February 2008

Upcoming Events

February 3 . . . . . . . . . . 4-H Day with the Lady Lions - PSU
February 5 . . . . . . . . . . Teen Council Meeting - Erie County Tech School, 7:00 p.m.
February 5 . . . . . . . . . . State and National Event Interviews - Erie County Tech School, 7:00 p.m.
February 8-10 . . . . . . . Regional Youth Weekend - McKeever Center
February 15-17 . . . . . . PA 4-H State Leadership Conference
February 16 . . . . . . . . . Model Horse Show, Girard United Methodist Church, reg. 8:00 - 9:00 am
February 23 . . . . . . . . . Dairy Bowl of Ice Cream, Edinboro Boro Building, 7:30 p.m.
February 23-24 . . . . . . Rescheduled Lock-In, Harborcreek YMCA, 9:30 p.m. -7:00 a.m.
February 25 . . . . . . . . . 4-H/Youth Devlop. Advisory Committee Meeting, extension office, 7:00 p.m.
February 29-March 2 . In-Betweener's Retreat
March 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hippology Contest, Penn State Behrend Science Building, registration Noon?
March 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teen Council Meeting, Erie County Tech School, 7:00 p.m.
March 14-16 . . . . . . . . . 4-H Winter Weekend, Camp Fitch
March 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . Livestock Challenge - Details TBA
March 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . Cookoff, Erie County Tech School

It's a busy February, filled with lots of unique and interesting holidays. By the time you read this, we should know if Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring or not. Also this month, Valentine's Day and an early Mardis Gras (Feb 5). We also get an extra day to catch up on our chores, because 2008 is a Leap Year. Did you know that it's called leap year because historically, February 29 was not counted as a day? For legal purposes, you would just "leap" over it when counting business days. In addition to all of these holidays, there are also lots of great 4-H events this month, including the Model Horse Show, Dairy Bowl, Event Interviews, Regional Youth Weekend and more. Don't forget that it's also time to gear up for this year's 4-H Auction. I hope you are all prepared for an exciting 4-H season!

WINTER WEEKEND

4-H Winter Weekend is coming, March 14-16! Don't let 2008 be a repeat of last year. Sign Up Today! This is a really great event, full of lots of fun and excitement, food and friends, all at Camp Fitch in Erie County! But it's no fun if you don't show up! The Winter Weekend registration brochure is included with this month's Banner. If you are considering NOT coming because of the cost of the event, please contact us today. Camperships are available! Call (814) 825-0900 and ask about applying for a Campership for any 4-H overnight event.

AUCTION KICK-OFF

It is definitely time to start thinking 4-H AUCTION! At the recent Organizational Leader's Update, your club Leaders were given their first supply of Auction donation collection materials. PLEASE start thinking about great places in your neighborhood that you can request donations from and make a point to stop in and ask soon. Remember that some businesses require a little extra time to prepare a donation or get approval from a corporate office, so the sooner you start asking the better off you will be. This year, we would like to see every 4-H Member bring in donations for the Auction. This is how the majority of our 4-H events and activities are funded, so it would not be fair to expect others to support you if you do not help to support them as well. P.S. - Don't forget to mark May 3 on your calendars now so that you can be at the Auction to help sell items (and tell your family and friends to come out and bid!)

MODEL HORSE SHOW

This year's Erie County 4-H Model Horse Show will be held on Sat., February 16, at the United Methodist Church on Route 20 in Girard. Regi-stration will being at 8:00 a.m. and judging will begin at 9:00 a.m. This judging is expected to last 3-4 hours and will be immediately followed by awards. Pack a lunch or take advantage of nearby fast food outlets. This year's contest rules and class list will be very similar to last year. Final planning will take place on Fri., Feb 8, 7:00 p.m. at the office. If you are taking a 4-H Model Horse Project this year, you should attend this meeting as part of your project completion requirements. For more details, contact the office today!

DAIRY BOWL OF ICE CREAM

Be a part of something new! If you are enrolled in a 4-H Dairy Project, then join us on Sat., February 23, 7:30 p.m. for the first-annual Dairy Bowl of Ice Cream event! Meet at the Edinboro Boro Building for a night of Dairy Quiz Bowl and Ice Cream Social! Your club Leaders have all the details you need to be involved, so check with them today. And don't forget to bring your favorite topping!

LOCK-IN RESCHEDULED

Snow has foiled us again! Lock-In has been rescheduled to take place on February 23-24. If you were already registered, please contact the office to let us know if you will be able to attend on the new dates. If you missed registering the first time, consider signing up this time. If you are a 4-H Member in grades 7-12 and you enjoy volleyball, racquetball, basket-ball, swimming, music, movies and having a great time with friends, then you shouldn't miss the 4-H Lock-In at the Eastside YMCA in Harborcreek, You arrive at 9:30 p.m. all night (or as long as you want) and then depart at 7:00 a.m. the next morning. Registration is only $16, which includes all activ-ties, breakfast and snacks, and is due on Thurs., February 14. Don't forget, you can also register to bring along a non-
4-H friend!

