Thursday, March 24, 2011

Camp Cherry Lake The Myth - The Legend - The Camp

4-H CAMP CHERRY LAKE
    
The theme is “The Myth, The Legend, The Camp” 

Baker will be camping with Madison and Nassau counties again this year, The week of June 27th - July 1st . 

It promises to be a ton of fun.  Kayak and Canoeing; Swimming, Environmental Education topics, Archery, and Photography are a few of the classes to choose from.  Night time camp fires, singing, and line dancing galore.



It is important to get your pre-registration returned as soon as possible after April 1st as sign-ups for classes will be on a first come first served basis. 


Pre-registration forms will be sent to all the campers from last summer as well as any 4-H members that are ages 8 to 12.   You will have a pre-registration to save your spot at camp that includes a way to pick your class choices.  By returning this registration with a deposit of $50.00 toward tuition we can begin your enrollment in camp this year.  A more complete camp registration packet will be required and that is available at the office after April 1st.

 
Camp is $200.00 to cover all the expenses, plus canteen, T-Shirt and bus travel.  



We have devised a budget system to help you with the costs of camp.  At this point, families can split the cost of camp up and pay $50.00 deposit in April and half the remaining balance in May the final balance in early June.  Make checks to Baker County 4-H  in the name of your sponsored child for Camp Cherry Lake.


Sponsorships and donations are also accepted if you would like to help sponsor a child in need.  Contact the office for details.  

SEE YOU AT CAMP!!!!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

National Children's Study in Baker County

The National Children’s Study is having an open house celebration on Saturday, March 26th from 10AM to 2PM.  Please come by and enjoy clowns, bounce houses, refreshments, the fire department and truck, the police department, Smokey the Bear, games, entertainment and more.  The best part is – IT’S ALL FREE! 

The National Children’s Study works with health care leaders in our community to learn more about how things in the environment, community and our homes affect our children’s health.  The goal of the Study is to improve the health and well-being of our children. 

Baker County was fortunate to be selected as one of the 105 communities that will be participating in the study.  The folks at the National Children’s Study will visit homes in Baker County to look for people who want to participate.  “Baker County is one of the most welcoming communities I have ever worked in”, said Battelle Data Collection Manager, Brenda Esprit. 

We want to thank the residents of Baker County for the warm reception.  Please join us at 884 South Sixth Street in Macclenny.  For more information you can call 904-253-7885, or you can check out the National Children’s Study Website at http://www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov

Thanks, see you there!


County Events Day


County Events is Coming April 2nd 
10am to 2pm
Ag Center Auditorium

We are going to have some fun this year.  I’m going to award a handmade 4-H Champion Club Banner.  Your Club could win this AWESOME Banner to display at your club meetings and receive Braggin’ Rights for an Entire Year just for fun!  Points will be counted based on your club’s participation at County Events. Get your members signed up today!

 I hope each club leader and parent will promote county events and get your members to participate.  A fun day is planned with speeches, demonstrations, poster contest, photography contest, share the fun and fashion revue. 

After that, members will be able to blow off some steam with fun games and competitions to laugh and have a good time together while scores are tabulated for the events. Hoola Hoop Contest, Rabbit Race, Leaning Tower of Cheeza and more.

The club with the most participation for the evening will win the Baker County 4-H County Events Banner to proudly display at their club meetings for the year and full braggin’ rights.

We are just getting county events back into focus so believe me we’ll go easy and make it a learning experience.  If you have members that need help putting together a demonstration or speech let me know and I’ll be glad to help them.

Registration form is attached to this e-mail.  It will be also be available on line at http://baker.ifas.ufl.edu.  

Registration closes April 1st so please contact me ASAP to let me know if you are interested. 
This event will only be held based on registrations.

Remember leaders to direct your members to the 4-H blog at http://4hbakerco.blogspot.com  The Month of November, 2010 has about 12 teaching blogs about county events participation.  

