Butler County 4-H News

Category: September 2015

Mirror, Mirror

The 2015 4-H year is nearly over. As we wind down with the current and get ready to gear up for the new, I encourage you take some time to look back and reflect over the past 12 months. If you could put a mirror on the wall for 2015, what would you see? Highs and lows, happy and sad, trial and error, and lessons learned may well be a few images you see.

All good things eventually come to an end and bad/sad/unhappy times serve as stepping stones to help us grow as individuals/families/clubs. As you take time to think about the reflections as you look in the mirror, take some time to write them down and use them as tools for 2016 and the years beyond. Use those tools to better yourself, get involved, help improve a system, practice servant leadership, and become a solution where a solution is needed.

If you worked hard, put your best effort forward, helped others, and was involved, you should be proud of your accomplishments! When I look in the mirror, I see 4-H’ers who have grown and matured over the last year, leaders who gave their heart and soul to their 4-H clubs and club members, parents who worked hard to help their children, 4-H’ers, leaders, and parents having fun, events that have taught us all lessons and provided us stepping stone, and situations that encourages others to get involved.

2015 is winding down and the next newsletter will be ringing in the new     4-H year. As you finish reflecting on 2015, imagine what image you will   reflect in 2016. Let’s step into 2016 with both feet forward and arms open, embracing the new year!

~Charlene

 

Record Books, Pins & Awards

It’s time Record Bookto get your record book, pin applications, club seals and scholarships on!

All KAP’s (record books), pin applications, club summaries, college scholarship applications, reporter and secretary notebooks, and special award applications are due into our office no later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, September 25th. Don’t miss this deadline! All forms can be found online at http://www.butler.k-state.edu/4-h/recordsawardsetc.html

WANT TO HELP JUDGE RECORD BOOKS?

If you are interested in helping judge record book, adult or teen leader over the age of 13, please let Charlene know! This is a great learning experience. Those that have participated in the past really enjoyed the opportunity, as well as, picked up ideas and lessons learned from judging them.

We exchange our senior record books with Cowley County. They judge our senior KAP’s and we judge theirs. We also judge our junior and intermediate KAP’s.

Don’t worry if you have never judged before, we will help you get started! This is a great opportunity to learn, volunteer and give back!

Judging will take place on October 1st from 9:30 a.m. until finished. Lunch will be provided if we run into the lunch hour. Any time you can volunteer (even if only for 30 min) is greatly appreciated! Please email Charlene at cmmiller1@ksu.edu if you can help!

 

 

Important News and Deadlines

Check out the latest information with deadlines!

September 18th—Ambassador Applications and Event Scholarships for KYLF Due. Adult written requests for Kansas Volunteer Forum also due.

September 25th—KAP’s, Special Awards, Pin Apps, Club Summary, College Scholarship Apps, Secretary and Treasurer notebooks due

Oct. 1—Start of new 4-H Year

Oct. 1—Record Book judging 9:30 a.m.

October 2-4—Kansas Junior Livestock Show

Oct. 9– Signed Buyer’s cards due into Extension Office

Oct. 4 – National 4-H Week

Oct. 10-11 – 48 Hours of 4H Weekend

Oct. 11 – 4-H Expo for new 4-H Families 3pm-5pm

Oct. 24—4-H Officer Training 3:30 p.m. at Palmyra Baptist Church

Oct. 30—Club Financial Audits due

Nov. 7—Achievement Celebration (same time and set-up as last year)

November 20-22—Kansas Youth Leadership(14-18 years old) and Ks. Adult Volunteer Forum

 

48 Hours of 4H

I since484Hrely hope every 4-H Club in our county will join in this fall in seeing just how much we can give back to our communities! The weekend after National 4-H Week, is the perfect opportunity to setup a service project. Invite your friends, clubs, adult volunteers and 4-H Alums too! Find all the information on the state 4-H website and start planning your projects.

If your group wants t-shirts they must be ordered online by September 22.

When: October 10-11, 2015

Who: 4-H Members, 4-H Clubs, Friends, Adult Volunteers, Parents, 4-H Alumni

Its time to make plans, order t-shirts for your club and register your projects online.

Ready, Set, Go…. to Kansas 4-H.org, click on events, and 484H

Welcoming New 4-H Families

It is the time of year when our office starts getting more calls and web inquiries of people wanting to join 4-H. When you have visitors, remember, impressions last. Here are a few helpful tips for you:

– Greet your visitors at the door when they arrive.

– Introduce them to your family and other 4-H members.

– Tell them about the opening ceremony of your club so they know what to expect and give them a copy of the 4-H Pledge to follow along.

– Introduce them to the club. You can do this during roll call. If they are joining another club member, have that club member help introduce them.

– Involve them in the recreation activities.

– Invite them to go first with refreshments.

– After the meeting, send a Thank You note fore attending and invite them to the next meeting.

– Have a New Family Coordinator who can sit next to them at meetings and answer any questions they have.

– Develop a buddy system. Team a new 4-H family with a current 4-H family who can help explain and understand 4-H.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call our office and ask! Let’s help make new families feel welcome, as least confused as possible, and continue to grow the 4-H program!

 

Shooting Sports

shooting sports

Rifle and Archery projects – Basic Rifle and Archery classes has started and will meet weekly through Thanksgiving. Classes run from 7pm to 8pm. All equipment and supplies are provided. If Archery participants have their own bow that they prefer to shoot, they can bring it. If it is suitable, they may use it.

 

Shotgun – There will be an all day Saturday basic shotgun course this fall. The date is not yet set. If you wish to participate, fill out a 4-H Shooting Sports enrollment form and turn it in to the Extension Office. When the date is set you will get additional information.

 

There is a $15 fee for Rifle and a $10 fee for Archery. Pre-registration is required by contacting the Extension Office and completing a Shooting Sports enrollment form. For questions, call Gene Maggard at 316-742-3746.

Kansas Leadership Weekend

The 4-H Council has a few scholarships available for youth and adult volunteers to attend.  They approved to pay for 5 youth, 2 adult volunteers and the 4-H agent to attend the Kansas Leadership Weekend.

Youth need to fill out a Bu Co Event Scholarship and submit to the Extension Office no later than 5:00 p.m. on Sept. 18. Volunteers need to submit a written request to Charlene know by this time also!

Read on for more information!

Continue reading “Kansas Leadership Weekend”