Learn and Fun Day at Heartland Community College on Saturday, Jan. 19 was a big success! Just over 180 youth participated in this day of interactive workshops. Some of this year's 32 different courses included; Birds in our Backyard, Clay Pens, Tin Can Flowers, Secrets of the Bug World, Cupcake Cuties, Colorful Fleece Hats, Modeling Moves, Dog Gone It All, Candle Making, and Worm Composting Fun!

Students signed up for classes in four different sessions. Some sessions lasted all morning or all afternoon. One such course was Engineering Fun. In this workshop, youth spent the morning designing a bridge made of straws, popsicle sticks, and tape. They then had a contest to see which bridge would hold the most weight.

In another class, youth designed clay pens by twisting colors of polymer clay around the shell of a pen, then baking it. Each 4-Her had a new novelty pen to help write their 4-H records with! A big hit was building a composting box with Red Wiggler worms in Worm Composting Fun! Youth also had the opportunity to tour the Illinois State University Farm, visiting both the farrowing nursery and the aquaculture center.

Everyone had a great day and learned new skills. Here's what a few of them had to say about what they learned:

"In Mini Memory, Book I learned how to crop pictures and to never throw away scraps!"

"In Electric Excitement, I learned the difference between series and parallel."

"In Improve That Photo I learned not to have glare in the photograph and how to focus."

"In Cupcake Cuties I learned how to make neat stuff on cupcakes. I can use this for my 4-H project in Babysitting Fun."

"In Birds in your Backyard I learned that birds need water, shelter and feed. I can try to unfreeze the bird bath."

"In What Is 4-H? I learned that you can do lots of things in 4-H. You can enter the fair. I learned the 4-H Pledge and how to talk to a judge."

Thanks to everyone who helped make Learn and Fun Day such a success! Heartland graciously provided us with the use of their campus for this event.

Thank you to Heartland and also to all the volunteers. Most importantly, thank you to the instructors who facilitated a great day of fun and learning! We're looking forward to next year!

Please welcome Susan Moore to her new position as Community Worker for the 4-H program with the University of Illinois Extension. This will be a part-time position. Susan will be available to assist 4-H clubs and Cloverbud groups, start new clubs, and help plan and execute county events.

Susan first joined our staff in May 2001 as a summer assistant for the McLean County Fair. "I've enjoyed my time so far here with McLean County 4-H and I'm looking forward to meeting more 4-Hers and leaders as I maintain this new position. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about 4-H," said Moore. She is a graduate of Illinois State University, and long time 4-Her in Knox County.

At Learn and Fun Day, held Saturday, Jan. 19 at Heartland Community College, McLean County Cloverbuds had the chance to participate in a morning-long interactive workshop. Cloverbuds is the 4-H program designed for five-to seven-year-olds and is an introduction time to traditional 4-H. There are currently 15 Cloverbud groups in McLean County. Twenty-five Cloverbud youth participated in the Learn and Fun Day workshop.

The children rotated through five different stations where they learned about a variety of subjects. One station taught Cloverbuds about sound and how it travels; they even made their own kazoos! In another station, Cloverbuds learned about vegetables and what parts of a plant they come from. Then they put together "veggie people" with vegetable parts and toothpicks. Cloverbuds learned about rules and made traffic lights to play the game "red light, green light." They also made peanut butter apple smiles and learned about our country and patriotism.

It was a busy morning and everyone had a great time! Thank you to Cloverbud leaders and parents who helped to prepare and teach the morning's workshop.
In other Cloverbud news...

Cloverbud groups are planning to participate in 4-H's Centennial celebration by making their own centennial quilt. If anyone has sewing or quilting experience and would like to help put together the Cloverbud quilt, we would love your assistance. Please contact Susan Moore at the Extension office for more details. Also, if any Cloverbud group still needs a quilt patch, they are available for pick up at the Extension office.

If you would like to feature an activity from your Cloverbud group in next month's Cloverbud Corner, please contact Susan Moore at 309-663-8306.

What Is It?

