4-H has its way of spreading magic to everyone in Cumberland County. During the week of February 28th to March 6th we need to show the community just how great the 4-H Program is!! There are many activities that everyone can enjoy during the week. We are once again doing window displays, so be sure to visit other communities so you can check out other clubs' creative works. The annual 4-H Dance will once again be held at the Stockyards in Greenup on Monday, March 2. Be sure to take part in all activities, let's do our part in "Making the Best Better!"

The beef weigh-in occurred February 14th with 22 weighing in. It was a cold day, but everything was great! I would like to thank everyone that helped out!!

We are working on getting the fairbooks done. This year it will only be a supplement. There will be a leader's meeting this month, so your club leaders will be getting everyone's copy. So be looking for them at your April meeting. Again as a reminder, only one copy per family! There are a few changes to this years booklet, so be sure to read it!

There are several items in this issue of the newsletter. Be sure to get all of the important dates down in your calendars. I don't want you to miss out!!!! As always, please contact the Extension Office with suggestions and concerns.

March 5, 2009

7:00 p.m. at the Extension Office

immediately following the 4-H Open House!

On Thursday, February 12, 2009 Paige Hatfill called the meeting to order with Jodi Koester leading the American Pledge and Courtney Schumacher leading the 4-H Pledge. The secretary's report was read by Paige Hatfill. Jodi Koester approved the motion to change minutes from last months meeting. The minutes were approved by Courtney Schumacher and seconded by Jodi Koester.

In old business we discussed 4-H Week, Federation activities which will be held sometime during the week of June 15-19, Project Workshop, Skating Party, Valentines Cards and County wide carnival.

In new business we discussed a scrapbooking workshop that was held at the Jasper Co. Extension Office on February 16th. We finalized 4-H Week activities. The dance will be held at the Stockyards on Monday the 2nd at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is to bring refreshments. The Federation Team needs to be there at 5:45 p.m. The leaders' banquet was discussed and Patty Winn will be providing entertainment this year. We voted to not give gifts to leaders, but add desert to the meal. Window displays will be judged on March 2nd at 10:00 a.m. There will be a bowling night at Charleston Lanes at 5:30 p.m. on March 1st. And the Federation will also be hosting a 4-H Open House on March 5th from 5:00—7:00 p.m. All Federation members are to bring at least one (1) dozen cookies to the Open House. Everyone should be at the Extension Office by 5:00 p.m. We briefly discussed the 4-H BBQ with a tentative date of June 20th. We discussed a new community service project that provides pillow cases to children with cancer. We will be working with ConKerr Cancer for this project. We will be having a workshop sometime in the spring. Kyle made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Courtney Schumacher seconded. Meeting adjourned. The next meeting will be immediately following the Open House on March 5th at 7:00 p.m.

THEME: "The Magic of 4-H!"

Saturday, February 28
6:30 p.m.-Leader's Banquet at The Kountry Kitchen in Teutopolis

Sunday, March 1
5:30 p.m.-Bowling Night at Charleston Lanes in Charleston

Monday, March 2
Window Display Judging
6:30 p.m.-4-H Dance at the Stockyards in Greenup

Tuesday, March 3
Promote 4-H Day

Wednesday, March 4
Wear your 4-H Apparel Day

Thursday, March 5
5:00-7:00 p.m.-4-H Open House at the Extension Office

Friday, March 6
Send a 4-H Volunteer a Thank You Card Day

4-H Windows will be judged on Monday, March 2nd. The following clubs plan to have window displays at the following locations:

Cumberland County Clovers-Gentry Small Engines, Toledo

Hurricane Hustlers-D & M Hardware Building, Greenup

Liberty Hill Rangers-Greenup American Legion, Greenup

Roslyn Rangers-Sav-Mor Pharmacy, Neoga

Work & Play-Sav-Mor Pharmacy, Neoga

4-H Bowling Night

This year we will be trying something different. We have lanes reserved for bowling at the Charleston Lanes in Charleston. This will be a great opportunity to hang out with other 4-H'ers and to put your bowling expertise to the test! The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. and end around 7:30 p.m. It will be $6.00 for two games and your shoes. They will also have a snack bar open if you wish to partake. Come and enjoy some FUN!!!!

