[Image: Clovers]September 2009 newsletter for volunteers and school leaders that provides information about upcoming events and information regarding the Acadia Parish 4-H program.
What is the 4-H Leader Update
The Leader Update will keep you posted on all upcoming events, deadlines and will inform you of the monthly meeting topic. We would also like to use the update as a forum to exchange ideas. You or your club reporter can send us articles describing your club’s activities and ideas and we will publish them so that other club leaders can benefit. We hope this newsletter will be of
benefit to you. Any suggestions on what to include or how we can improve it are welcomed. We will be utilizing email more and you can look forward to receiving your update electronically.
Dates To Remember:
September
14 Jr. Leadership Mtg.
17 Ambassador Applications Due
17 Go For the Gold Workshop
21 Outdoor Skills sign up mtg
26 Back to School Dance
28 Jr. Ambassador Interviews
October
5 Jr. Leader Mtg
5-9 National 4-H week
10 Circle of 4-H
14 Achievement Day Themes Due
16 Rice Festival Creole Cookery
27 Club Pumpkins due
November
2 deadline to turn in enrollment cards
2 Jr Leadership Club Mtg
6 Honoree nominations due
6 Commodity Cookery Entry Form Due to 4-H Office
6 Demonstration Entry Form Due to 4-H Office
14 4-H Day-LSU Football Game
21 Fall Contest Day: Demonstration Day and Commodity Cookery
23-24 Acadia Parish Food and Fitness Camp
Club Meeting Program
As always, we will present an overview of 4-H to potential 4-H'ers at our September meetings. We invite all interested youth to attend and find out what 4-H has to offer them. At this time, each child will be given an enrollment card to take home to their parents.
Club Meeting Schedule
Please check the calendar closely for your club meeting date and time. Contact the 4-H office immediately if you need to make any adjustments.
Now You Are A Leader….
As a 4-H Leader, we are counting on you to make announcements to students and to arrange a place for our 4-H meetings at your school each month. Parish dues are $5.00 per member. September 29 is the proposed deadline for students to get their enrollment cards and dues to you. Our 1st call for completed Enrollment Cards is from September 30th. Once a child turns in a completed card to you, you may wish to make a copy of the enrollment cards. This would be your record of your enrollment. We are asking for dues at the time cards are due. Deadline for enrollment cards and dues is November 2. We should encourage all students to enroll by September 29th. This would enable them to:
1. Run for an office
2. Get their project books in October
NEW ENROLLMENT CARDS THIS YEAR!
They are more appealing to children and are easier to complete! The enrollment cards for this year have changed. When selecting a project to enroll in a youth may choose the option of already having the book. We are limiting each club member to picking no more than two project books to complete. With the budget cuts we were unable to order our usual number of project books. This project book limit will allow all members enrolled to have a project books.
To New Leaders
Any parent, 4-H alumni member, or other adults interested in volunteering to help with local or parish wide 4-H projects or activities are asked to contact the organizational 4-H leader at their school or the 4-H agents. No special talents, skills, or education are required — just an interest in working with children. Volunteers can serve as project or activity leaders.
Volunteer Leader Workshop
Let’s “Go for the Gold” There will be a workshop for all volunteers and leaders on September 17, 2009 at the 4-H Office beginning at 5:30 p.m. This workshop will assist you in your efforts as you work with our youth. Sessions will be on club scrapbooking, fundraisers and the correct way to fill out a record book with much more. We highly recommend that all new and old volunteers attend. You never know what you can learn. Please see the attached flyer and contact the 4-H Office if you wish to attend.
The Junior Leadership Club
This club is open to all 7th-12th grade 4-H members. Junior Leaders have fun helping younger 4-H’ers with their project work and assisting the less fortunate in their communities. This club also participates in numerous activities where our members meet and make friends with other teenagers from throughout the state. This months meeting is scheduled for 6:00 pm on Monday, September 14 at the 4-H Office. Dues are $15.00 to become a Junior Leader! Please encourage your members to join the club.
