August 8 – Illinois 4-H Club/Group Award Application (Call if you can't make that date.)

August 15 – 4-H Leader of the Year Nomination (Deadline)

August 29 – 4-H Project Records – Standards of Excellence & Achievement & My 4-H Project Record forms to 4-H leader (4-H Leaders may have earlier deadlines)

– 4-H Records – Standards Awards Checklist

– 4-H Records – Illinois 4-H Award Applications (county/state competition)

– Mosbacher 4-H Educational Scholarship Application

– George E. Holder 4-H Scholarship Application

– Club Progress Award Application

– IL 4-H Standards of Excellence for 4-H Groups

– 4-H Alumni Award Nomination

September 1 – Leadership Design Team Application Deadline

Illinois 4-H Club/Group Awards – due August 8

Tell everyone what your 4-H group has been doing the past year! Complete the Illinois 4-H Club/Group Report Form (90231) and include club /group project details, goals set and met, and the learning that took place over the past year. Clubs may submit forms for the state 4-H award at the McLean County Extension office. Club members should help to complete the form and a youth contact signature is requested. State 4-H Award recognition is provided for the top ten clubs/groups in each program category, provided the minimum number of points is awarded. Recognition may include a club patch, certificate and cash reward. Submit forms by August 8 (or call if you cannot make that deadline) to the Extension office for signatures and approval. Forms are available though the Extension office or online at: http://www.4-h.uiuc.edu/opps/90231.doc

4-H Leader's Celebration – August 29, 6 pm, Extension Office

4-H leaders and project leaders are invited to attend this special appreciation event presented by the Mclean County 4-H Federation members. Please come to enjoy a meal, a night of thanks, and to recognize some of McLean County's finest volunteers. RSVP online: https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=1865

Say Thank You to 4-H Leaders by filling out this online form: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/county/survey.cfm?sID=382

4-H Records Judging September 4, 1-4 pm & 5-9 pm

Interested in learning more about 4-H records? Want to see a completed application? No other way to learn, than by helping serve as a 4-H records judge on Wednesday, September 4th. Judges are needed from 1-4pm and 5-9pm to evaluate local records. You may not judge in areas where your children are submitting records. No prior experience needed! If you have other leaders or parents interested please contact us as soon as possible or sign up online: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/county/survey.cfm?sID=122

4-H Hippology/Horse Bowl Dates Set

Do you like horses? Want to practice your knowledge of horses? Hippology is for you! Practice sessions will start on September 4, 6:30-8 pm at the Bloomington Public Library. For more information see flier on the web and then please contact Jill and Bill Schenk at jillnbill90@msn.com, 309-820-1513 or come on September 4th.

Thank you! Our fair would not occur without the assistance of volunteers like you!

4-H Premium Disbursement Policy

In order to meet the state guidelines for premium disbursement:

1. Checks should be picked up by 4-H Organizational leaders in mid August. Leaders will be notified when checks are ready.
2. All checks MUST be signed by the 4-H member or parent/guardian.
3. Signature sheets MUST BE RETURNED TO THE EXTENSION OFFICE.
4. Please return all unclaimed checks and the club signature sheet to the Extension office by September 15.
5. Checks are VOID 60 days from printing.

Illinois State Fair

Congratulations to the delegates from McLean County 4-H who exhibited at the Illinois State Fair 4-H Division. Fair results will be posted online after judging is completed.

Photos available online from the fair at photobucket.com

We have set up a sight that has photos from the fair online at photobucket.com. All photos are not public – you enter a password to see the photos. The password for the site was emailed to 4-H Organizational leaders. Please share with your 4-H families. We would love to have your photos added to the site – you can drop off a cd or contact Theresa.

4-H Leader of the Year Nominations

Commitment, caring smiles, encouraging words, these are just a few words that describe past 4-H leaders who have received the Roberta Ropp Memorial 4-H Leader of the Year Award. Please nominate a leader(s) you think deserves recognition for their dedication to 4-H! Application must be filled out completely for consideration. Deadline for consideration is August 15^th. This award is presented at the August 29th 4-H Leader's Celebration.

