

Maine 4-H Youth
Development Mission
To educate and empower Maine youth through hands-on and community-based experiences.

Maine 4-H Youth
Development Vision
Maine youth acquire the knowledge, life skills, leadership abilities and attitudes to help them succeed now and in the future through effective collaborations, hands-on experiential education and self-directed learning.

Member of the University of Maine System
Last Modified: 10/14/09
These pages are currently being maintained from the
Hancock County Office, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Send comments, suggestions or inquiries to jfortier@umext.maine.edu