Junior Ambassadors Needed to Promote Acadia Parish 4-H
We are looking for dedicated 4-H’ers in grades 8th-12th to promote 4-H in Acadia Parish. The Ambassadors will be expected to promote 4-H through attending civic organization meetings, presenting radio spots, encouraging others to join 4-H and completing community service activities. To apply, you must turn in an application and be interviewed. Applications can be found in your leader handbook. Applications are due on September 17– NO EXCEPTIONS! Interviews will be held at the 4-H office on September 28, a scheduled appoint will be announced for each applicant.
Achievement Day Themes
Achievement Day Theme is a catchy slogan with a colorful picture promoting 4-H. The creation should be on regular 8 1/2" X 11" typing paper and turn it in to each leader. Entries relating to the advertisement of cigarettes or alcohol will not be accepted. All entries must be turned in to the 4-H Office by 4:00 p.m. on October 14. No computer generated themes will be accepted! If you have any questions, please call the office.
National 4-H Week
National 4-H Week has been set for October 4-10, 2009! We would like to see all clubs participate in activities such as making treats for teachers, hanging signs or banners around school or have green and white dress up day, etc.
Circle of 4-H Day
The Circle of 4-H will be held during National 4-H Week. This event is open to all youth. Some of the activities that will be going on will be Exploring 4-H, a Pet Show, and a Bicycle Rodeo and much more. The pet show has been opened up to 4th-12th graders. The categories have also changed; please see your leader hand book for the completed list. An entry form is also required to be turned in ahead of time or on the day of the pet show. This event will be held at Redemptorist Catholic located in South Crowley on Saturday, October 10 beginning at 8:30a.m.
Email Distribution List
The AgCenter continues its move toward using the internet to send information electronically. Agents have been encouraged to send newsletters, and other correspondences via email. We are asking all leaders to please provide us with their email address. No correspondence from our office will show your email address. All information will be sent to your email address as a BCC, blind carbon copy. If you choose to receive your mail electronically, please provide your correct email address to the agents. A positive outcome of this is that you will not have to depend on “snail mail” for monthly club meeting information. Also the information will be easily accessible, so you can refer back to it without searching for a letter at school or at home.
4-H License Plate
Purchasing Guidelines for 4-H License Plates
The Office of Motor Vehicles has released the 4-H license plate approved in 2002. The fee for the 4-H plate is $50.00 every two years ($25 per year) in addition to regular registration fees. Of the additional $25 fee, $15 will go to the Louisiana 4-H Foundation and $10 to the 4-H Foundation in the parish where the plate was sold. For more information, please contact the 4-H Office.
4-H Outdoor Skills sign up meeting
The 2nd annual sign up meeting for 4-H'ers interested in Outdoor Skills will be held at the 4-H office on September 21st at 5:30 p.m. Anyone wishing to compete in Shooting Sports must come to the sign up meeting for the safety training. Leaders please remind you club members of this mandatory meeting. If you need any additional information concerning the Outdoor Skills program please call the 4-H office at 337-788-8821.
Alice Lancon Cooking Contest-Louisiana Cattle Festival
The Alice Lancon Memorial Cooking Contest will be held October 9, 2009 at the LSU AgCenter Extension Service Office in Abbeville. Exhibits must be entered between 8 - 9:30 a.m. Judging will begin at 10:00 a.m. Please arrive in enough time to enter dishes. Rules for the contest can be found at the Acadia Parish 4-H Office or call the office for more information.
PLEASE BEAWARE THAT SOME CONTEST RULES HAVE CHANGED. PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE LEADER HANBOOK.
Information Center:
Inventory Sheets are to help you pull projects books.
2009-2010 Leader Handbook
You should be receiving a Leader Handbook. This book provides rules, activities and applications that you will use through out the year.
CHECK IT OUT!
4-H cups, shirts, caps, pencils, mugs, beanie bears, bags, and much more will be on sale at Circle of 4-H Day!
All Cloverleaf and Leader Updates are also posted on http://www.louisiana4h.org/Acadia.
Sheena Grote Cecil
Associate Extension Agent
Lou Ann Mckeivier
Assistant Extension Agent
It is the policy of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service that no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability.