Volunteers

It’s never to early to pick out projects for next year – The 2025 4-H Project Guide is now available online

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The 2025 Project Guide is now available online. Both the PDF and flip book versions are posted here: ohio4h.org/projectguide.

For those who are new to Extension and Ohio 4-H, here are some other Project Guide distribution details:

  • Copies of the Project Guide will be mailed directly to 4-H families and volunteers.
  • Thanks to the Ohio 4-H Foundation and Kroger for making this possible again.

Ohio BASS Nation Community Club

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If you have a passion for the great sport of bass fishing, but do not have a school or community sponsored team, the Ohio BASS Nation now has a way for you to compete at the state level, with the potential to earn scholarship funds, and a path to the national stage! All anglers who currently attend high school in the state of Ohio are invited to join a “Community Club.”

Visit the Ohio BASS Nation website or contact Tasha Burgess, Ohio BASS Nation Youth Director, at obnyouth@gmail.com for more information.

Coming October 30: Meet the Authors of Mentoring: Leadership in Action!

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Are you a 4-H member looking to lead, or do you know one who is? If so, register for National 4-H’s Meet the Authors Webinar on October 30! Authors Gwen Soule and Lisa Brenner will showcase the Ohio 4-H project, Mentoring: Leadership in Action. In this project, youth can refine their skills as a mentor and be the one a younger member looks up to for reassurance and guidance. This project is for youth 13 or older with at least two years of 4-H experience.

Register for the webinar and mark your calendar today!

4-H Booth Information and Setup

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The 4-H theme for 2024 is “Lassoing Opportunities in 4-H”  Clubs should decorate their booth using this theme. Please note, no straw, sand, mulch, feathers, etc. is permitted in the displays. To view a booth score rubric, see the Advisors Resources on our website!

  • The club booths will be in the 4-H Display Barn (south side of the track). All booth related questions should be directed toward Haley at 768@osu.edu.
  • If your club is not requesting a booth, there will be a special area in the 4-H Display Barn for your member’s projects to be displayed. A reminder that for a member to receive a premium for their project, it MUST BE DISPLAYED the entire week of the fair!
  • 4-H Display Setup is Friday October 4th from 2:00 – 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 5th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (NO SUNDAY SETUP!).
  • 4-H Display Tear Down is Sunday, October 13th, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. No booths or projects may be removed prior to this time!
  • We are in need of volunteers to help oversee the safety of exhibits of 4-H Displays. Please sign up here and share this link.
  • A reminder when creating your club booths – if you are including pictures of your members, please make sure that the photo release was checked and electronically signed via 4-HOnline by the parent of your members. No photos of members who did not accept the photo release should be displayed. If you need to see who did not agree to a photo release, please contact the Extension Office.

Volunteer Position Open: Junior Fair Horse Superintendent (Apply by October 12th)

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POSITION OPEN: FAIRFIELD COUNTY JUNIOR FAIR HORSE SUPERINTENDENT(s)

This is a VOLUNTEER POSITION.

If you are interested in an opportunity to develop leadership and organizational skills and be an active participant in planning the Fairfield County Junior Fair, we would encourage you to apply for the position of Junior Fair Horse Superintendent. We are looking for individual interested in working with the Senior & Junior Fair Board and staff to provide the following duties:

  • Operate the Junior Horse Show during the Fairfield County Fair
  • In December, review the rules for the Junior Fair Horse Show and assist in updating rules to meet current industry standards with advisement from the 4-H and FFA Horse Advisors.
  • In January, we strongly encourage you to attend the Ohio 4-H Horse Volunteer Training.
  • Provide input to the Skillathon event as needed.
  • Develop a communication instrument with exhibitors through email through out the year on upcoming events related to the horse show. Database will be provided.
  • Assign and schedule stall assignments for horse exhibitors.
  • Plan and conduct with your committee the Junior Fair Horse Show at the fair.
  • Coordinate Junior Fair Horse showmanship.
  • Complete all required documents regarding horse show results and champions.
  • Work with sponsors and their commitment to award sponsorship.
  • Seek with assistance new award sponsors for new award areas.
  • Work closely with Junior Fair Director, Senior Fair Horse Director, Fair Manager, and 4-H & FFA leadership.
  • Follow up in early September non-sponsored awards and assist in finding sponsors.

