Eaton County 4-H
Family News
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Reminder: Enroll in 4-H Online by March 15 to be eligible to exhibit at fair as a 4-Her!
Do you know of any youth interested in exhibiting at the 2023 Eaton County Fair as a 4-H member? Encourage them to find a club and sign up in 4-H Online by March 15! Please note that some clubs have earlier enrollment deadlines - please be in touch with your club administrative leader first!
Potential members and families can find our community club directory, the link to enroll in 4-H Online, and help tutorials for 4-H Online on our website at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/eaton/eaton_county_4_h/join-eaton-county-4-h
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Upcoming County 4-H Events and Activities | |
4-H Officer Training
Date: Thursday, January 26, 2023
Time: 6pm to 8pm, dinner starting at 5:30pm
Location: Eaton County MSU Extension, 551 Courthouse Drive, Suite One, Charlotte. Training will take place in the PMR (basement conference room)
Cost: FREE
Are you a 4-H club or group officer? Do you want to be one in the future? Sign up for this officer training to learn about officer roles, running your group's meetings, and parliamentary procedure! Learn from guest presenter, Roxanne Turner, Extension Educator with the Leadership, Cultural, and Civic Engagement team. This training is open to any Eaton County 4-H youth interested in the topic.
Please RSVP here: https://forms.gle/qrxXB7n44eTwgqZC7 or by calling the Extension office at 517-543-2310 by Friday, January 20, 2023.
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Registration Open: 4-H Leadermeet
The Michigan 4-H Leader Meet is an event for adult and teen leaders in Ionia, Montcalm, Gratiot, Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties. The event will be on Saturday, February 25, from 10:45am - 4:15pm (check in at 10:30pm) at the STEM Building at MSU. The Leader Meet will feature a wide variety of fun and interactive sessions, informative presentations, and useful tips for your meetings. This Leader Meet is open to all teen leaders (ages 13+ by Jan. 1, 2023) and adult leaders who have Gold Level volunteer status with MSU Extension.
FREE for Eaton County participants! Eaton County 4-H Council is covering the registration fee for all Eaton County Gold level volunteers and 4-H teens that attend. When you register, please select the "pay by check" option. If you encounter any issues with the system, please reach out to the Extension office at 517-543-2310 or oosterh6@msu.edu prior to registering (do not prepay by credit card!).
Register here: https://events.anr.msu.edu/Michigan_4h_leader_meet/
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A Crafty Chat: Project Guidelines Workshop
Are you crafty? Do you help lead craft projects in your club or group? Fair non-livestock superintendents and Gold level volunteers are invited for breakfast and A Crafty Chat on Saturday, March 4, from 9 am to noon, sponsored by 4-H Council! We will discuss various craft project areas in 4-H in the county, review and give suggestions to update project guidelines, and talk about how we can support each other throughout the county and 4-H clubs to reenergize your arts and crafts and other non-livestock projects! RSVP by February 24 by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/wMyRLAPtfxgc86aS7 or calling the Extension office at 517-543-2310.
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Small Animal Open House
Are you interested in or involved in poultry, rabbits, or goat project areas? You won't want to miss this open house, sponsored by the Small Animal Association! Meet with superintendents and others involved in these project areas, have fun with activities learning about the species, and more!
The open house will take place on a Thursday in February at 7pm; exact date TBD. Stay tuned for more information!
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Featured Project Area: Shooting Sports
Each month, we will feature a project area that youth can do in Eaton County 4-H, resources that are available, and other information. If this sparks an interest in you or your child, contact the Extension office for more information!
This month's feature is shooting sports!
Do you want to learn about conservation? Are you interested in learning the safe and responsible use of firearms and archery equipment? Did you know there are many fun things you can do with shooting sports in 4-H? Learn all about concentration, decision-making, teamwork, and leadership through the shooting sports disciplines!
Eaton County 4-H has a countywide shooting sports club! Practices have started for the year, but youth are welcome to join until March. Youth can learn the safe and responsible use of firearms and archery equipment in the following disciplines:
- Hunting and Wildlife: All ages 5-19
- Target and 3-D Archery: Ages 8-19
- BB Gun: Ages 8-19
- .22 Rifle: Ages 12-19
- Trap & Skeet: Ages 12-19
- Muzzleloader: Ages 12-19
- Air Pistol: Ages 12-19
Interested in competition? Check out these options:
Are you an adult with interest in leading a discipline area? Gold level 4-H volunteers can earn certification in any of the above listed disciplines to be able to teach youth. If you are interested in becoming certified, upcoming certifications include:
Resources available to check out from the Extension office:
Additional resources:
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Save the Date - Upcoming County Meetings (In-person meetings with virtual option) | |
All meetings will be in-person at the PMR (basement conference room at the Extension office building) and will offer a Zoom option to connect virtually to the meetings, unless otherwise indicated. If you would like a virtual connection option for these meetings, please use the Zoom registration link for each meeting to register. Once you are registered, you will receive an email with the connection information. If nobody is registered for the Zoom option by 5pm the day of the meeting, Zoom connection will not be set up.