This three-day event is designed to provide Illinois teens several different opportunities. Illinois delegates to the 2002 Convention will celebrate:

• Our Past: The history of 4-H that has brought us to today.
• Our Opportunities: The opportunity to learn, grow and experience through 4-H.
• Our Wonder: The wonder, excitement & enthusiasm of 4-H members & leaders.
• Our Energy: The energy of creative thought, actions and solutions when youth and adults work together in 4-H.
• Our Responsibility: The responsibility we all have to shape our future for the betterment of ourselves, our communities and our country.

Who Can Attend?

This event is open to ALL Illinois high school teens, including incoming freshman for the fall of 2002. Youth must be between 14 and 19 years of age (inclusive) by Sept. 1, 2002 in order to participate. 4-H membership is NOT required

What's the Cost?

The registration fee for this event will remain at $140 per person for the sixth year. This fee includes a two-night hotel stay (3-4 delegates per room; two chaperones per room); four meals (two lunches and two dinners); insurance; entertainment, and all programming materials. Delegates will be "on their own" for Saturday and Sunday morning breakfasts; however the hotel does offer a free continental breakfast for hotel guests. Registrations must be postmarked by May 21. Contact the Extension office for more information and registration!

4-H and FFA members requiring Quality Assurance and Ethics Clinic certification will have the opportunity to complete this requirement to exhibit at the 2002 Illinois State Fair on the internet. The QAEC web site will be available until July 1. State Fair Junior Horse Show exhibitors must complete certification prior to June 15; exhibitors in beef, sheep, swine and dairy must complete before July 1.

The web certification will be the only approved method for 2002.
Participants are required to only take the training once and for the Illinois State Fair this includes those exhibiting beef, dairy, horses, sheep and swine. Those who have previously taken the QAEC training will not need to be re-certified.
The URL for the site is http://qaec.outreach.uiuc.edu. Steps include registering one's name, receiving an ID number, and entering the exhibitor's birth date and county of residence along with the county of their 4-H club or FFA school. After completing the registration, exhibitors will receive training on six different sections.

At the completion of each of the specie sections, an overview of the ISF specie rules and regulations are provided with the opportunity to print these for future reference.

In case participants cannot complete the QAEC certification in one session they can enter the ID number and pick up at the point of exiting. Upon completion of the training, their name will be captured by the computer and a certificate printed for verification.

Since 1995 there has been random testing of market animals and complete testing of the grand champions market animals for residues and, over the five-year period, not one animal has been identified to being unacceptable for human consumption.

If you have any questions regarding the 4-H/FFA QAEC certification contact Dave Seibert, Animal Systems Educator, University of Illinois Extension (309) 694-7501.

Anyone wanting to nominate a barrow for the premier or carcass classes at the McLean County Fair or the Illinois State Fair junior or open show will need to get it weighed and tattooed. To be eligible, barrows must be farrowed on or after Feb. 10, 2002 and must be weighed and tattooed before they are 35 days old.

They cannot weigh more than one pound per day of age when tattooed. All barrows must be tattooed by April 15. The following dates and times for tattooing in McLean County have been extended to meet everyone's needs, so please observe the scheduled times. Dates are:

March 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
March 25 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
April 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Tattooing will be done at the Steve Schwoerer farm. Please bring with you the exhibitor's name, birth date, and social security number as well as the barrow's date of birth. Each exhibitor may nominate up to 25 barrows.

Sheep tattoo dates

All wethers that will be exhibited at the Illinois State Fair Junior Show and any wether that will be entered in the state fair open premier show must be weighed and tattooed between March 15 and May 15. The dates and times for tattooing in McLean County have been extended to meet everyone's needs, so please observe the scheduled times. Sheep will be weighed and tattooed from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the following dates: March 25, April 15 and May 15.

Tattooing will be done at the Steve Schwoerer farm. Please bring with you the exhibitor's name, birth date, and social security number as well as the wether's date of birth. Each exhibitor may nominate up to ten wethers.

A former 4-Her has two female guinea pigs to give away to a 4-Her who would take them as a project. They come with a cage, climbing tubes, water bottle, food, and exercise wheel. Please call Amy Stuart at 309-661-8341 if you can provide a good home.

Illinois BEST is an annual competition for multiple teams of students with the goal being to invent and build a robot in a six-week period that can accomplish a designated task. BEST is not just an Illinois program, but occurs in various states around the nation.