HIPPOLOGY CONTEST

This year's Hippology Contest will be held on Sat., March 1, at Penn State Erie - The Behrend College, Otto Behrend Science Building. The contest is open to all 4-H Members interested in testing their horse-related knowledge. Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. and awards should begin around 3:30 p.m. Watch the mail for a copy of the rules if you are currently enrolled in a 4-H horse project, or contact the office if you do not receive a copy soon.

4-H COOKOFF!
SAVE THE DATE

Don't miss out on your chance to participate in the tastiest 4-H contest in Erie County. Mark Sat., March 29, on your calen-dars today so that you can be at Cookoff! Registration materi-als will be coming soon, so keep an eye out and start practicing your recipes today!

4-H SCHOLARSHIPS

Attention all High School Seniors and current post-high school students who partici-pated in Erie County 4-H: you may be eligible to earn a Scholarship to help you attend your post-secondary educa-tional institution. Erie County
4-H Scholarships, funded through donations from alumni, clubs, local businesses and Livestock Sale animals, will be made available again in 2008. Please check the Erie County Cooperative Extension website under the 4-H Clover for the 4-H Scholarship application. It will be posted during the month of February. You may also request a copy from the office by calling 825-0900.

NW PA 4-H TEEN LEADERS RETREAT
& CAMP COUNSELOR TRAINING

The inaugural NW PA Teen Leadership Retreat & Camp Counselor Training is an innova-tive weekend retreat for 4-H Teens from Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties 4-H age 13 and over (born January 1, 1994, or earlier) will be held April 11-13 at McKeever En-vironmental Center, Sandy Lake, PA. This event includes the annual Camp Counselor Training. The registration brochure was included with this month's Banner.

QUALITY ASSURANCE OPPORTUNITIES

"Sowing the Wind," a farm safety play performed by the Fulton Theater Group, will be presented in two locations in the Northwest Region of PA this spring. Attendance at this play will count for 2 Quality Assur-ance credits in 2008.

• LAWRENCE CO. - April 8 and 9, 7:00 p.m., Laurel High School. Free of charge, but first come, first serve
  
• CRAWFORD CO. - April 19, 6:30 p.m. registration, Saeger-town High School.
  

$5 per ticket, supports Crawford Co 4-H. Register by calling the Crawford Co Coop. Office at 1-800-982-9019,
ext. 460.

*Learn more about the play at http://www.thefulton.org/pages/index.php?pID=181

NW 4-H LIVESTOCK FIELD DAY - DATE SAVER

• Sat., May 3
  
• Venango Co. Fairgrounds
  
• Tentative workshops: goats, beef, sheep, swine, meats. A skillathon will be held in the afternoon. Lunch and snack will be provided.
  
• Registration will be due Fri., April 25.
  
• Youth in attendance will earn Quality Assurance Credits.
  
• Keep an eye out for more details!

4-H IN-BETWEENER'S RETREAT

Are you a 4-H Member aged 9-12? Then you are invited to the 4-H In-Betweener's Retreat at Camp Lutherlyn in Butler, PA! From just after dinner on Fri., February 29, until just before lunch on Sun., March 2, you will take part in all kinds of fun and games, workshops, mini-4-H projects and more with other 4-H'ers your age. Registration is $90, due Thurs., February 21, and is limited to the first 50 registrations, so hurry and contact the office today!

HORSE MEASURER'S CLINIC

The Warren County 4-H Horse Leaders will host a measuring clinic for Horse Leaders want-ing to be certified as a county horse measurer. The training will be held Thurs., March 20, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Sugar Grove, PA. Each individual interested in becoming a certified measurer must con-tact their local 4-H Educator to receive a completed recom-mendation form. If you plan to attend the measuring clinic, you must pre-register by Mon., March 1, with the Warren County 4-H Program at 814-563-9388. Please also contact Jenn to arrange getting a signed recommend-dation form completed.

WILDLIFE LEADERSHIP ADVENTURES

Spend a week in the field learning about deer from some of the top wildlife biologists and managers in the State! The Wildlife Leadership Adventures (WLA) is a cooperative pro-gram that empowers high school-aged students with the necessary skills and knowledge to become ambassadors for conservation in their home communities. The goal of this program is to equip future Leaders from all walks of life with a better understanding of wildlife and conservation.

WLA begins with the residential field camp, held at Raystown Lake in Huntingdon County, where students learn through hands-on field experi-ences how to track wildlife, identify native plants, evaluate habitat quality, use radio telemetry to study wildlife, and much more. This program helps teens develop important leadership skills such as public speaking, critical thinking and teamwork.