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Junior Livestock Association: Monday, February 13, 7pm, PMR. Register for the Zoom option: https://msu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUrdeuprT4vH9OJjl4Djz7LcK0NnrBXEBoA
- Open to all youth and volunteers in the beef, dairy beef/feeders, sheep, and swine project areas.
- This meeting's agenda includes a swine presentation from the swine specie representatives, discussion about specie representative responsibilities, and bylaw changes regarding specie representative elections and terms.
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Small Animal Association: Thursday, March 2, 7pm, PMR. Zoom registration available in February.
- Open to all youth and volunteers in the poultry, rabbit/cavy, and goat project areas.
- This meeting agenda is TBD.
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4-H Council: Monday, March 6, at 7pm, in the PMR. Zoom registration available in February.
- Open to all regardless of project area! Every club is encouraged to send at least 1 volunteer and 1 youth to every Council meeting.
- This meeting agenda is TBD.
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Horse Development Committee: Wednesday, March 8, 6:30pm, PMR. No Zoom option due to bylaw discussion - please attend in-person.
- Open to all youth and volunteers in the horse project area.
- This meeting will discuss updates to bylaws and committee structure and planning a summer clinic.
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Interested in attending a state or national 4-H workshop, camp, or other event? Don't forget - Eaton County 4-H has many scholarships available to help cover the cost of the events! For more information about scholarships, visit the link in the button below or contact 4-H staff. | |
MTU Summer Camp Scholarship Available - Deadline 1/20!
Are you a current Michigan 4-H’er and currently in grade 6-11 that would be interested in attending a week long summer program at Michigan Technological University? We have one full ride scholarship that we are accepting applications for, transportation is not included. ($600 value for a youth that commutes and $995 value for youth that resides on the MTU campus of the week). For a list of all MTU Summer Youth Program (SYP) courses visit https://www.mtu.edu/syp/discover/courses/. If you are interested in applying for this one scholarship, answer the following questions and send your responses to Janice Zerbe, rajzerj@msu.edu by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, January 22. In the subject line type MTU SYP scholarship. Late applications will not be accepted. Our selected recipient will be notified the week of January 23, 2023. Questions? Contact Deb Barrett, smithde6@msu.edu or Janice Zerbe, rajzerj@msu.edu.
Applicants must answer the following in their email.
- Name
- Grade
- 4-H County
- What camp would you like to attend and why? (No more than 200 words)
- Why do you feel you deserve this scholarship? (No more than 200 words)
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4-H Animal Science Career Quest
Are you interested in a career working with animals? Join us for 4-H Animal Science Career Quest to learn more about career paths in animal science and veterinary medicine, as well as the MSU programs that can get you there! This program is a joint effort between Michigan 4-H, the MSU Department of Animal Science, and the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, and its focus is introducing youth to the wide variety of career options available to them within these fields. This event will be on February 18th and 19th on MSU’s main campus in East Lansing. It is open to youth ages 12-19 and 4-H volunteers, and participants can choose to attend one or both days. Space is limited, so don’t delay! Register now: https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/animal-science-career-quest
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Michigan 4-H Day at the Breslin
Join us as the Spartan Women’s Basketball Team takes on Penn State’s Basketball Team on Sunday, February 12, 2023
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
You’re ALL invited to attend the seventeenth annual celebration of MSU Extension and Michigan 4-H Youth Development at the Spartan Women’s basketball game, Sunday, February 12, 2023.
Ticket Price: FREE for the Michigan 4-H community including MSU Extension and 4-H youth, volunteers, partners, stakeholders, staff, alumni and their families!
Time: Game time is 3:00pm. As in year’s past, there will be games and activities on the concourse of the Breslin in advance of the game beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets and more information: https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/4-h-day-at-the-breslin
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Michigan 4-H Livestock Workshop
Save the Date for the Michigan 4-H Livestock Workshop!
