Volunteers

R$RW Volunteers needed

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Across the county, our schools have the opportunity to participate in a program called Real Money, Real World (R$RW). This program takes them through a reality-based scenario on what it’s like to balance a budget in today’s world given different variables such as child care, housing, transportation, and education. The simulation portion is a series of stations run by volunteers with each station giving the student a “piece of the puzzle” when learning how to budget. We are blessed to have FOUR county school participating this year! This also means we need a wealth of volunteers to run each station. Below are the dates, times and locations for each school.

We need 1 volunteer to run each station. It should only take a few hours’ time and there is no experience needed to run a station. All information will be provided. We ask you arrive 15-30 minutes early to get set up and ask questions the day of the simulation. Click the links below to sign up for a slot.

We cannot run this program without volunteers, and we appreciate the time you give to helping the youth of Knox County!!

May 15 – Clearfork High School, 7:40-10:30am  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4AACAB28A7FCCF8-49143450-may15

May 17 – Mt Vernon Middle School , 7:30-10:00am https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4AACAB28A7FCCF8-49142854-may17

May 20 – Centerburg Middle School, 8:00-11:00am https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4AACAB28A7FCCF8-49143608-may20

If you have any questions about the simulation, please contact Lindsey from the OSU Extension Office vangundy.44@osu.edu . Thank you!

4-H Booth Building Sign-ups

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Booth Building Sign-ups

The Booth building is the place to showcase non-livestock, or Still projects. It’s an important part of the duties for 4-H clubs to make sure projects on display are cared for, promote 4-H, and maintain the building. As an expectation to remain a club in good standing, there are sign-ups this year to booth patrol.

While we are still working on some details, the overall duties of booth patrol include:

  • Maintaining tidiness in the building
    • Sweeping, trash pick up
    • Observe Cloverbud activities (if present) in the building
  • Guarding project displays and booths
  • Assisting patrons with voting for booth awards
  • Representing a positive image of 4-H
  • Answering questions, engaging fairgoers
  • Assisting in care of the Show Share Closet (lock password)
  • Keeping count of the number of visitors to the building

Also, 4-H clubs interested in having a booth at the fair: please email Lindsey (vangundy.44@osu.edu) your intent to have a booth. If enough interest is generated, we may be to construct some booths on July 16. Otherwise, clubs having a booth may set up their booths on July 17 between 3:00-8:00pm. Clubs with booths are permitted to check in projects during set-up day, July 17. Based on JFB, the theme will be Red, White, and MOO!

Booths may be constructed around your club’s interpretation of the theme title. Electric is not available for displays/decorations. Permanent alternation of the booth area is not permitted. Any staples used are the responsibility of the club to remove!! Voting will occur Saturday-Tuesday for People’s Choice Award. Banners will be given to People’s Choice top two club booths.

Booth Patrol Sign-up Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4AACAB28A7FCCF8-48997575-fair

Sign-ups will close July 1.

Master 4-H PetPALS Volunteer Leader Training

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Master 4-H PetPALS Volunteer Leader Training will be held on Sunday, April 23, from 1:00pm – 7:00pm at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center. Registrations are due by Monday April 17. The registration fee is $45.00 for adults and $35.00 for youth (13+). Registration is online only and can be found at https://go.osu.edu/4-hpetpals2023.

Please note that this training is later in the 4-H year than we would like. It is the first training offered since 2020 and it took a little more to organize than originally thought. The goal was a quality training so please bear with us until we get back on a more regular schedule. This training will be offered every February in the future.

What is 4-H PetPALS?

4-H PetPALS is an intergeneration leader-directed project connecting youth and their pets with senior adults and other people in various types of health care facilities, hospices, as well as youth in school programs, libraries, etc. 4-H members learn to select, socialize and train appropriate pets to participate as youth pet teams in animal-assisted activities.

To be a 4-H member enrolled in 4-H PetPALS, there must be a trained adult Master 4-H PetPALS Volunteer giving leadership to this project. This can be in a separate 4-H PetPALS club or within an existing 4-H Club.

The training on April 23 will give volunteers the information needed to become 4-H PetPALS advisors. Older youth (13+) are also welcome to attend the training. They will engage in activities to help the adult advisors teach their members.