McLean County 4-H established a group this year for the first time. The group went to Triton College, Chicago, on Jan. 26 to collect their supplies for building their robot. Each team is given the same parts, but no instructions on how to build their robot. Our team will establish ideas, use tools, and learn to work with each other, aside from actually building the robot. At the competition, each team will have to put up a display about the robot and how it was built. Coaches are allowed to give moral support, supply certain tools and answer some questions; no help in ideas or actual construction is allowed.

The competition date is scheduled for Saturday, March 9, at Triton College (time and exact location to be determined). The McLean County team encourages everyone to attend. Head coach is Chris Grotbo and assisting him are Rod Sabick, Stephen Gibson and Ray Mohr. Web sites about this competition are www.illinoisbest.org or www.bestinc.org.

- Caleb Martin

On Jan. 28 the McLean County 4-H Federation met at Ned Kelly's Steakhouse. Many business items were discussed and reviews of events were given. One of the major events is the canned food drive. We will hold the canned food drive to help people in the local area that are not as fortunate as others. Federation will hold their booth at Schnuck's in Bloomington. The food collected will go to local food pantries. We often think of giving in the holiday season, but we also need to give throughout the year. We would like to thank everyone who donated food! Also, we will be selling centennial bears in the near future. They have a four-leaf clover on them. They are in support of 100 years of 4-H. Be on the look-out for these adorable bears. We also revised the Federation bylaws.

Our next meeting will be on Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. in front of Sears in Eastland Mall. Our program will be the Mall Scanvenger Hunt - hope to see you there!

Cha/Dai is pleased to announce the availability of an Animal Science Scholarship to residents of Logan, Mason, Menard, DeWitt, Macon, McLean and Tazewell counties. Students must be in high school, attending college or plan to attend college in the fall of 2002. Applications are due by March 29. Applications are available to download on the web at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/mclean

4-H participated in the ISU Men's Basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 19. McLean County 4-H Federation set up a 4-H booth in the Reggie Fun Zone and passed out 4-H tattoos to youth and adults. Over 100 4-H members and family members participated in the event. It was an exciting game as ISU won in the last second of the game vs. Southwest Missouri State!

Bloomington Parks and Recreation and McLean County 4-H are joining together to offer eight exciting visual arts workshops. Each workshop will involve hands-on artistic skills. Active 4-H members will have the opportunity to work toward completing a fair project. 4-H membership is not required to be in these workshops. Please register in advance.

WHO: Youth ages 8-18
WHERE: University of Illinois Extension office, 402 N. Hershey Road, Bloomington
WHEN: April 6 and April 13

Joy of Painting – for Youth!
Make a ready-to-frame picture using the Bob Ross wet-on-wet technique.
"Peaceful Lake"
#999 Saturday, April 6
10 a.m.- noon
$30
Min 5/Max. 20

Leather Making
Learn about leather stamping and staining while completing two different leather crafts.
#1000 Saturday, April 6
10 a.m.-noon
$7
Min. 5/Max. 25

Rubber Stamping
Learn how to make greeting cards and projects using rubber stamps.
#1001 Saturday, April 6
1 - 3p.m.
$5.
Min. 5/Max. 20

String Art
Learn the String Art style and take home a completed project. Bring a hammer.
#1002 Saturday, April 6
1 - 3 p.m.pm
$5
Min. 5/Max. 20

Scrap Booking
Learn basic page layout and journaling techniques for scrap booking. Please bring 8-10 pictures (all other materials provided).
#1003 Saturday, April 13
10 a.m. - noon
$6
Min. 5/Max. 15

Drawing for Beginners
This session will teach the basics to becoming an artist on your own. Supplies are provided.
#1004 Saturday, April 13
10 a.m. - noon
$5
Min. 5/Max. 20

Photography
Learn the basics of 35mm photography. Please bring your camera and 10 photos you've taken with it.
#1005 Saturday, April 13
1 - 3 p.m.
$5
Min. 5/Max. 20

Clay (Hand formed)
Play with clay and learn techniques to hand build works of art.
#1006 Saturday, April 13
1- 3 p.m.
$10
Min. 5/Max. 15

Four ways to register:
1. Mail registration form from Parks & Recreation Spring Booklet to Dept, PO Box 3157, Bloomington, IL 61702-3157
2. Drop off registration Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Recreation office located behind City Hall in the Annex.
3. Fax registration to 309-434-2483 if you are paying by credit card.
4. Call Rec-Line at 309-434-2732 to register on 24-hour automated touch-tone system. Have credit card and program information ready. TV