This event will be on Saturday, March 4th at MSU's Anthony Hall. The statewide livestock and goat programming committees are hard at work planning an awesome educational opportunity for 4-H teens in beef, sheep, swine, and goat projects. Registration information and a detailed schedule will be available in early 2023. Mark your calendars!
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Adulting 101
MSU Extension's Adulting 101 program will be starting up again in January. Our FREE monthly series will begin on January 31 at 5:00 pm ET with International Conversation. Join us for an engaging cultural conversation live and learn about another county. Gain new knowledge and ask questions that interest you with an international guest. Sign up here for this class and many more here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/adulting101w23
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Michigan 4-H Skillathon
While other state 4-H programs have similar offerings, every March, Michigan 4-H hosts the most comprehensive test of livestock and traditional farm animals in the nation. This is an annual competition that tests both youth and adult competitors’ knowledge of market livestock, animal science, and management practices in 10 separate categories. Qualifier dates are March 4 and 11, 2023. The Skillathon is open to Michigan youth (8-19 years old as of Jan. 1, 2023) and adults.
For more information please visit the Skillathon page: http://www.canr.msu.edu/otsego/4-h/2023-Skillathon
Or email us at: 4HSkillathon@msu.edu
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Save the Dates: 2023 Youth Equine Events
Save the Dates for the 2023 Youth Equine Events! Please share as you see fit! Full event details for each event will be coming soon. More information at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/horses_ponies/
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February 3-4 Horse Judging Workshop and Mini Contest
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March 18 MI 4-H Hippology Contest
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April 15 Hairy Horse Show
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April 16 MI 4-H/FFA Horse Judging Contest
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August 18-20 State 4-H Horse Show
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4-H Shooting Sports Save the Dates
Volunteer Training (Level 1)
Youth Events
Teen Ambassadors
- March 3 – Ambassador event (Roscommon)
- August 2023 – National 4-H Shooting Sports Ambassador Leadership Institute
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Save the Date: 4-H State Goat Show
The 2023 Michigan 4-H State Goat Show will be held on Saturday, June 17th at the MSU Pavilion South Barn. We are excited for this show to make its return for the first time since 2019!
More information will be available in the spring. Mark your calendars - you will not want to miss it!
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This section will feature a different topic each newsletter highlighting best practices for 4-H clubs. Everyone, youth 4-Hers, adult volunteers, and families, can contribute toward making their club the best and following best practices! | |
Resolve to have a great 4-H year | |
As we start to think ahead to the New Year, how can 4-H clubs resolve to improve in the year ahead? Here are ten suggestions from Michigan State University Extension to make the upcoming year a successful one.
Resolve that:
- Club meetings will start and end on time.
- Business meetings will follow Robert's Rules of Order and that all club paperwork, such as minutes, club inventory and financial statements, will be completed in a timely manner.
- All members will take part in discussions and have a say in decisions that are made. Keep a chart with each members’ name and when they speak at business meetings.
- The club meeting place will be a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment for all club members.
- Fun will be included in each meeting.
- A learning activity will be included in each club meeting. Ideas include exploring a new 4-H curriculum, having members volunteer to do a demonstration, doing a show and tell about each members' favorite project, or bringing in a guest speaker.
- The club will pursue at least one community service project chosen, planned and celebrated by the club.
- New members will have a buddy they may talk with about any 4-H questions.
- The 4-H pledge will be said at every meeting.
- Every club member will be recognized in some way to let them know they are cared about.
In addition, make a resolution to do a club activity around each of the seven Guiding Principles for Positive Youth Development, discussing the effective practice of each principle.
In December of next year, review your club resolutions and Guiding Principles activities. Measure as a club how many resolutions were obtained.
Adapted from "Resolve to have a great 4-H year" by Christine Heverly. Find more about this article at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/resolve_to_have_a_great_4_h_year
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The following information is related to the Eaton County Fair. While The Eaton County Fair is not a MSU Extension, 4-H sponsored event, this information is of interest to many in our 4-H community. Please contact the Eaton County Fair directly for any fair related questions. Contact information can be found on their website at https://eatoncountyfair.com/. | |
Fair board meetings
Fair board holds public meetings on the third Monday of the month. The next public fair board meeting is Monday, January 16, at 7pm at Kardel Hall.
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Michigan State University is an affirmative-action, equal opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and material are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, or veteran status.
Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples. The university resides on land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.
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Kristy Oosterhouse (Pronouns: she, her, hers) | 4-H Program Coordinator | Eaton County MSU Extension
517-543-2310 | oosterh6@msu.edu
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