4-H Dance

This years dance will again be held at The Stockyards in Greenup, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The 4-H Royalty will be announced during the dance as well. We will be doing the coronation around 8:00 p.m. So all candidates need to be sure to be there at this time! Clubs are encouraged to bring snack foods such as chips, brownies, veggies, etc. Each club is responsible for determining snack options. The drinks will be provided.

Royalty Candidates

King: Nick Walk, Marc Brandenburg, Lance Moses, Jason Will

Queen: Bethany Deters, Natalie Walk, Lacey Hornbeck, Presley Hatfill

Prince: Clayton Apke, Coltin Cown, Chris Walk, Jacob Shepard

Princess: Dakota Swingler, Jillian Deters, Jaylynn Maxey

LIVE IT UP!

Lead, Inspire, Value & Explore

Illini Summer Academies will be offered on the U of I campus from Monday, June 29 through Wednesday July 1. Youth will have the opportunity to explore college life during the three (3) day conference.

If you are interested, please contact Ryan at the Extension Office for more information! DON'T MISS OUT!!

Are you interested in attending University of Illinois and need a place to live? 4-H house is a cooperative sorority at the University founded in 1934. It provides an economical home for 55 college women with a background in 4-H. Started by Mary McKee, 4-H House has become a home-away-from-home for hundreds of women during the 75 years since its founding.

The women of 4-H House share a unique sisterhood that combines a common background in 4-H, with unique majors, interests and career pursuits. The women of 4-H House are majoring in every subject from Animal Sciences to Mathematics.

Since 4- H house is a cooperative home, the women in the house share tasks in the management and general upkeep of the house. There are many social opportunities through the house as well as a part of the University of Illinois Greek system. A minimum of 5 years in the 4-H program is a requirement to become a member. Feel free to stop by the house and take a tour to see what it's all about. Interviewing weekends will be held February 27 and 28 and March 14 and 15 for the 2009-2010 school year.

For more information please contact:

Dorothy Spencer

Interviewing Chair

805 W. Ohio

Urbana, IL 61801

217-344-4784

Camp will be held on June 7-11 at the 4-H Memorial Camp in Monticello, IL. The camp offers a quality summer camp experience. It is open to all youth ages 8-16 years old. You will be able to meet new friends and enjoy programs that everyone is sure to enjoy! If you need a registration form, please contact Ryan at the Extension Office. All forms should go through the Extension Office and they must be turned in no later than May 15, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. If you plan to go, be sure to turn in your registration form in early because spots fill up fast! Log onto the 4-H Memorial Camp website for more information at http://4hmemorialcamp.extension.uiuc.edu.

Are you new to 4-H Memorial Camp, or would you just rather have a shorter camp experience? Get a taste of most everything offered at the regular week long camp in a setting tailored for younger campers. 4-H Mini Camp is open to all youth, but will focus activities designed for kids 8-12 years old. Swimming, boating, fishing, crafts, sports, games, songs, hikes, campfires and lots more! Bring a friend and bunk together in a cool log cabin. This camp will be held on June 4-6, 2009. If you wish to attend this camp, please contact Ryan at the Extension office for a registration form.

About ExplorACES

ExplorACES is a two-day event designed to acquaint prospective students and their families with the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The College of ACES may be the ideal fit for you if you are a high school, junior college or middle school student who:

· Is serious about succeeding in a rigorous, science-based university program

· Wants to have fun and make lifelong friends along the way

· Is looking for a personal, "small college feel" within a large university

· Wants to work with world-class faculty mentors from the start of your university career

· Feels strongly about taking an active role in charting your own future

Friday, March 13 from 9 AM - 3 PM
Saturday, March 14 from 10 AM - 2 PM

If you are interested, please contact the

Extension Office for more details!

When: Saturday, April 18, 2009

9:00-10:30 a.m.

Where: Cumberland County Fairgrounds

FYI: Premises Identification numbers will be required for all Junior Department Barrow entries to the Illinois State Fair. This is being required by the packing house(s) that process the barrows from the State Fair; since the show is terminal, the Premises ID number will be required.

