Clare County. 4-H Program Coordinator s Message. Contact Us

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1 Clare County March H Program Coordinator s Message Spring is almost here and the excitement of 4-H is in the air! If you have an animal project or are interested in an animal project, there are many upcoming educational workshops happening right here in our county for you to learn more about your projects. In this newsletter you ll find flyers about upcoming animal science workshops including Livestock Nutrition and Animal Care and Well-Being. Planning for our summer camps is well underway. This year we will again offer three different camps which are the Cloverbud Day Camp, Overnight Camp, and Summer Camp Blast. More information about camps is on page 6 of this newsletter and as we continue to plan them, more information will be released. Please remember that all of our camps are open to non-4-h members so feel free to bring your friends along! Come join us for some fun at the Clare Irish Festival Parade on March 17. We ll once again have a float in the parade and hope to see many of our families take part in this. Feel free to bring your pets on the float or to walk your dog or goat or ride your horse! More information about the parade can be found on page 5 of this newsletter. Have a happy St. Patrick's Day!! Alex Schunk 4-H Program Coordinator Michigan State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Jeffrey W. Dwyer, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. The 4-H Name and Emblem have special protections from Congress, protected by code 18 USC 707. Contact Us Alex Schunk 4-H Program Coordinator 225 West Main Street P.O. Box 439 Harrison, Michigan Phone schunkal@anr.msu.edu Web Site msue.anr.msu.edu/county/ info/clare 4-H Online Bad Weather Policy: If two out of the three schools (Clare, Harrison, Farwell) close on the same day due to bad weather (snow, ice, etc.) any scheduled 4-H meeting/event will be canceled.

2 2 Revised 4-H Teen Leadership Guide now online Learn the roles and responsibilities of a teen leader from this newly revised 4-H Teen Leadership Guide. Designed to make the process of taking on a 4-H teen leadership project easier, the publication provides a five step project guide along with fillable forms that make any teen into a great teen leader. The 4-H Teen Leadership Guide is available to download for free at msue.anr.msu.edu/ resources/4_h_ teen_leadership. STATEWIDE CALENDAR OF EVENTS 4-H Events and Workshops March 6: 4-H and Fundraising 101 for Volunteers Online Learn about Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension fundraising policies. 2 March 15: 4-H Junior Master Gardener Workshop Kalamazoo Fairgrounds, Kalamazoo Become a 4-H Junior Master Gardener at this workshop. Registration is due by March 7. March 17: Time for Success 4-H Workshop MSU Tollgate Farm and Conference Center, Novi Polish your skills and get prepared for your next interview. March 19: Michigan 4-H Embryology Staff, Teacher and Volunteer Training Online This free training is designed for educators who would like to learn how to implement an embryology program through classroom activities or 4-H SPIN clubs. Register by March michigan_4_h_embryology_staff_teacher_and_volunteer_training_online March 21: Animal Care and Well-Being Mid Michigan Community College, Harrison During this free event, learn about large and small animal welfare from MSU Extension educator Melissa Elischer. March 31: Southeast Michigan 4-H Target Archery Shoot Springfield Oaks County Park Activity Center, Davisburg This first annual event provides Michigan 4-H shooting sports members with the opportunity to test their skills and earn recognition. Register by March April 4-5: 4-H Tractor Safety NorthWest Michigan Research Center, Traverse City Complete the tractor operation safety course to become certified to perform farm jobs. Registration is due by March April 7: Michigan 4-H Hippology Skills and Communications Contest Michigan State University, East Lansing Combine youth interest in horses with the importance of science literacy and life skill building in this fun contest. Submit entries to your county MSU Extension office by March 9. April 14: State 4-H Goat Expo Michigan State University, East Lansing The State 4-H Goat Expo is designed for young people who are interested in live animal evaluation and in testing their knowledge of the goat (caprine) industry. For the most up-to-date events listing, go to