The 2008 field camp will be held Tues. - Sat., July 8-12, at the Raystown Lake in Huntingdon County. Tuition is $350, which includes room, board and educational materials. Don't let tuition costs stop you from applying -- scholarships are available to help defray tuition costs. Scholarship application infor-mation can be found on the general application form. For more information and to download application materi-als visit www.PICEweb.org and follow the Youth Programs hyperlink or contact the program director, Gail Farmer, at 610-756-3194; gfarmer@ piceweb.org

AN OPPORTUNITY OF
A LIFETIME

Here's an opportunity that shouldn't be passed up. Your family can be part of the 4-H International Exchange Pro-gram. This summer, from July 21 to August 18, we will be hosting 12 boys and girls from Japan and families like yours are needed to open their hearts and their homes to host these youth during their four-week experience. Also this year, youth from Finland and Costa Rica will be coming to the U.S. in much smaller numbers to visit for one month, and families are also needed to host these youth. The delegates from Finland will visit from June 15 - July 13, and those from Costa Rica will be here from June 22 - July 19. These youth are ages 15 - 19, and most have an association with 4-H in their home country. Delegates for all trips will be placed in homes with a host sibling of the same gender and similar age.

We would like you to help us locate interested families to host these international visitors. Youth hosts do not need to be current Members of a 4-H club, but are required to complete an enrollment packet and pay the $10 materials fee to their County Extension Office. Please consider participating in this truly unique event. If you want more information, please contact the office today. Applications to host will be due by Fri., March 14.

4-H WILDLIFE FIELD DAY - ALWAYS WILD!

A wildlife "field day" for fun and learning is scheduled on Saturday, April 26, 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Rock Springs (Ag Progress Days Site) near Penn State. This state event is wide open to all 4-H'ers (ages 8 -18) interested in or currently taking wildlife projects. 4-H adult volunteers and parents are also encouraged to attend. There will be two program options offered concurrently at the event.

The first option is the "Exploratory Tract," designed for youth ages 8-11. It will include hands-on wildlife educational activities and guest speakers. The second is the "Competitive Tract." It will offer youth ages 12-18 a chance to participate in a wildlife habitat evaluation contest. There is no fee for the event, but all youth and adults planning to attend should sign up through the office. Let us know which option your youth wish to undertake. Additional information and directions to the event can be found on the event web site: http://pa4h. cas.psu.edu/79.htm Sign-up deadline is Fri., April 18.

PA 4-H FORESTRY FIELD DAY - 4-S-TREE IS E-Z!

Pennsylvania's 4-H Forestry Field Day is slated for Sat., May 10, 9:45 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Laurel Haven Conservation Education Center, Julian, PA (near Penn State). This event is open to all 4-Hers who have taken or are planning to undertake any 4-H forestry project. The event has two options. There is an "Exploratory Tract" for younger 4-Hers (ages 8-11) and a "Competitive Tract" for older youth (ages 12-18). All adults and 4-H volunteers are welcome to attend. There is no fee for this event, but all youth and adults planning to attend should sign up through the office. Additional information and directions to the event can be found on the event web site: http://pa4h.cas. psu.edu/78.htm The sign-up deadline is Mon., May 5.

Mountaintop 4-H Club met at the Buhl's house on January 15. We discussed who attended the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Two of our Members, Scott Fritz and Michaela Donnell, showed animals, both were very successful. Many other families went to the Farm Show but did not participate in showing any livestock. We considered community service projects in which the Club could participate. Jesse Moore gave a presentation on the six pillars of character. The cooking projects also met on January 22, where Members continued working on the quick bread activity in their books. Our next meeting will be February 12 at 7:00 p.m.

The Beefer's Plus 4-H Club had their Holiday Party at Gem City. Members enjoyed good food, fun games and a gift exchange. Members voted to send money to support the Trace/Whitling fami-lies. Members were given an update on our Community Service Project; one of our soldiers we adopted asked if he could come to our February meeting while he's at home on leave. Our next meeting will be held on Feb. 10 at the McKean Township Building.

Trailblazers 4-H Club decided to have a meeting right after their banquet on Sun., January 13. Everyone had fun at the banquet; there was a lot of good food, friends and fun! We talked about the officer's training, and we hope for all of our officers to be present! Also we talked about our Club show and WPRD show dates. Our show date is June 14. Enrollment forms need to be completed and turned into Judy with a $20 fee. We have donated $100 to the family in Edinboro Dairy for the loss of their family members. We are bringing old blankets stuffed animals, dog or cat food and toys to our next meeting for the Ashtabula Humane Society. We are having Hippology practices at Chris' house on January 22 and February 26 at 6:30 p.m. We are also having a sub sale until January 27, and bring your sub money to the next meeting. The next meeting is Tues., February 12, at Kristin Pacansky's house. The previous meeting of Trailblazers 4-H Club was held December 13 at Kristina Kienles' house. We had a lot of fun at our Holiday Party after the meeting. At our meeting we discussed when and where our banquet was going to be. We talked about donating money, blankets and stuffed animals to the Ashtabula Humane Society. Thank you to Kristina Kienle and Anna Liocano for showing up at the Albion Food Pantry to help and pass out candy on Sat., December 15.

Please note the following change: To get your news in the Banner, send
your articles by the 20th of the month to jrf21@psu.edu.

Sincerely,

Shawn E. Graves
Urban 4-H/Youth Agent
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