4-H members requiring the QAEC will have the opportunity to complete this requirement to exhibit at the 2009 Cumberland County Fair & Illinois State Fair on the web. The website allows exhibitors to move easily between six different modules and will not require downloading software. The web certification is the only approved method for 2009 and future years as approved by the Illinois State Fair Jr. Livestock Advisory Committee. 4-H'ers are required to only take the training once. You must complete this if you are showing beef, dairy, horses, sheep, swine, goats and poultry. Please remember that this is for both County Fair and State Fair requirements. The website address is http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/qaec/. It is available February 1st through June 9th for horses and July 1 for beef, sheep, swine, dairy, goats and poultry.

If you have any questions, contact the office.

There will be a leader's meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Extension Office. We will be discussing items that we missed from the last two cancelled meetings. Please bring your suggestions and concerns with you to be discussed at the meeting. Please contact Ryan with questions about the meeting. All leaders will be receiving Fairbook supplements for their clubs!

4-H members, alumni, and their families are invited to join in on the 4-H Day with the Cardinals! The game is on Saturday, May 23. The Cardinals will be playing rivals Kansas City Royals in a 12:10 p.m. game in Bush Stadium.

Prior to the game, 4-H members will actually get to go down to the field and march one time around the stadium!! We will have our Cumberland County sign so that everyone knows what Illinois county we are representing.

Tickets sell out quickly, so if you wish to attend, send in your registration form early! Please look for the form inside this issue of the newsletter! If you have any questions, please contact the Extension Office. If you wish to sit as a group, send your registration forms to the Extension Office by March 16th.

Are you exhibiting swine at the county or state fair?

Are you providing a safe environment for your swine?

Are you a responsible producer of swine?

If you plan to exhibit swine at the Cumberland County Fair or the Illinois State Fair, you are required to participate in the National Pork Council's Youth PQA Plus Program.

We have two different dates set up so that you may obtain this requirement. Please see the dates below. You will be sent a post card in the mail either by National Pork Association or by the Extension Office is you are required to renew your certification.

April 21, 2009 Testing & Training (all ages)

April 23, 2009 Testing & Training (all ages)

These meetings will be held at the Calvary Tabernacle Church in Toledo. They will both begin at 6:30 p.m. If you do not wish to sit through the training before taking the exam, you may do so.

When: Saturday, April 18, 2009

10:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Where: Cumberland County Fairgrounds

To be nominated to show at the Illinois State Fair you must have your lamb electronically tagged at the Coles County Fairgrounds on May 2, 2009 at 10:30—noon. There is a $2.00 fee for each tag, that must be paid on this date. If you have any questions, call the Extension Office.

The Illinois Southdown Sheep Breeders Association is sponsoring its 16th annual essay contest and will be awarding a Southdown ewe lamb to the winner. The following are requirements:

· Open to IL 4-H & FFA members

· Under the age of 16

· Not currently raising Southdown's

· Must be registered in winner's name

The lamb will come from a quality Southdown flock maintained in Illinois and have a $150-$250 value.

For more information about this opportunity, please contact the Extension Office!

The deadline to apply is May 1st.

THE TREASURER'S OFFICE HAS GONE GREEN

Applications are available exclusively online this year. Please visit www.treasurer.il.gov to

download the form. The treasurer's

Office will award ten $2,500 scholarships to excellent students pursuing agriculture-related fields of study. The application is due by May 14, 2009.

Livestock & Dairy At the Marshall-Putnam

April 25, 2009 Fairgrounds, Henry IL

Registration is from 8:30—9:45 a.m.

Contest begins at 10:00 a.m. SHARP!

· Open to 4-H & FFA members everywhere!

· 4-H Junior division with training provided for new judgers)

· 4-H Senior Division

· FFA Division

· Registration Fees:

$20/team-consiting of 3-5 students

$5/individual

· Awards: Top 4-H Jr. Teams-Livestock & Dairy

Top 4-H Sr. Teams-Livestock & Dairy

Top FFA Teams-Livestock & Dairy

Top 4-H Jr. Individual-Livestock & Dairy

Top 4-H Sr. Individual-Livestock & Dairy

Top FFA Individuals-Livestock & Dairy

· Classes: 3 Dairy

3 Cattle, 3 Swine, 2 Sheep

Questions for Jr., Sr. and FFA

Performance Data for Sr. & FFA

Keep-Cull for Sr. & FFA

· Concessions Available on the Fairgrounds

For more information please contact the Extension Office. This event is put on by the Marshall Putnam Extension Office, Putnam County FFA and Roanoke FFA.