Can you believe it, summer is finally here, and…the 2008 4-H Fair will be here before we know it! Are you ready? Have you spent much time working on your projects? Now before summer really gets busy this is the perfect time to start on your project exhibits.

The 2008 Peoria County 4-H Show Book is now available on line. Please take the time to read through the show schedule, rules, judging locations and project requirements because there are several new changes for this year.

Also, be sure to check out the rest of this newsletter for important information on upcoming events and deadlines.

The next 4-H Leaders Meeting/Training will be Tuesday, June 17 at the Extension Office. There will be two times offered: 10-11:30 a.m. and again at 6-7:30 p.m. We will be discussing getting ready for the 4-H Show and Records.

Next Federation Meeting will be

Tuesday, June 24, 6-8 p.m. at the

Kickapoo Township Hall.

The next 4-H Horse Committee Meeting is scheduled for Monday June 16, 6:30 p.m. at the Extension Office.

Those who attended the 4-H Show Committee meeting on May 20 at the Extension Office: Bob, Robin & Isaac Forney; Doris Schoenbein, Sarah & Shiloh Lueschow, Allys Pauli, Allison Cheney, Martha Eberley, Aleta Litwiller, and April Foster.

If you want to look at something in the last 4-H newsletter, or the one before that, or the one before that—can you find it? If you have internet access, you can find the last entire year's worth of 4-H newsletters on our website. Just a few clicks away at: www.extension.uiuc.edu/peoria

We are offering a fun, hand's-on learning summer camp for children ages 8-12! During Camp Clover, children will participate in science activities and learn more about people in their community and world. They will also learn about nutrition, food and wellness, while preparing their daily snack. There is three different locations, they are:

· Peoria Heights Library (Free)

Wk 2: June 16-19 / 1 - 4 p.m.

Wk 3: June 23-26 / 9 a.m.-12 noon

· Elmwood Community Building ($5.00)

Wk 1: July 7-10 / 9 a.m.-12 noon

Wk 2: July 14-17 / 9 a.m.-12 noon

· Alpha Park Library, Bartonville ($5.00)

Wk 1: July 21-24 / 9 a.m.-12 noon

Space is limited, so contact our office if you would like to register. You do not need to be a 4-H member to participate.

Last chance to register for 4-H Camp in Monticello. Peoria County week is July 6-10. All registration forms must be in the Extension Office no later than June 13. Cost for camp is only $145. There is a small discount if a sibling also attends. You do not need to be a 4-H member to attend, so if you have a friend that would like to come along, be sure to ask them. Space is limited, so act fast.

Contact the Extension Office for applications, or they can be printed from our web site.

The commodities tent sponsored by the beef and pork associations during the Heart of Illinois Fair July 11-19 is looking for 4-H clubs to help man the food line and table area. They will pay clubs $100 for each shift. Tentatively shifts are both Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 to 4:00 and 4:00 to 10:00, also the first Friday and Monday through Friday 3:30 to 10:00. There are NO passes available this year.

They only need 4-6 members (ages 10 and up) plus an adult at a time. If you would like, split the shift up so more kids could volunteer. For more information or to schedule a shift, please contact Julie Courdt at jcourdt@comcast.net or call her at 256-2851.

Geared especially for preteen and teen girls, this site lets girls develop their own virtual (online) businesses. They may open up a store or become a fashion designer. This site offers good experiential learning activities which relate to a number of our project areas; Sewing and Textiles; Clothing Decisions; Entrepreneurship; Financial Champions & Service Learning. The web site is:

http://www.fashionfantasygame.com

Basically, kids initially make a choice to be a designer or store owner. Designers create clothing which is purchased (with make-believe fashion bucks) by other kids for resale in their Stores. Store owners choose their store sites (a variety of stores in various cities around the world are available) and pay monthly rent, and pay to paint or design the inside of their stores. All expenses and income are tracked in their accounts, teaching bookkeeping and fiscal management! They are given startup money and a monthly allowance, and hope to make a success of their business. There are frequent contests which showcase successful business endeavors. There is a lot more...for more information go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/fashionfantasygame/33084/

This award is sponsored by the Auxiliary to the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association. Applicants must be between the ages of 15 and 18 (inclusive) by Sept. 1, 2007 and must have been enrolled in the Vet Science project at least 3 years (including current year). Applications must be postmarked no later than July 1, 2008. Winner will receive $100 cash reward. Application form is available from the Extension Office or can be found on our website.