Thursday, March 17, 2011

4-H County Events Day


County Events Day Get Ready!

In November I published a lot of blog articles about county events and some of the more interesting activities you can participate in.  Take a look at County Events titled articles in November, 2010 for more detailed information. 

Registration forms are available on the Extension office website at Http://baker.ifas.ufl.edu under 4-H.  Take a look below at all the detailed rules.  

If Ms. Renee' can help you prepare your demonstration or exhibit give her a call at the office 904-259-3520

COUNTY EVENTS RULES AND REGULATIONS

County Events is a competitive event designed to allow youth an opportunity to gain experiences and develop techniques in preparing and presenting educational information to the public. 

1.            Age Qualifications
a.    CLOVERBUD DIVISION:  5-7 Years of age may exhibit or share project information.  This age is ineligible to participate in competitive activities.  They will receive participation ribbons.
b.    JUNIOR DIVISION participants must be 8 years old but not have passed their 10th birthday by September 1 of the current year. 
c.    INTERMEDIATE DIVISION participants must be 11 years old but not have passed their 13th birthday by September 1 of the current year.
d.    SENIOR DIVISION participants must be 14 years old prior to September 1, not have graduated from high school, or passed their 19th birthday.
2.       Participation                                                                                                                                                           
A 4-Her must be an active member to participate in County Events.  An active member is one who attends 60% of the 4-H meetings starting September 1, has attended three meetings in a row, and has not missed three meetings in a row.
      3.         Enrollment:
Each 4-H member must be enrolled and participating in the project area for the event entered.  Exception:  Cake Baking, Poster, Photo Exhibit, Creed. 
  1.       Creed Contest
    1. This is restricted to junior age members.  Previous first place winners are not eligible to compete again.  
The National 4-H Creed for Members:
I believe in 4-H Club work for the opportunity it will give me to become a useful citizen.

I believe in the training of my HEAD for the power it will give me to think, to plan and to reason.

I believe in the training of my HEART for the nobleness it will give me to become kind, sympathetic and true.

I believe in the training of my HANDS for the ability it will give me to be helpful, useful and skillful.

I believe in the training of my HEALTH for the strength it will give me to enjoy life, to resist disease, and to work efficiently.

I believe in my country, my State, and my community, and in my responsibility for their development.

  1.      4-H Pledge
    1. This is restricted to Cloverbud (age 5-7) members.  They will have the opportunity to say the 4-H flag pledge.  
I Pledge...
My Head to clearer thinking,
My Heart to greater loyalty,
My Hands to larger service, and,
My Health for better living,
for My Club, my Community, my Country, and my World.



