Fall TSC Paper Clover Campaign: October 5-16, 2022

Support 4-H youth from Oct. 5-16, 2022 by purchasing a paper clover both online or in Tractor Supply Co. (TSC) stores for just $1!

Funds from the TSC Paper Clover Campaign at the Delta Township and Charlotte stores are used to support scholarships for Eaton County 4-H youth participation in state and national 4-H events, such as 4-H Exploration Days, 4-H Capitol Experience, 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp, Citizenship Washington Focus, and more.

https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/tractor-supply-co-paper-clover-campaign

National 4-H Week: October 2-8, 2022

For over 100 years, 4‑H has inspired families, shaped careers, and impacted communities. From October 2-8, we will celebrate the impact of 4‑H during National 4‑H Week. Here are some ways you can celebrate 4‑H!

Wear Your 4‑H Gear — Nothing says 4‑H pride like a 4‑H tee! Dress yourself (or the entire family – pets included!) in 4‑H green and clover gear.

Shout-Out a 4‑H’er — Recognize the hard work and dedication of 4‑H’ers by shouting out one youth or an entire club on social media, in a local newspaper or other media.

Storefront Displays/Information Booths — In some communities, you can ask local businesses to display 4‑H posters, flyers, showcase the work of 4-H'ers, or host a table to share information about your local 4‑H program. Stores may also be willing to dedicate their entire storefront to 4‑H signs, memorabilia, and décor for the week.

Become a 4‑H Volunteer —If you are a 4‑H alum, you might be looking for ways to reconnect with 4‑H. Consider giving your time to a local 4‑H club by becoming a volunteer.

Share Your 4‑H Story — Take to social media to share a 4‑H memory, express how 4‑H shaped who you are today, describe what 4‑H means to you, post an old 4‑H photo, or shout-out your 4‑H club.

Have a 4‑H Reunion — 4‑H alumni often credit 4‑H for the connections they’ve made, remembering the friends they made and those who they may still keep in touch with today. Gather your old 4‑H friends and spend some time together reminiscing on your 4‑H experience or recreate a 4‑H project together!

Send a 4‑H ‘Thank You’ — We all have a reason to thank our local 4‑H staff, leaders and supporters. To show your appreciation, send a handwritten ‘thank you’ note to someone who has supported youth and made a difference.

Give Back — Local programs are always looking for resources to continue growing 4-H for the future. Help programs thrive by making a donation that can help support your county 4-H program.

Adapted from: https://4-h.org/about/blog/10-ways-to-celebrate-national-4-h-week/ 

Extension office hours

The Extension office is open generally from 9am - 5pm and closed from noon to 1pm, Monday through Friday.

We may be closed occasionally due to the availability of staff. Please be patient with us if we are closed on short notice! You are always welcome to call the office to check hours prior to making the trip. Our phone number is 517-543-2310.

The Extension office will be closed on 9/5 for Labor Day and on 9/8 for staff professional development.

Self Care for Your Mental Health

Although Chevelle Hughes is almost done with her term as an AmeriCorps member, it is not too late to join one of her programs! Her last SPIN Club, Self Care for Your Mental Health, will be daily from 9/6 to 9/9, from 6-7pm via Zoom. 

If you are interested in attending this series, please email Chevelle at hughe421@msu.edu or comment on the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/EatonCountySPIN. 

Horse youth, volunteers, and families: Opinion needed!

The Eaton County Horse Development Committee (HDC) provides guidance for youth and volunteers involved in the county 4-H horse program, including offering educational clinics and programs and guides the State 4-H Horse Show selection process. Any 4-H youth member and Gold level volunteer may be involved in HDC (only youth vote) and HDC consists of a youth board (currently vacant) and an adult advisor. Note that HDC is a different entity than the horse program run through the Eaton County Fair, although the two historically have partnered together.

HDC discussed in their March 2022 meeting about disbanding or continuing the group and decided to revisit the discussion this fall if there is renewed interest in the 2022-2023 program year. HDC has had continual low attendance and interest from Eaton County 4-H horse participants the past few years and needs active involvement in order to continue. HDC would like feedback from all those involved in the 4-H horse project to help guide the direction of the group.

Take the survey by October 1: https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eSfvC2JHe4Cgsia

Reminder: Thank yous

This is a reminder that per the sale rules in JLA's bylaws, all youth who sold in the JLA sale must turn in thank yous or verify they are sent with the Extension office before you will be allowed to pick up your check.

If you have not done so already, you can let us know you've sent them in a couple of ways (any of these methods are OK):

• Turn in the thank you cards (stamped and fully addressed) to the Extension office (NOT the fair office). Please make sure to visit the inside of the office - cards dropped in the mail box outside the door get mixed in with our other outgoing mail and don't get checked off the list!
• Submit proof of mailing by emailing a photo of your thank you cards getting mailed, show a photo of your cards being mailed on your phone when you pick up your check, or show the postage receipt.

If you have questions, please call the office!

Sale checks: SOON

We have received enough payments and are working on getting checks cut! We expect checks to be available mid-late week next week. We will send an email and post on social media when checks are available for pick up at the office. Please wait until you receive that notice before coming in to pick up your check.