Volunteer Screening/Orientation set for April 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Extension office. The screening process has been changed to include the following:

• Completed volunteer application
• Three references (family member, personal/character, work/volunteer)
• Behavior guidelines signed
• Authorization to check Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System
• Check against Registered Sex Offender's List
• Driver authorization (if planning to drive) – need copies of drivers license and proof of insurance

The meeting format has been changed to focus more on orienting new volunteers to the University of Illinois Extension, the McLean County 4-H program, how a 4-H club meeting is set up, how to utilize experiential learning in a 4-h club setting, and signs of child abuse and neglect.

Any new volunteer working directly with youth needs to complete this orientation and screening process to be a certified 4-H volunteer. Mark the April 23 on your calendars now to be part of the ever-growing volunteer force of McLean County!

4-H'ers from across three regions will converge in Springfield to debate bills and learn about the legislative process. The 4-H Legislative Conference is for all high school age 4-H'ers.

Besides all the work, 4-H'ers will meet new friends from across the state of Illinois and have fun dancing in Springfield's Northfield Center ballroom.
The conference will be held at Northfield Center April 12-13. Registration fee for the conference is $80 and the deadline to register is March 18. For more information about the conference and to register, contact the Extension office.

Chick It Out program informational letters have been mailed to 128 classroom teachers in McLean County school districts. Teachers interested in participating in this project have mailed response forms to the University of Illinois Extension Service McLean County. Two opportunities exist for hatching chicks. The first hatch, scheduled for the week of March 11 had teachers picking up eggs on Feb. 19. Teachers wishing to participate in the second hatch will pick up their eggs on April 9 and chicks will hatch during the week of April 29.

Teachers will be able to pick up their eggs, 4-H project enrollment cards, t-shirts for their students and feed for the chicks on both pick-up dates. All students who participate in Chick It Out are asked to complete a 4-H enrollment card designed for school programs. Students who complete the enrollment cards are eligible for the project premium, in this case a Chick It Out t-shirt. In addition, while there is no charge to the students for participating in this or other school programs, having the students enrolled as 4-H members for these programs increases the amount of funding available to support the program for the following year.

Last year, the twelfth for Chick It Out, saw more than 90 teachers and over 2,000 students participate in this program. Students had the opportunity to study embryology, but also learned the fragile and sometimes difficult lessons of life. The Extension staff is looking forward to a successful Chick It Out program for 2002.

Leaders and classroom teachers are encouraged to contact Randy Lloyd, Program Coordinator for School Programs at 309-663-8306 to arrange for their club's or classroom's use of the many educational ag-kits available from the Extension Office. "Walk In My Shoes" is very popular with reservations already going into March. "Pondering Pizza: A Slice of Agriculture," "Protein Providers: The Superb Soybean," and "Pumpkin Patch: A Vine Through Life" are a few of the other kits available in the Resource Center.

Ag-baskets are designed for younger 4-H'ers and students. The baskets cover dairy, corn, soybeans, machinery, wheat, harvest and farm animals with children's books, videos and hands-on items. These are wonderful resources provided by the McLean County and Illinois Farm Bureaus and the Extension Office.

Illinois State Fair – Aug. 9-18
McLean County Day is Sunday, Aug. 11 at the Illinois State Fair! On Aug. 17 the following projects will be displayed and judged: kites, bicycle rodeo, and electronics. These exhibits will not participate on our county day.

A new event to showcase the Illinois State Fair is the 4-H BBQ Chicken Contest. This new contest is being offered for 4-H members who are 14 years or older. The contest is BBQ Chicken on the grill and will be held on Aug.11. Entry deadline is July 15. Contact the Extension office for more information.

Excellence In Agriculture Scholarship Program
Judy Barr Topinka has instituted a scholarship program for excellence in agriculture. The scholarship offers two $2500 scholarships. Be sure to check out these scholarship opportunities!

Legislative Connection Update
For those 4-H members who received superior ratings at the Illinois State Fair you will be invited to participate in the 4-H Legislative Connection. The event has been moved from March to Tuesday, April 2 as both the House and Senate will be in session. Watch for more information to come to our outstanding award winners!