4-H Standards Checklist

4-H Organizational leaders are asked to check a Yes or No for 4-H members indicating if club members have achieved the standards of excellence for the appropriate age group. All forms must be received by August 29. This is how we determine who receives First year outstanding, service achievement, project achievement, and other awards prior to the Recognition of Excellence Banquet and to help prepare you for your club achievement nights.

4-H Project Records & Standards Awards Forms – Available online.

4-H members received project goal sheets when they enrolled in 4-H for different age groups along with one or more of the My 4-H Project Record Forms and the Standards of Excellence & Achievement Form. They should be filled out and turned into club leaders before August 29. 4-H leaders are to review and make positive comments for members. Enclosed is the "4-H Achievement Standards" check list for your club. These are due back to us by August 31 so we may include your 4-Hers in the awards recognition event. A new website is coming very soon for this!

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/mclean/4hyouth241.html

Scholarships Available

The Mosbacher 4-H Educational Scholarship and George Holder Scholarship applications are available online: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/mclean/4hyouth536.html Deadlines for both scholarship applications are August 29, 2008.

4-H Club Progress Award & IL Standards of Excellence for 4-H Groups Form

Clubs fill out these two forms to assess what the club has accomplished this year. The club progress award relates to the club's achievement of goals and growth in the club. The Standards of Excellence is a checklist for clubs to achieve each year. Clubs that complete these forms may be awarded patches to be placed on the club banner for their achievement.

4-H Alumni Award Nomination Form

We have many 4-H alumni that have given back to the county over the years. Please nominate a dedicated 4-H alumnus for this prestigious award. Application must be filled out completely for consideration. Due August 29!!

4-H Club of the Year - Retired

The Expansion & Review Committee has decided to retire this award. Clubs are encouraged to apply for the Illinois 4-H Club/Group Award which is due August 8.

4-H Activity Calendar

Please update your calendars! We have set dates well into 2008 and will update the calendar periodically on our website.

Club Audits – Important!

4-H Clubs that have a treasury are required to complete an audit and turn it in to the local extension office each year. Starting for the 2007-2008 4-H year the Extension office is required to file a 990-N e-postcard for ALL 4-H Clubs. All club audits for 2007-2008 must be received by October 30^th, 2008 – no exceptions. A fact sheet is available online from National 4-H at: http://www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/library/fs-electronic_filing_v2-08.pdf. If you have questions please contact us.

2008-2009 4-H Theme: Team 4-H

Leadership Design Team Applications Due September 1

This year's McLean County 4-H Federation Board has decided to offer a unique ten month experience (in lieu of the usual Federation activity) in this upcoming 4-H '08-'09 year, to those who would welcome the chance to participate in a special leadership opportunity.

Leadership Design Team will be open to any 4-Her, age 14-18; it will be accessible through an application that will be available at the Extension office and online. The Leadership Design Team 4-H year will kick off with an overnight team building experience at Camp Timber Pointe, (by Lake Bloomington). The LDT program will emphasize the importance of consistent involvement of all team members in the pre-planned educational days.

Activities throughout the ten months will accentuate the importance of effective communication, knowledge of yourself, of others and of your community. The Design Team will explore team building activities, increase knowledge of community/civic needs, and develop leadership skills. The Leadership Design Team experience will culminate with a community project, and a design plan for the next year's leadership activities.

