4-H COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

Sponsored through the Illinois 4-H Foundation

Grants of $50 to $250 per year are available to local 4-H clubs for carrying out worthwhile community improvement projects. They are given to assist local 4-H club members in establishing and operating health or safety-related projects. Projects that get the most favorable consideration will be those where local funds are also raised and those in which the most active, ongoing local participation is involved.

A state level selection team will review each grant request. Award winning clubs are asked to contact the local media to publicize the award.

PROJECT SUGGESTIONS

4-H members and clubs have a real opportunity to demonstrate their concern for community health or safety by carrying out a specific project. Members of most 4-H clubs already have ideas for projects that they would like to undertake. The most successful projects are usually suggested from within the club after discussing community needs. The following list of projects conducted by other clubs may stimulate discussion of action programs for your 4-H club.

· Select areas of special study for the year, such as specific diseases, eye care, sanitation, etc.

· Visit local health care facilities.

· Inventory available community health services and determine additional needs.

· Hold a health fair with exhibits and demonstrations by 4-H youth.

· Study local or national health service organizations to learn more about serious

· health problems: Research, cause and effect of disease, and services offered.

· Make standard first-aid kits for homes and/or cars.

· Arrange for basic first-aid instruction.

· Ask a qualified resource person to instruct the group in home nursing practices.

· Organize a community health activity – something that has educational and action features with the goal of bettering the community and its citizens. Enlist the help of others and have a timetable for completion.

· Explore health related career opportunities through visits, special speakers, etc.

What to Do

1. Start planning your club's community program now.

2. Solicit project suggestions from club members, discuss them and select the most worthwhile workable project for your community.

3. Work out a budget considering both time and expenses involved.

4. Appoint or elect a committee of 4-H youth to give leadership to the project.

5. Submit completed application to your local University of Illinois Extension office for review. Applications are due to the State 4-H Office, 1902 Fox Drive, Suite A, Champaign, IL by January 30, 2009.

6. The selection committee will make a final decision on grants by the end of February 2009.

7. Award checks will be sent to the club leader with a copy of the correspondence going to local University of Illinois Extension staff.

Reporting Accomplishments

· Keep a record or scrapbook on your project from the beginning, including photos if applicable.

· Inform community leaders and local news media about the project, updating them periodically on progress and community acceptance.

· Committee chairman should report activities at each club meeting.

· Prepare a short formal report at the end of the project year. Include:

1. Project goals.

2. Methods, procedures, and techniques used and which were effective.

3. Ways your club cooperated with other individuals or groups.

4. Most important results achieved.

5. Supplement the report with photographs and/or newspaper articles.

Application and Project Proposal

4-H Community Health Improvement Program

Sponsored through the Illinois 4-H Foundation by a grant from

Submit application to your local University of Illinois Extension Office for review and approval. Forward completed applications to the State 4-H Office, 1902 Fox Drive, Suite A, Champaign, IL 61820. Phone 217/333-0910 or Fax 217/333-9287. Applications are due by January 30, 2009.

Club Name: Number of Members:

Club Federal Employee Identification Number (FEIN #) __ __ - __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (REQUIRED)

Title of Proposed Project:

County/Unit Date of Application:

4-H Youth Project Chair: 4-H Leader Contact:

Name Name

Address Address

City, State, Zip City, State, Zip

Phone Phone e-mail

Statement of Needs: Why was this project selected? State how community needs will be met by the proposed project.

Learning Goals: What will the 4-H club members learn through participating in this project?

Service Goals: How will this project benefit others besides the 4-H club members?

Methods: Describe in detail how the 4-H club plans to accomplish the goals listed. Include a timetable for carrying out the project as well as facilities and equipment needed.

Youth Involvement: How will 4-H members be involved in carrying out major parts of the project?

Involvement of Others: How will other individuals, organizations, groups or agencies support the project?

Evaluation: How will the success of the project be measured?

Proposed Budget:

(Your budget income may consist of any combination of the following: anticipated grant monies, potential donations from other community groups or local businesses, club treasury monies or any other fiscal sources.)