  1.       Demonstrations/Illustrated Talks More Information can be found at
    1. NO LIVING VERTEBRATES OF FIREARMS may be brought to County Events.
    2. Participants must provide all equipment and supplies for their presentations.
    3. Neat, clean green and white or black and white attire is appropriate.
    4. If a member is participating with a similar demonstration or illustrated talk as the previous year the demonstration or illustrated talk must be changed to include more depth and growth in the project area. 
    5. A 4-Her may not enter the same category after they have won first place at state competition at 4-H Congress.
    6. Demonstrations must be first place blue ribbon in the age division, category, and class (individual or team) to advance to District Events.
    7. First place blue ribbon individual and team demonstrations at District Events will advance to state competition at 4-H Congress.
  2.       Public Speaking Contest – General
    1. Speech must be original and specifically related to 4-H in a demonstrable way.  The entire speech does not necessarily have to feature 4-H, but every contestant must, at some point in the speech, mention 4-H and its relationship to the material being presented.  
    2. Speech must have been specifically prepared for, as part of, the 4-H Public Speaking Project. 
    3. Participants must be currently enrolled in the 4-H Public Speaking Project.
  3.      Share the Fun Program
    1. Acts may be presented as individual or group
    2. Group acts must have participants that are all in the same age division (all Junior, all Intermediate, or all Senior)
    3. Acts can be in one of the following classifications:
                                          i.    Instrumental:  musical instruments of all descriptions
                                         ii.    Vocal:  singing numbers
                                        iii.    Dance:  all dance, baton, and acrobatic routines
                                       iv.    Dramatic and Novelty:  skits, stunts, pantomimes, monologues, puppetry, ventriloquism, impersonations, etc.
                                        v.    General:  acts which include two or more of the above classifications
  1.       Fashion Revue
    1. This contest has two division:  1) Clothing Construction and 2) Clothing Selection
    2. 4-H members may enter one outfit or ensemble in the following categories of entries in either the construction or selection divisons
                                          i.    Active Sports Wear:  One, two, or three piece outfits from coordinated fabrics for a total look for your favorite leisure activities.  No swimwear permitted.
                                         ii.    School/Informal Wear:  Non-tailored, casual outfits of one or more garments, coordinated for a total look acceptable for non formal events like school, youth activities, etc.
                                        iii.    Dress for Work (Seniors Only!):  Dresses, suits, or tailored sportswear suitable for a business setting.
                                       iv.    Special Occasion:  Dressy ensembles appropriate for special occasions.
                                        v.    My Choice:  Costumes, western wear, lounge wear or other garments that do not fit another category. 
    1. SKILL-A-THON- ALL FASHION REVUE PARTICIPANTS MUST PARTICIPATE IN A FASHION REVUE SKILL-A-THON AS PART OF COUNTY EVENTS DAY.  STUDY MATERIALS FOR THE SKILL-A-THON ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:
  1.       Time Allowances
    1. Junior Demonstrations                        3-12 Minutes
    2. Intermediate Demonstrations             3-12 Minutes
    3. Senior Demonstrations                       5-12 Minutes
    4. Junior Public Speaking                       3-7 Minutes
    5. Intermediate Public Speaking             3-7 Minutes
    6. Senior Public Speaking                      5-7 Minutes
    7. Junior Horse Public Speaking            3-7 Minutes
    8. Intermediate Horse Public Speaking  3-7 Minutes
    9. Senior Horse Public Speaking            8-10 Minutes
    10. Share the Fun Acts                             3-5 Minutes
  2.      Cake Baking Contest
    1. Must participate in at least one other event, excluding photography and poster exhibits. 
    2. Must make cake and icing from scratch, no cake or icing mixes accepted.
    3. Recipe must accompany the cake and be typed or printed on 3”X5” cards.
    4. There will be no pies, candy, cookies, brownies, fancy breads or deserts.
    5. Top 3 Senior, top 3 Intermediate, and top 3 Junior cakes will be sold at auction if exhibitor approves. 
    6. Bring cakes on something disposable or something you don’t want back.  This is in case your cake is auctioned off.
    7. Remaining cakes are encouraged to be offered as part of desert for lunch.
  3.       Photography.  New RULES New Rules for Photography including score sheet
  1.       Poster Art:       Theme:
    Poster submissions can fall into one of three themes: Healthy Lifestyles, S.E.T. (Science,
    Engineering and Technology), and Citizenship. The themes are based upon the nationwide 4-H
    mission mandated established through the leadership of 4-H National Headquarters, USDA and
    the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.   PDF with New Poster Guidelines and Rules
FOR MORE ASSISTANCE CONSULT YOUR FLORIDA 4-H EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES HANDBOOK (AVAILABLE AT THE EXTENSION OFFICE).

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Archery Club Practice Day

The worst of the cold weather has passed and Archery Club took advantage of the sunshine on Saturday and brushed up on their archer skills.

Now that winter is passing and day light savings is around the corner call Ms. Renee for how you can get involved in Archery club.  The group decided that since Saturday mornings have gotten really busy with other activities they will meet on Wednesday March 16th and March 20th at 5p.m. at the Ag center Classroom and try shooting in the late afternoons as we go into spring.

904-259-3520 4-H Office.