Skills required:

  • Excellent communication and organization skills.
  • Timely follow up on calls, emails, or problems.
  • Ability to work alongside volunteers, Junior Fair Board Members, parents, and exhibitors of all ages.
  • Computer skills utilizing spreadsheets and word processing skills.
  • An outgoing personality that will be the spokesperson for the Junior Fair Horse Program.
  • Work in a cooperatively with the Senior Fair Board, Senior Fair Horse Director, Junior Fair Superintendents, OSU Extension Staff, and 4-H & FFA leadership.

Applicants should send a resume with cover letter to Doug Shell, Junior Fair Director at lshell171@gmail.com by Saturday, October 12th, 2024. Applicants must be a resident of Fairfield County.

All applications will be reviewed by a committee and selected applicants will be interviewed.

Club Opportunity: 2024 4th H Club Challenge is live!

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We pledge our “health to better living,” but do we actually practice it? Practicing healthy habits and choices has lifelong effects on the health of youth, and the 4th H Club Challenge promotes this by encouraging Ohio 4-H Clubs to learn, practice, and advocate for healthy choices and behaviors at 4-H club meetings.

Each club that completes the challenge before the deadline will be entered into the $100 voucher drawing for their region, with the winning club receiving funds to purchase items like project books, educational tool, or other resources for their club.

How does it work? Apply three healthy practices per meeting (see list below) at six or more 4-H club meetings between Jan. – Dec. 2024.

  1. Register and complete pre-survey. https://go.osu.edu/4thHClubChallenge
  2. Record the dates and activities in the 4th H tracker link. (tracker link will be provided after registering)
  3. Share a picture of your club doing a healthy practice on social media. Be sure to include the official hashtag #Ohio4thHClubChallenge.
  4. Submit all activities to the tracker link by Dec. 31, 2024.

If your club already does some health practices, great! We encourage you to challenge yourselves with different or new health practices for your club.

Volunteers needed to help in the 4-H Display Barn during fair week!

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We are in need of volunteers to be barn guards for the display barn. During your time please keep an eye on the amazing display booths and help to answer questions from visitors. Barn guards can be older teens accompanied by parents, grandparents, advisors, and friends of 4-H. Please plan at least 2 hours and arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your selected shift.

If you are working the first shift of the day, we will be unlocking the building for you and meeting you to give a brief orientation. With each shift change, please help share this brief orientation with the next group of volunteers. If working the last shift of the day, please stay until the end of your shift to meet those who will be securing the building for the night.

Please review the available time slots below and click on the button to sign up, comment the club/chapter you are affiliated with. Thank you!

If you are able to help out, please include your name and club at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A084CACA72EA7F94-50882078-display

Friend of the Junior Fair Award – due 9/6/2024

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The Junior Fair Board is again sponsoring the Friend of the Junior Fair Award. Agricultural students, 4-H members and community members in Fairfield County are encouraged to nominate a person or business in the community that has a strong influence in agriculture and has contributed to the lives of Junior Fair members and the Fairfield County Junior Fair. This award will be presented at the Junior Fair Panorama on Saturday, October 5th at 7:00 p.m. in Feeder Creek Vet Show Arena at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds.

Applications are due Friday, September 6th and can be here: 2024 Friend of Fairfield County Junior Fair Award or at the OSU Extension Office or from a Junior Fair Board member. Nominate a deserving person or business you know today!

Show clothes/boots/belts/jackets – donations welcome for Showmen’s Closet (open during upcoming Skillathons)

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The Fairfield County 4-H Advisory Committee is pleased to continue The Showmen’s Closet at the upcoming Skillathon events. Donations are currently being accepted to stock our closet. Junior Fair families can spend a lot of money buying new show clothes and boots each year as their children get bigger! To help one another out, we are asking for donations of jeans, show shirts, boots, belts, white jackets that are in good to new condition (no holes please). Items should be clean (including those boots!).

Items will be donated to the 4-H Advisory Committee. They will be available to families to take and/or make a donation to the 4-H Advisory Committee at the Junior Fair Skillathons on Saturday, September 7th and Sunday, September 22nd. All proceeds will benefit Fairfield County 4-H events planned and sponsored by the 4-H Advisory Committee.