3 STATEWIDE NEWS AREA 4-H Exploration Days registration opening March 13 4-H Exploration Days is Michigan 4-H s largest pre-college program and could be the highlight of your summer maybe even change your life! Registration for this popular event will open March 13 and is open to any Michigan 4-H er above the age of 11 as of Jan New Diddly Squat lessons available 4-H Exploration Days participants partake in a variety of fun, educational sessions while at MSU. 4-H Exploration Days is designed to help youth build the skills they need to successfully transition to college and to life as an adult. Michigan 4-H youth who participate have the opportunity to stay in MSU campus residence halls while attending classroom and field trip sessions throughout their stay. With more than 200 session choices held on and off campus, there are topics for everyone including animal science, business and entrepreneurship, international language and culture, performing and visual arts, and science, engineering, and technology. During the H Exploration Days, nearly 2,000 youth attended and they gained important life skills like decision making, problem solving and communication. Registration will be available beginning March 13 at 9 a.m. All registration information should be turned in to your county s Extension office, typically by the end of April. Check with your local 4-H program coordinator for your specific county date or visit for more information. 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp From August 5 to 11, 4-H youth with an interest in the outdoors have the opportunity to engage in an amazing outdoor, hands-on learning experiences at the 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp (GLNRC). Held annually at Camp Chickagami in Presque Isle, camp participants get to go charter fishing, snorkeling, sailing and hiking, while learning about Great Lakes ecology, natural resources and environmental education. 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp participants explore nature at Camp Chickagami in Presque Isle. Declared one of the top eight 4-H science programs nationally in 2012, the goal of GLNRC is to help prepare, reinforce and enrich what youth have already learned in school and what they will learn in the future. This is achieved by allowing participants to spend one week learning from experts about coastal ecology, fisheries management, limnology, wildlife, invasive species and forestry. After attending the camp, participating youth will gain knowledge and skills in environmental science and related careers. To attend, youth must be between the ages of 13 and 15 and apply online. Registrations are due by May 1, but space is limited to 70 campers, so early application is encouraged. For more information, visit Three new lesson plans are now available in the Teaching Science When You Don t Know Diddly- Squat series. With a focus on sight, animal feet and math, the new lesson plans are not meant to teach specific content, but to teach the process of science. Asking questions and discovering answers encourages 4-H ers to figure things out for themselves. Discover the entire series and download the new lesson plans at msue.anr.msu.edu/ resources/teaching_ science_when_you_dont_ know_diddly_squat_series..

4 4 Supplies Needed The 4-H Foodstand is in need of a large industrial freezer. If you know of someone who is willing to donate a freezer or work with the 4-H Council on the cost, let Alex Schunk or any 4-H Foodstand Committee member know. CLARE COUNTY CALENDAR OF EVENTS March 1: Biosecurity Basics, 6:30pm, MMCC Houghton Room 2-3: 4-H Scrap N Craft, Harrison Lion s Building 5: 4-H Small Animal Association Meeting, 7pm, Clare County Building Courthouse Room A 7: Foodstand and Milk Booth Inventory Training, 6:30pm, MSU Extension 8: 4-H Council Higher Education Scholarship Applications Due 17: Clare Irish Festival Parade, 11am line up for float, parade starts at noon 20: 4-H Livestock Association Meeting, 6:30pm, MMCC Superior Room 21: Animal Care and Wellbeing Workshop, 6:30pm, MMCC Houghton Room 28: 4-H Council Meeting, 7pm, MMCC Superior Room April 2: 4-H Small Animal Association Meeting, 7pm, MMCC Superior Room 13: 4-H Camp at Camp Neyati Counselor and Volunteer Applications Due 17: 4-H Livestock Association Meeting, 6:30pm, MMCC Superior Room 25: 4-H Council Meeting, 7pm, MMCC Superior Room May 1: New Club Member Enrollment Closes 7: 4-H Small Animal Association Meeting, 7pm, Clare County Building Courthouse Room A 15: 4-H Livestock Association Meeting, 6:30pm, Clare County Building Courthouse Room A 23: 4-H Council Meeting, 7pm, 4-H Foodstand 30: 4-H Exploration Days Orientation, 6pm, Location TBD June 4: 4-H Small Animal Association Meeting, 7pm, 4-H Foodstand 6: 4-H Overnight Camp at Camp Neyati Orientation, 6pm, Location TBD 18: 4-H Cloverbud Day Camp, Camp Neyati in Lake 18: 4-H Overnight Summer Camp Counselor Training, Camp Neyati in Lake 19: 4-H Livestock Association Meeting, 6:30pm, 4-H Foodstand 19-22: 4-H Overnight Summer Camp, Camp Neyati in Lake 20-22: 4-H Exploration days at Michigan State University 26-28: Summer Camp Blast, MMCC Harrison 27: 4-H Council Meeting, 7pm, 4-H Foodstand July 2: 4-H Small Animal Association Meeting, 7pm, 4-H Foodstand 17: 4-H Livestock Association Meeting, 6:30pm, 4-H Foodstand 18: 4-H Council Meeting, 7pm, 4-H Foodstand

