We have a wonderful opportunity to partner with I-Kan Regional Office of Education and ESDA to bring Community Emergency Response Team training to our youth ages 14-18. CERT training is a 20-hour course of study that teaches participants how to prepare themselves and their families for disasters by teaching them basic disaster preparedness, basic first aid, light search and rescue and basic command operations of fire, EMS and police. All the training is hands-on and practical in it's methodology, allowing the team members to be used by local fire, EMS and police agencies in times of need as extra hands to do unskilled jobs, freeing up the professionals to tend to the areas that need skilled care. This program has been offered in Kankakee County for adults since 2003 and has approximately 100 plus people trained. After the initial training, team members are expected to continue their training at quarterly refresher training sessions, in addition to the annual county-wide disaster drill.

Janet Moody, a member of Extension staff, has been a trained CERT volunteer since 2003 and is willing to answer any questions you may have. You may contact Janet at the Extension office or via e-mail, moodyj@uiuc.edu. We will be offering this training for youth February 15, 16 and 17 at Camp Shaw-waw-nas-see as a weekend retreat. Be looking for more details to follow on our website and in the February Extension Link.

Tyler Loschen, a member of the Cabery Specials 4-H Club of Kankakee County, won the Superior Young Producer Award in the Swine Division. Junior swine exhibitors from across Illinois competed in the event. The competition consisted of meat evaluation, quality assurance, a skill-a-thon, judging contest, and a swine management contest. Loschen placed 3rd in the judging division, second in the skill-a-thon, and first in the management test. This earned Loschen first place overall honors, and a $1000 scholarship.

Loschen will now join forces with his swine peers, as well as Superior Young Producers award winners from the beef and swine barn to try out for spots on the Illinois 4-H Skill-a-thon team which will represent Illinois at the National 4-H Skill-a-thon event held in conjunction with the NAILE (North American International Livestock Exposition) in Louisville, Kentucky.

Loschen is the son of Gary and Diana Loschen of rural Kempton, and is a sophomore at Tri-Point High School.

4-H Cabin Fever Workshops

February 23, 2008

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Wesley United Methodist Church

Workshop Topics:

• Cooking 101

• Meat & Other Protein Sources

• Forestry

• Plant & Soil Science

• Robotics

• Visual Arts