On Monday, July 7 at 7:30 p.m. we will have the Livestock Auction Committee and Superintendents Meeting. This will be held at Peter Shynk's Country Insurance Office in Kickapoo (next door to the Kickapoo Post Office.)

The non-livestock superintendents will be meeting at the Extension Office on Tuesday, July 8 at 6:30 p.m.

The following Peoria County 4-H Members recently attended the Cultural Exchange trip to Chicago:

- Abigail Carter / Dunlap Dynamite

- Amanda Carter / Dunlap Dynamite

- Korrie Edwards / Independent

- Conner Flier / Timber Tigers

- Isaac Forney / Jubilee Patriots

- Allys Pauli / Dunlap Dynamite

- Evelyn Powers / Laura Winners

Members that participated reported they had a great time and recommend other 4-H'ers to attend next year.

The Quality Assurance & Ethics Certification (QAEC) must be taken by every 4-H member that is exhibiting beef, sheep, swine, horse, dairy, meat goats and new this year POULTRY. This certification is done online. 4-H members are only required to take it once. So if you have done it before you need not do it again. The QAEC website is now available and can be found at

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/qaec Members must be sure they are completing the whole certification. There are the first modules you must complete and then you must complete one of the species categories. The certification is not complete until all this is done.

Horse exhibitors must have this completed by June 9. All other species must be completed before July 1.

The Situation

In early April we were told that $18 million was being withheld from the U of I Extension budget ¾ of the way through the budget year. We now know (with the help of all of you who wrote letters, sent e-mails, & called your State Legislators, etc.) that these funds have been restored for this fiscal year that ends June 30, 2008. Unfortunately future funding is still very sketchy. This news is sad and frustrating to all in Extension and our Extension 4-H families. However, we are doing our best to keep a positive outlook, continue to move forward and approach things in a new way.

Our Plan for 4-H Programming

We intend to do as many programs as we can feasibly continue to do, considering both staff time and cost. You will find that we will be charging for certain things that we may not have charged for in the past. We will keep the costs for events to the lowest amount possible, we don't intend to charge you right out of 4-H! We hope that all of you will keep in mind that the staff of the University of Illinois Extension - Peoria County will do everything we can to assist you, but it may at times, take a little longer for us to respond. Our intention is to serve all of you in the most timely and efficient manner that we can. There will be some programs that may not happen due to cuts and you will see a change in how we do things. For instance, we are asking for everyone's e-mail address for correspondence to preserve costs on sending letters, and mailings, etc. We have modified the 4-H Fair to reduce expenses. Also we are asking everyone to read the monthly4-H newsletter on our website to cut cost on sending it out monthly. We will continue to keep you informed of any changes in our funding and 4-H programming as changes occur.

What You Can Do

· E-mail us your e-mail address so we can develop a 4-H e-mail list. This will be how we send project and other information.

· Check you e-mail regularly so you don't miss any important information.

· Let us know of any e-mail changes.

· Check our website regularly at: www://peoria.extension.uiuc.edu and click on 4-H for more information regarding upcoming events and activities.

· Stick with us in this time of financial distress and chaos. Even with the present circumstances - together we can "Make the Best Better!"

· WRITE YOUR LEGISLATORS!! Tell them what 4-H means and has done for you. Let them know what kind of difference it has made in your life and why you think it's a valuable program. Tell them why U of I Extension is so valuable in Peoria County. The more letters, the better chance we have of making an impact!

· Call us if you have any questions. We are here to help you!