5 CLARE COUNTY NEWS Clare County 4-H Council Higher Education Scholarship All current high school seniors should have received an application for the Higher Scholarship by during the last week of January. This scholarship can be used for any higher education. Please apply! This scholarship is one of the many reason why the 4-H Council has many fundraisers including the Foodstand, Milk Booth, Flower Sale, and Scrap and Craft. Applications are due to the MSU Extension Office March 8. Clare Irish Festival Parade The Annual Clare Irish Festival Parade is on Saturday, March 17. Join us on the Clare County 4-H float and show your 4-H pride. Each family is asked to bring a bag of candy and each club is asked to make a poster representing their club and 4-H. Parade line up begins at 11am on Schoolcrest Avenue near the VFW Hall with the parade beginning at Noon. The float will return to the same location where the parade began. 4-H Exploration Days at MSU Dates June 20-22, 2018 Theme Learn, Discover, Grow Registration fee $165 ($185 for non 4-H ers.) This is a great bargain for a 3-day, 2-night MSU pre-college program full of experiential learning and personal growth opportunities! The Clare County 4-H Council will automatically cover half of this cost plus other scholarships may be available by contacting the MSU Extension Office. Registration books can be picked up a all regular scheduled meetings, at the MSU Extension Office or online at 4-H Council By-Law Change i. A representative from each 4-H club must attend at least four (4) 4-H Council meetings within a 4-H year, September 1 to August 31, of the current year. The representative cannot be an overall Council officer. Failure to comply this bylaw will result in the disbandment of the club by the 4-H Youth Staff of Clare County MSU Extension. **These numbers represent September 2017 to January 2018.** Club Blue Ribbon 0 Bouncing Bunny s Galloping Goats 1 Bow Masters 1 Brushwood 4 Busy Bunny Raisers 4 Country Community Club 1 Country Neighbors 4 County Line Pioneers 1 Denim & Dust 4 Harrison Hoppers 1 Hicks N Chicks 1 Hide N Hares 3 Hill Top 2 Kountry Kidz 1 Livestock Judging Team 0 Millennium Showmen 2 North Country Trail Riders 0 Over the County Line 1 Supreme Showmen 0 Triangle 2 We Chip In 3 Young Country 4 # of 4-H Council 5 Welcome to our newest volunteers! Elmer and Ella Mast Resource Volunteers Club Volunteer Opportunity Mid Michigan Community Action Agency distributes approximately 3,000 boxes of commodity foods to low income senior households across central Michigan every month. The boxes are packed at their warehouse in Farwell prior to distributing, with the help of volunteers. This is a project that s especially well-suited to groups of people that like to volunteer together, for a few hours at a time. Contact the MSU Extension Office for more detailed information.

6 6 CLARE COUNTY NEWS CONTINUED Livestock News News from the Fair Office Fair Camping: The camping fee of $125 is due by July 14, 2018 by cash, check, or credit card. Checks payable to the Clare County Fair, PO Box 698, Harrison, MI Office hours are on winter schedule, please call before coming in to make sure someone is there Fair Dates: July Theme: Garden Colors: Red and Yellow Record Keeping: At the last 4-H Livestock Meeting it was voted to use the revised 4-H Livestock Record Books for all 4-H members with market projects in the beef, feeder calf, swine, and sheep projects. CCJLA voted to make the 4-H Livestock Record Keeping project mandatory for all youth selling one of the above projects at the Clare County Fair. The books are all the same for each species and are a broken up by age category based on 4-H age of January 1 of the current year. Cloverbuds 5 to 8, Beginner 9 to 11, Intermediate 12 to 15, and Advanced 16 to 19. Each 4-H member needs to complete a book for each species they are selling. For example, if someone has two pigs they only need to turn in one record book as the record book has space to keep data for both of those projects. Record books can be found on our website at clare_county_4_h They are also in fillable PDF format so they can be saved on a computer and be filled in via computer. Printed copies will be available at the MSU Extension Office, Livestock Meetings, and 4-H Council Meetings. Weigh-Ins: Dairy Feeder and Sheep: Friday, April 20, 5 to 7pm at the T-Barn Swine: Saturday, April 21, 8 to 11am at the T-Barn 4-H Cloverbud Day Camp Monday, June 18, at Camp Neyati on Crooked Lake in Lake. Open to youth age 5 to 8 by January 1, Bussing available from Harrison and Clare. Many activities including a craft, science, swimming, singing camp songs, and a tour of camp. Cost $50 for 4-H members, $70 for non-4-h members. Stay tuned for details about scholarships to help cover camp cost. We are expecting registration to open on April 1. Attendance Goal: 25 Youth Campers, 4 Adult Volunteers 4-H Overnight Camp Tuesday, June 19 to Friday, June 22, at Camp Neyati on Crooked Lake in Lake. Open to youth age 9 to 14 by January 1, All meals and snacks provided along with cabin lodging. Many activities including boating, fishing, crafts, skit night, dance, many sports including gaga ball, archery, photography, campfires, swimming and much more! Cost $125 for 4-H members and $145 for non-4-h members. Stay tuned for details about scholarships to help cover camp cost. We are expecting registration to open on April 1. Attendance Goal: 20 Youth Campers, 5 Teen Counselors, 3 Adult Volunteers 4-H Camp Counselors and Volunteers Needed! Teen counselors and adult volunteers are needed to help at both Cloverbud Day Camp and Overnight Camp. Cost is free and transportation can be included for Cloverbud Day Camp. Lodging and meals are included for Overnight Camp. Have a talent you would like to teach to youth?? Share it at camp! Counselors and Volunteer Applications are due April 13 and can be found online at Online Poultry Embryology Training MSU Extension will be offering an online version of the Michigan 4-H Poultry Embryology training on Monday, March 19 th from 3:30-5:30 pm. The training will be free, however participants must register to receive the Zoom link and the electronic resources. The registration link is events.anr.msu.edu/embryologyonline/; registration will close on March 15. Please let Alex Schunk know if you would like to join the group taking this training at the MSU Extension Office.

7 CLARE COUNTY NEWS CONTINUED A group of youth and adult volunteers from Clare County attending 4-H Winterfest at the Kettunen Center February 3-4. Pictured below, left to right are Lynnette Sheldon, Marlee Clark, Syerra Mills, Jennifer Dietsch, Katie Sheldon, Hayley Neff, and Michelle Neff. 7 Club Volunteer Opportunity The Clare County Conservation District and the DNR are looking for a group to volunteer their time sowing seeds for pollinator plots. This would be in May or June. Contact Alex Schunk at the MSU Extension office for more information. Don t forget that Clubs taking part in this or any other community service project receive a point towards the Honor Clubs System. On February 10, Winter Blast was held at MMCC. Pictured above, the 4-H Ambassadors volunteered their time that day representing 4-H, a team of sled dogs visited, Jay s Sporting Goods provided snowshoeing, and many other fun winter activities were held. In February, two horse workshops were held. Pictured below, Dr. Imlay and Brittney of Animal Health Associates joined Clare and Gladwin horse members to talk about equine health and nutrition. Participants learned how to wrap a horses leg, listen to their heartbeat and what the proper medications are for horses. We also hosted Taylor Fabus from MSU to teach youth about the basics of horse ownership including cost and safety of owning a horse.

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