Sew Special '08 Fiber Arts Workshop, October 25, 2008

Classes, demonstrations, workshops in sewing/embellishing techniques, machine maintenance, internet resources, make it and take it, machine embroidery, door prizes, and more. Featuring State of Illinois Make it Yourself With Wool Contest and Style Show. Members $45 Students $35 Non-members $60 (or join and attend at member price).Lunch included. Kit fees for some classes. Add $5 if postmarked after Oct. 10. No refunds after October 10. Illinois Central College North Campus 5407 N. University, Peoria, IL
Event contact: Michelle Cecil (309) 202-2457 perkinson_michelle@yahoo.com
Make it Yourself With Wool contact: Janet Mustread (309) 759-4816 jmsews2@winco.net

Youth Peace Essay Contest

For the seventh year the YWCA and the Peace and Justice Committee of the Mennonite Church of Normal are sponsoring a peace essay contest for high school students. The peace essay contest is part of the YWCA's Week without Violence emphasis. The contest is open to any high school student grades 9-12 in McLean County.

The contest has two categories addressing the concern for both local and national/international violence reduction. Essays must be submitted to the YWCA by 4:00pm on September 19, 2008. Three winners will be chosen in each of the two categories and will be awarded monetary prizes. These prizes will be awarded at a luncheon on October 7, 2008. If you have any questions please call the YWCA at 309.662.0461.

4-H CAMPaign

You can help improve the facilities at 4-H Memorial Camp! A major fundraising campaign is in the works with a renovation of the Dining Hall set to start after this camp year. There are several ways your club can get involved with this CAMPaign!! Fliers will be distributed through Organizational Leaders.

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/4hmemorialcamp/campaign.html

Recycling Plastic Pots

A pilot program for recycling plastic plant pots will begin this spring in McLean County, thanks to the cooperation of the Ecology Action Center (EAC), the Master Gardeners, ISU Facilities Services, and the Town of Normal. The basic concept is to have five Saturdays where the public can turn in their pots at our site. Future dates are: September 20, and October 18, from 8am to 12pm. The group will need volunteers for the Saturdays that we collect on site, and for picking up collection bins from the garden centers. In addition, we need help sorting and palletizing pots brought in from the other garden centers and landscapers. If you are interested in helping in any way, please contact me directly, and I'll add you to my list. Email me at: jjj.swartz@verizon.net

Habitat for Humanity

Is your club looking for a community service and educational opportunity? Habitat for Humanity has created age appropriate resources for groups like 4-H clubs and schools to use. The website has great information with ideas on getting youth involved with Habitat for Humanity in McLean County. Check out: www.habitat.org/ccyp

Youth Service America

The Walt Disney Company has teamed up with Youth Service America to provide grants up to $500 to support the planning and implementing of service projects for youth between the ages of five and 14 years. Teachers, older youth between 15 and 25 years old, and organizations that serve youth are eligible to apply if they engage younger volunteers in the planning and implementation of their work. Applications are due by August 30, and the projects must take place between October 1 and November 26. For more information, go to www.ysa.org/awards

Scarecrows on the Constitution Trail, October 4-5

The Bloomington-Normal Association of Realtors is asking for groups to make scarecrows to be displayed on the Constitution trail on October 4-5, 2008. All scarecrows will be displayed outdoors and any decorations need to be firmly attached. If you want the scarecrow back you can pick it up at the end of the event on October 5. All groups are asked to bring new or gently used coat(s) for donation. To register or for more information contact Theresa Capodice at 309-824-5257 or at john@johncapodiceproperties.com.

4-H Million Trees Project

Members of the Pacifica (California) 4-H Club launched the 4-H Million Trees (4HMT) project, a large-scale service-learning project with the goal to plant 1,000,000 trees across the United States to beautify America, absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, and combat global climate change. www.4hmilliontrees.org

2008-2009 National 4-H Congress Winners

• Beth Bliese – Achievement
• Landon Cuba – Achievement
• Ellen Mulch – Achievement
• Erin Mulch – Achievement
• Taylor Parks – Achievement
• Jacque Potter – Personal Development
• Gracie Weinzierl – Food, Nutrition & Health
• Spencer Wilken - Achievement

State Blue Award Winners

• Andrew Craig
• Chris Crider