Expected Income Expected Expense

Source Amount Item Amount

Grant Amount REQUESTED from this proposal: $ (Maximum available funds - $250.00)

Signature of Youth Project Chair Date Signature of Adult 4-H Leader Date

University of Illinois Extension Unit Approval (REQUIRED) Date

What's your Carbon Footprint?

Use The Nature Conservancy's online carbon footprint calculator to measure your? or your household's? climate impact. The calculator will estimate how many tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases your choices create each year. Then find out more about choices we make in our homes, our travel, the food we eat, and what we buy and throw away to help ensure a stable climate for future generations.

http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/

4-H Day With the Cardinals is set for Saturday, May 23, 2009 at 12.10 p.m. in Busch Stadium. The Redbirds are playing Kansas City that evening, and yes--it is Memorial Weekend! Please publicize the date and time NOW so families can plan their Memorial Weekend vacation in the St. Louis area. Although order forms and additional information are not available yet, orders will need to be postmarked by April 13, and we'll mail tickets and T-shirts to families on May 11.

As soon as additional information is available, you'll be the first to know!

Art classes for students, preschool through high school, begin Jan.

31. Classes are taught by graduate and undergraduate art education

students in the School of Art + Design, 408 E. Peabody, C. Enroll by

contacting Carole Smith at cssmith2@illinois.edu or visiting the Web

site for a registration form at:

URL: http://www-old.art.uiuc.edu/groups/satschool/

Laurel H Campbell - lhcampbe@illinois.edu

Art & Design

Attached is a news release regarding an upcoming UI Extension Equine Educational Program that may be of interest to your clients/readership. Please publish and/or forward to interested parties.

News release

March 28, 2009 Illinois State Horse Judges Seminar features Brian Scoggins, Jennifer McCormick-Lindgren

The annual Illinois State Horse Judges Seminar has been scheduled for March 28, 2009 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the University of Illinois. Registration and classroom instruction will begin in room 150 Animal Science Lab, 1207 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL. Live classes will later be held in the UI Stock Pavilion a few blocks south of the Animal Science Lab.

This seminar is open to all youth and open horse show judges, potential judges, exhibitors and spectators of horse events. It is designed to encourage uniform standards for judging and exhibiting horses at Illinois youth and open shows, and to yield a directory of judges for show committees. It will cover criteria for judging Arabian horses, halter, showmanship, horsemanship, saddle seat classes, equitation, Western pleasure and helpful tips for judging 4-H shows. Fees for this seminar are $20 for youth (under 18 years), $30 for adults and $50 for adults wishing to take the written and live judging exam for listing in the Illinois Horse Judge's Directory.

The primary clinician is Brian Scoggins of Tuscola, IL. Mr. Scoggins has been a United States Equestrian Federation approved judge for the past 10 years. Brian Scoggins has judged over 60 Arabian shows in recent years including 8 regional shows, the Canadian Nationals and the U.S. Nationals in 2008. Brian has been involved in the horse industry his entire life through his family, especially his father, the late highly-respected Equine Veterinarian, R. Dean Scoggins, DVM. He has also been a professional horse trainer for the past 25 years, showing locally, regionally and nationally, earning several Regional and National Championships. Also presenting at the IL State Horse Judges Seminar will be Jennifer McCormick-Lindgren of Grant Park, IL. Ms. Lindgren is a popular columnist for various horse publications and is a sought-after judge for youth and open horse shows. Jennifer grew up showing horses in 4-H shows and was a National 4-H Horse Judging Contest award winner during her 4-H career. She has been a frequent clinician and judge for 4-H horse events in the Midwest including the Wisconsin State 4-H Horse Show and has shown her own Arabian horses to several top 10 National awards.

The Illinois State Horse Judges Seminar is sponsored by University of Illinois Extension and the UI Department of Animal Sciences.

Registration materials may be obtained from:

Kevin H. Kline

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

388 Animal Sciences Lab

1207 W. Gregory Drive

Urbana, IL 61801

E-mail: kkline@illinois.edu