4-H Interesting Facts
In 1907 the first emblem used nationally for 4-H was designed by O.H. Benson as a three-leaf clover. It stood for head, heart, and hands. In 1911, Benson suggested that the fourth H be added to stand for "hustle," and the 4-H design was adopted. Later O.B. Martin suggested that health replace hustle. The 4-H emblem then stood for Head, Heart, Hands and Health ever since!

Camping Opportunities
McLean County at 4-H Memorial Camp June 9-13. Camp registrations will be available after March 18 and will be mailed in next month's newsletter. McLean County will be limited to 100 campers during this camping season. Registrations will be on a first come-first serve basis and due to the Extension office by May 10.

4-H House Seeking Candidates
Planning to attend the University of Illinois? 4-H House at University of Illinois is seeking individuals interested in staying in the 4-H House Sorority. In order to be considered, each young lady must be involved in 4-H for at least five years. If you will be visiting U of I and would like to visit the house, contact Corinn Haselhorst at chaselho@uiuc.edu or call 217-344-4784.

Fund raising Opportunity!
Looking for bottled water to sell at a local fair or festival? Water One bottling company has bottled water with the 4-H Clover on the front. The cost per case is $9.60 (24 bottles) which are 20 ounce sports capped bottles. There are 56 cases to a pallet, minimum order one pallet. Allow four weeks from receipt of order. Call 1(888) 366-8827 and ask for Rich Ring.

Help needed to make county banner for Illinois State Fair!
Would you like to help make a county banner that would be hung on display during the Illinois State Fair!? We need your help! The banner will be used each year in the Junior Home Economics Building to brighten up the ceilings and walls. Banners are due to the State 4-H Office by July 26. Contact Tina Veal at the Extension office to receive more details!

Illinois State Fair Junior Horse Show set
The 2002 State Fair Jr. Horse Show is scheduled for Tuesday, July 23 through Sunday, July 28.

4-H Camp Clover To Return to McLean County!
For the third year, McLean County has received funding for the summer recreation program, Camp Clover. It is a four-day program for youth ages eight-12 years old targeting low-resource audiences. 4-H Club members and adults will again be recruited to help with programming and camps in your area. If interested in helping please contact Tina Veal at the Extension office. This is a great county activity to put under leadership for 4-H members records!

Ideas for our web site?
The McLean County Extension staff are in the process of building our web site to be more user friendly. As part of the 4-H Youth Development program, we have tried to make "forms and info" easily accessible to download via the web. If there is something you would like to see on the web site, please contact us and give us your ideas! We want to make the web site a resource for you – your ideas are welcome! Please contact Tina Veal, Susan Moore or Randy Lloyd with your suggestions and ideas.

Federation to Sell 4-H Centennial Bears
The McLean County 4-H Federation will be selling 4-H Centennial Bears. These bears will sell for $10. Each bear is green with a 4-H clover on its chest and the centennial dates 1902-2002 on the feet. Pre-orders are being accepted. Make check payable to: McLean County 4-H Federation. These bears make GREAT gifts!

New Member Meeting Scheduled for April 9
The new member meeting will be held at the Extension office on April 9 at 7 p.m. New 4-H members will receive orientation on how to get ready for the fair, conference judging techniques and how to complete goal sheets. If any older 4-H members would like to help, please contact Tina Veal or Susan Moore at the Extension office. (Another great opportunity for those 4-H records!)

4-H leader meeting date set for April 23

The next 4-H leader meeting is scheduled for April 23 at 7:30 p.m. after the 4-H Volunteer Leader Screening/Orientation. Watch for more details to come! Mark the date on your calendar and try to have at least one representative from your club to attend!

4-H centennial quilt blocks need to be completed!!
Has your club completed your 4-H quilt block? Time is running out. Clubs were each given a quilt block at the December leader meeting. Clubs may design their own quilt block or use a club t-shirt.. Emily Lubbert is coordinating this county-wide effort. Please have your quilt blocks turned into the Extension office no later than March 15 so the quilt can begin to be pieced together. The quilt will be used in several 4-H events throughout the upcoming years.

