Next Federation Meeting - May 17 at 9a.m. at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home. Following the business meeting we will work with the residents in planting flowers for a community service project.

Activities should be done by noon.

Chadwick Achievers is the club to bring refreshments.

Hope you can join us for a fun morning!

June Federation Meeting - will be at the Palisades State Park. We will have a family night of meeting, games, fun & food - stay tuned for a date and more details.

CHOICES Suitcase Project - Federation is continuing to collect items and make suitcases for the county CHOICES program. Items we are in need of are:

New towels & washcloths

Shampoo/conditioners

Baby stuff - baby bath, lotion, wipes, receiving blankets, towels, etc.

Child Things - kid shampoos, toothpaste, etc.

Hair Brushes

Right now we have plenty of suitcases. We also collect women's business clothes for them for the women to go on job interviews.

If you can help us out with any of these items, drop them off at the Extension Office.

Special Olympic Helpers 2008

They would like 3-4 people per shift & at least 1 adult. Practices will not be held if it rains. Call 815-493-

6555, Gordon Jones Terrace to find out for sure if you are in doubt. If you know of other 4-H'ers that would like to come and help or if you would like to do it for a club community service project, that would be great too!!

Each practice will last for about one hour. Please call the office to sign-up as soon as possible. We're not expected to fill all of the shifts, just as many as we can.

Practice Days & Times:

Tuesday - April 22, 4:30 p.m. Bull's

Thursday - April 24, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday - April 26, 1:30 p.m.

Sunday - April 27, 1:30 p.m. Kronenberg's

Monday - April 28, 4:30 p.m. Nash's

Wednesday - April 30, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday - May 1 , 4:30 p.m.

Spring Special Olympics – May 3 - Rockford

Call the Extension Office to sign up for a time slot.

Mayfest - May 24 & 25 - Each year at Mayfest the 4-H works with the County Pork Producers at their food stand selling pork chop sandwiches and drinks. Pork Producers then give a generous donation to the 4-H Federation. Your help is needed to fill the following shifts. You can work as a family or a club can sign-up for a shift. 1-2 adults and 2-3 4-H'ers per shift are needed. Call the office to sign-up.

May 24 - 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

3:30 - 6:00 p.m. & Clean-up

May 25 - 10:30 - 1:00 p.m.

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

3:30 - 5:00 p.m. & Clean-up

Mayfest committee is Dena & Donovan Harridge, Dan Schoeninger, Nikita Nash & Victoria Kronenberg.

Jr. Ambassadors - are crocheting and sewing baby caps for Neonatal Babies. The Jr. Ambassadors are looking for your help by either making caps or donating materials or money. For materials we need baby or sport weight yarn and F5 (3.55mm) hooks. We are doing this project to help our community become a better place. The caps will be donated to the Rockford Memorial Hospital. These caps will be a loving touch to the babies and their families. If you would rather not crochet caps, you may choose to sew polar fleece caps instead.

A training session will be held for any 4-H'er, adult or non 4-H person to come and learn how to crochet and/or sew the fleece caps. It will be held Wednesday, June 4, at 1:00 p.m. in Naaman Diehl Auditorium in Mt. Carroll. Pre-registration is needed so we have enough supplies. Pre-registrations are due by Wednesday, May 28 to the Extension Office. Snacks will be provided by the Jr. Ambassadors, please bring your own drink.

Contact the office to sign up or if you have any questions.

Federation Officer & Ambassador Applications - have been sent out. If you are interested in being a part either group, please return your completed application to the office by May 9.

Crayon Collection - the 4-H Federation is collecting old crayons for their recycling project this year. Collection boxes are located in county schools, libraries and can be dropped off at the Extension Office. Leave the wrappers on the crayons.

The old crayons will be recycled into new crayons.

Deadline to drop off crayons to the Extension Office is June 15.

Committee chairmen for this project are Becca Alexander, Dan Schoeninger & Kayleigh Bull