Information about 4-H PetPALS can be found at https://ohio4h.org/animalsciences/ohio-4-h-petpals.

Interested volunteers contact Renee Clark clark.471@osu.edu or Sara Deakin deakin.5@osu.edu if they have questions.

Becoming a New 4-H Volunteer for 2021

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Starting this year, the procedure for becoming a Knox County 4-H Volunteer has been converted to an online process.  The first step is to click on: https://go.osu.edu/knoxvolapp and fill it out the application in it’s entirety.  We will have a deadline for any new volunteer joining us in 2021 to have this completed by January 15.  Applications will not be accepted after this date.

In the application, you will need to list three references with email addresses.  A reference form will be automatically sent to the email address provided for them to fill out on your behalf.  If you have references that you would like to use that do not have email, please contact me directly and I can send them a hard copy to fill out.  Once two of your three references have been returned we will contact you for an interview.  At that point if we deem you acceptable to continue the process, you will need to complete a background check.  The information to conduct that will be given to you at the time of your interview.

The last step in the process is attend a 4-H Volunteer Kickoff session.  I have attached the 2021 New 4-H Kickoff Flyer for our NEW 4-H Volunteer Kickoff so that you can plan accordingly and mark one of them on your calendar.

Please reach out if you have questions or concerns.

4-H Volunteer Mental Health Training Series

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Dear 4-H Volunteers,

January is Ohio 4-H Mental Health Awareness Month.  All month there will be virtual opportunities for youth and volunteers to learn more about mental health on our website and Facebook pages, as well as virtual SPIN Clubs and volunteer trainings.

You are invited to attend the Ohio 4-H Volunteer Mental Health Training series each Wednesday in January. These trainings will be held virtually on ZOOM from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.  Each training is stand alone, so you can pick and choose which training(s) you’d like to attend. The attached flyer gives detailed descriptions of each training:

  • January 6 – Mental Health 101
  • January 13 – Typical Adolescence vs. Emerging Mental Health Problems
  • January 20 – Trauma Informed Approaches Training
  • January 27 – Recognizing the signs and symptoms of Suicide and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

To register for any of the trainings, please go to http://go.osu.edu/4HMHtraining.

I hope that you will consider participating in this important training.  These trainings are completely optional.

For more information please visit: Mental Health Advisor Training

 

10 Ways to Volunteer with 4-H

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Do you know someone that would enjoy donating their time to 4-H but they don’t have the time to dedicate to be a 4-H club leader?  No matter how much time someone has, volunteering with 4-H makes a difference by helping youth explore and discover the skills they need to lead for a lifetime.  There are a lot of ways to get involved.  Please share this informational sheet with those that might take an interest in a different 4-H volunteering role.

Flyer: 10-Ways-to-Volunteer-with-4-H-PDF

Online Training for Club Volunteers

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The North Central Region Volunteer Specialists are excited to share with you a new online training resource: “4-H EZ: Recipe for Community Club Success.”

This training includes 6 videos, handouts, and resources that go with the videos. Volunteers can watch the videos and review the handouts and resources designed for club use. We have also included a “4-H EZ Application Guide” that allows you to reflect on the videos and apply the information specifically to your 4-H Community Club.

This online training can be completed by yourself or with a group of youth and adult volunteers. Volunteers can complete the videos all in one setting or divide them up, as needed, for their schedule.

The videos are available at: http://bit.ly/4-HEZ. Click on the heading of each section to go to the video. They will first be asked to sign in, and then can click on the video link. At the end of each video, they will be asked to reflect on something learned and offer suggestions for future training opportunities.

We thank you for your interest in strengthening your 4-H Clubs and hope that 4-H EZ will help our Volunteers with these efforts!

2020 4-H Volunteer Kickoff for Returning Volunteers

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Please mark your calendar to attend one session listed above. This is a mandatory part of remaining a volunteer in good standing for 2020.

  • Wednesday January 22 from 6-8 pm
  • Thursday January 23 from 6-8 pm
  • Saturday January 25 from 9-11 am & 1-3 pm
  • Tuesday January 28 from 3-5 pm
  • Wednesday January 29 from 5-7 pm

All of these will be held at the Knox County Memorial Building located at 112 E. High Street in Mount Vernon.

Flyer: Kickoff 2020