Interested in serving on the McLean County 4-H Federation Board?
Applications are being accepted for the 12 positions on the McLean County 4-H Federation Board. Youth must be at least 12-years-old. Federation experience is not required, but preferred. These officers plan, coordinate and conduct county-wide activities throughout the year (i.e. Leaders Banquet, help with Recognition of Excellence Banquet, 4-H Canned Food Drive, fair activities, etc.) Applications can be picked up at the Extension office or downloaded off the web at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/mclean under "Forms and Downloads." Applications are due May 1.

Taking a 4-H quilting project?
The Hands All Around Quilt Guild has written new 4-H quilting books for 4-H members to utilize. These county project books will be available after March 1 at the Extension office. Please contact us if you will need a copy for this year's fair project. Two new books will be available. Patchwork Quilting will be for first and second year members and 4-H Advanced Quilting for older 4-H youth participating in the quilting project area.

The North Central Regional Leaders Forum will be Oct. 17-20 at Renaissance Hotel, St. Louis, MO. "Celebrate 4-H" is the theme. The year 2002 is the 100th anniversary of 4-H. The committee would like to celebrate "youth,""volunteers" and "history" throughout the Volunteer Leader Forum.

Tammy Stewart recently attended the Regional Leader conference in Des Moines, IA. She met Karen Scott who is a program manager for 4-H in Ontario Canada and they became fast friends. During one of their conversations, Karen discussed how the 4-H program has been drastically cut in Canada. Each 4-H club gets one set of project books and they have to make copies from those books for each 4-H member.

Tammy came up with the idea to start a project book-recycling program in McLean County. At each leader meeting, we will collect all used project books. You may have books from projects that you decided you weren't interested in or you may have books that you have used in the past, but no longer need. We will take them all. Karen explained that even though we do not have all of the same curriculum, this will also give them ideas of projects they can add. So start collecting! You may want to have one person from your club lead this community service project. If you are interested in helping Tammy get these shipped or have questions, you can contact her at 309-862-0255. Thanks for your help!

Volunteers are needed on Saturday, March 23 for the initial scoring of the State 4-H Award Applications. Judging will take place in Champaign at the Illini Union. You do not have to have experience to judge records. This would be a great learning opportunity for an adult volunteer from each club to learn about the records process and what is expected!

Hotel rooms will be furnished at the Union for those traveling over 1-1/2 hours to get to Champaign. Mileage will be reimbursed for all attendees - carpooling is strongly encouraged! Names are needed by March 1.

When I started this column, I thought it was going to be about a McLean County family with four generations of 4-H involvement. However, as I began my interviews, I found they have been active in 4-H for five generations.

I talked first to Rosemary King of rural Normal who was a member of Towanda Girls 4-H in the 30s and 40s. It was at 4-H that she met her husband-to-be, Allan King who was a member of Towanda Boys 4-H. Allan and Rosemary were married in 1946 and began farming. Later Allan worked as a data processing analyst for State Farm.

They had four sons, Bob, John, Steve and David and two daughters, Mary and Ann. Allan was a 4-H leader in the Towanda Club and coached the 4-H fast pitch softball team for several years. Allan passed away in 1992.

All the children were 4-H club members. Many of Rosemary's seventeen grandchildren have been in 4-H. The fourth generation of the 4-H family is her great-granddaughter Kailey Harvey, a member of Greenleafers.

To find the fifth generation we go back to Allan's dad, also Allan, who was a swine superintendent at the McLean County 4-H Fair. Rosemary's parents were James and Pearl Dee.

Her mother still lives on the Dee family farm in Bloomington with Rosemary's brother Jim who was a member of Towanda Boys. St. Patrick's Catholic Church was built at the corner of Route 9 and Towanda-Barnes Road on a section of the Dee farm after a tornado in 1982 destroyed the Merna church. A tornado also figured in the life of the Kings since that same tornado destroyed their house on their Centennial farm. They rebuilt the house and it still stands on the farm given the distinction of being a Centennial Farm because the same family has owned it for more than 100 years. The Pantagraph featured the farm in a 1989 article. According to a survey done then, the King farm was in the middle of McLean County. David and John now farm the family land. Steve and Bob are both employed by State Farm.