We thank you greatly for your patience in this process! There have been many questions this year regarding our process and the time it takes. We understand that it is disappointing when you don't get your check right away and we want you to receive it sooner as well! However, we cannot cut checks until we receive enough payments from buyers to cover the amount of all youth checks. Unfortunately, this year that took longer than expected to collect those funds. Buyers with outstanding balances are contacted weekly regarding their statements (phone, email, and/or mail). Late payments sometimes happen for a variety of reasons, including processing issues with companies, payments accidentally sent to different places and tracking that down, corporate payments that can take time to go through their system, or any number of other reasons. We appreciate everybody's patience with working through this process and understanding with the different situations that occur. Thank you!

How can I get my sale check? 

Once sale checks are available, you may pick up your check from the Extension office. Checks are not mailed. Keep in mind the following:

• We will verify on our list that you've turned in your thank yous (see reminder in this newsletter).
• Check Extension office hours (posted in this newsletter) and wait until the announcement has been made before making a trip to the office.
• Youth who worked a sale shift (or had a representative work a sale shift on their behalf) and signed into the sale jobs notebook will be able to pick up their checks once checks are ready. Youth who did not will not be able to pick up their checks until a week later. This only applies to youth who sold in the JLA sale; all youth who sold in the SAA sale only will be able to pick up their checks once checks are ready.
• If you are in the following groups, please check with your advisor/leader before coming to pick up your check: VFW Dynamos, Olivet FFA, Springport FFA, and Maple Valley FFA
• Youth or a representative (parent/guardian) can pick up their sale check. You will be asked to sign for the check.

MSU Extension's Extension Extras

These free online parenting workshops will provide guidance for parents of young children as they navigate the challenges, concerns, and joys of parenting. Participants may register for as few or as many workshops as they wish. The workshops are on Tuesday evenings from 8:00 to 9:30PM EST as follows:

Class dates:

• 9/6/2022: Together We Can: Co-parenting
• 9/13/2022: Importance of Outdoor Play
• 9/20/2022: Positive Discipline
• 9/27/2022: The Resilience Toolbox
• Class Times: 8:00PM to 9:30PM

Registration: https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_53Q2IZRkSjCWm8vpsmTxJg

A self-paced course for Positive Discipline can also be found at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/courses/positive-discipline-online-course 

For more information contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu

The Birds and the Bees: Talking with Kids About Sex

There are few conversations that parents dread more than the birds and the bees. How should you talk to your kids about sex? When? Join MSU Extension experts with your questions about talking with kids about sex and sexuality. Ask your questions and receive live answers! Pre-register at https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OmLLnpFtQZ-Z44mRq9Q6PQ and join via Zoom or join live on Facebook@MiStrongerFamily

• Class Date: September 8^th      
• Class Time: 11:30AM – 12:30PM
• Registration: https://bit.ly/MSUEFamilyFAQ  

For more information contact Carrie Shrier, shrier@msu.edu.

MSU Extension Tollgate Farm Pumpkinfest

The MSU Extension Tollgate Farm Pumpkinfest is a community event in Novi, Michigan which draws visitors from the tri-county area and beyond. Pumpkinfest will be a fully outdoor family-oriented event 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday, October 8th and Sunday, October 9th.

Pumpkinfest has become an iconic fall destination for the community with wagon rides to the pumpkin patch, educational exhibits, farm animals, story times, donuts and cider, children’s straw maze, horse demos, fishing, children's activities, music, and food. There is a special focus on the pumpkin and apple as Michigan fall harvest crops. 

For more information, visit https://www.canr.msu.edu/tollgate/Program-Event-Calendar/pumpkinfest

October Wild Spartans

Join 4-H staff as we take a look into life working with fisheries and wildlife! This month’s 4-H Wild Spartans Series will take a leap into wetlands and riparian areas and climb to the high desert grasslands to take a closer look at plant biodiversity. Join us on Tuesday, October 11th, 2022 at 6:30pm EST for “Water’s Fire Got To Do With… Habitat?!” You will meet a Northern Michigan University master's candidate and Biological Science Technician at Voyageurs National Park, Erika Meints, learn about her field work, and the education and career path she followed to get there. Youth will be encouraged to ask questions to learn more through a live Q&A. This free series is open to 4-H and non-4-H youth ages 12-19 years. Monthly sessions will be held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm EST. Pre-registration is required: https://events.anr.msu.edu/wildspartans2023/ 

Adulting 101

Are you ready to leave for college or be out on your own? Are you prepared to do adult tasks and have skills to be successful? Michigan State University Extension's Adulting 101 programs help teenagers and young adults demystify the obscure reality of being an “adult” through engaging educational sessions. Each FREE session is packed full of important life skills and tools necessary to live independently. Register for the Fall series taking place in October on Monday’s from 6-7 pm ET here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/adult101fall22

Fun Upcoming Event: Bonfire/Hayride Event in October

Fair board is hosting their annual bonfire/hayride event in October again at the Eaton County Fairgrounds! All families that exhibited at the Eaton County Fair are invited to attend. 4-H Council also invites all 4-H volunteers who help with fair to attend and take part in an appreciation of your efforts for helping make the 2022 fair a success! More information will be shared as it becomes available.