I have had the opportunity to work with Bob in several 4-H endeavors. He started the Towanda Busy Bees 4-H Cluband was their leader for ten years. He began the county's computer project and is still involved in the project. He helps maintain the McLean County 4-H and Timeless Clovers Alumni Association web site. Bob was on the 4-H Show Committee for eight years serving two years as president. Other 4-H activities have included the Mosbacher Scholarship committee, the expansion and review committee, the general agricultural committee and the Timeless Clovers Alumni Association Board.

His wife, Vicki, grew up in Chicago and she and Bob met in a math class at Illinois State University. Although, she was not a 4-H member, she was a 4-H leader and a superintendent in foods and gardening.

Bob was a member of Towanda Busy Doers and his projects were swine and crops. The club was in existence from the 1930s until the 70s. Bob won the McLean County Alumni award in 1993. The King's daughter, Carolyn, and son, Matt, were both in 4-H.

Bob said that "4-H provided our family with learning opportunities and entertainment when growing up on a farm. Our lives centered around church and 4-H. Several of our family members gained leadership experience as 4-H officers. We all had to learn to get up in front of an audience to give speeches. Many life skills can be attributed to our experiences in 4-H."

His nieces and nephews, Christie, Morey, Rachel and David Sweeney, the children of his sister, Mary, and her husband, Morrie, have been or are active in 4-H in McLean County. Mary helps lead the Towanda Busy Bees. His sister, Ann, and her husband, Gene, have two daughters, Amy and Jenny, who were in 4-H.
Rosemary remains active in St. Patrick's church activities. Once a month she meets with other volunteers from OSF St. Joseph Medical Center to make nametags for bassinets in the hospital nursery. However, for one week in the summer finding Rosemary is easy. She will be at the McLean County 4-H Fair watching all the activities, especially those of her grandchildren and great-grandchild. "4-H is the best family organization in the world," she said. We salute this family with five generations of 4-H involvement. As we celebrate 100 years of 4-H, we know it is the dedication of families like the Kings that has enabled 4-H to celebrate this exciting milestone.

- Diane Donelson Logsdon

Pork Carcass Requirements (updated in 2001) have been established for the 2002 Illinois State Fair Pork Premiere Carcass Show. These requirements are reflective of the tremendous change in composition that has occurred in the pork industry.

Since many county carcass shows use the same standards as the Illinois State Fair, county 4-H Swine Show Committee might want to consider updating their requirements. If changes at the local level are made County Extension Units will want to include these in their 2002 fair catalogs.

The updated pork carcass requirements include the following criteria:

1. Minimum hot carcass weight of 170 pounds.
2. Minimum 10th rib fat thickness of 0.50 in.
3. Minimum carcass length of 30.5 in.
4. Maximum loin muscle area of 8.0 sq. in. allows in calculating percent of FFL and/or Pounds of Acceptable Standardized Fat-Free Lean Gain per Day on Test.
5. Tenth rib fat depth and loin muscle area based on hot carcass weight as follows:

• Hot carcass weight
  170-179 180-189 190-199 200 and over
• Tenth rib fat depth, in (max.)
  0.90 1.00 1.10 1.20
• Loin eye area, sq. in. (min.)
  5.25 5.50 5.75 6.00

6. The loin muscle is evaluated for color, marbling and firmness. The following scoring systems will be used:

• Color – Scores range from 1 (pale pinkish gray to white) to 6 (dark purplish red). Loin muscle score of 2.0 or lower and 6.0 are disqualified.

• Marbling – Scores range from 1.0 (1% IM fat) to 10.0 (10% IM fat). Loin muscle scores of greater than 6.0 are disqualified.

• Firmness/Wetness – The scores are 1 (exudative), 2 (moist and firm), and 3 (dry and very firm). A score of 1 will be disqualified.

The State 4-H office is looking for individuals who may fit the following "categories" so that they may recognize them at the 4-H Leadership Convention's Centennial Celebration this summer:

• Oldest living 4-H alumni in Illinois
• Most tenured 4-H volunteer who is still currently working with a club (would be at 50+ years of leading)
• Oldest living FORMER 4-H volunteer
• 4-H alumni who led a club for the most years who are NOT CURRENTLY volunteering.

I am sure McLean County has several volunteers past and present that fit these categories. Please email Tina Veal at Vealt@mail.aces.uiuc.edu or call 309-663-8306 with name and contact information no later than April 22!