Volunteers

Community Service Grants for ServeOhio Day – 4-H Club Opportunity

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Funding Available for ServeOhio Day Volunteer Projects

ServeOhio – along with partners American Electric Power Foundation and AmeriCorps – is pleased to announce the availability of grants to support community service projects organized for ServeOhio Day on June 19, 2021. ServeOhio Day coincides with the summer solstice – the day with the longest period of daylight in the year – providing the most ample opportunity to volunteer annually. Grant awards will range between $500 to $2,000.

How can the funding be used?

The grants support projects that create or improve community assets or infrastructure such as parks, schools, senior centers, community gardens or low-income homes through volunteer engagement. Funds may be used for supplies, materials and volunteer support.

Who is eligible to apply?

Non-profit and public organizations in Ohio including, but not limited to, volunteer centers, school districts, community colleges, universities, and local governments are eligible to apply.

Ready to apply?

For the application and instructions, visit the ServeOhio website. The application deadline is May 18, 2021 at 11:59 PM. We look forward to receiving your application.

Bottle Cap Weigh In: May 8th and/or May 18th

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4-H Clubs do you have bottle caps to weigh in?

Please bring all clean plastic bottle caps in a trash bag and/or box to the May Weigh-Ins at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds!

Weigh Ins will take place in the #4 Beef Barn at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds on:

  • Saturday, May 8th, 9:00 – 11:00 am
  • Tuesday, May 18th, 5:00 – 7:00 pm

If you have questions, please contact Aubry (Fowler.443@osu.edu)

 

Reminder on the rules:

  • Work within your club to collect clean plastic bottle caps and lids.
  • Collect only caps that are approved – they must be ALL plastic and clean (no food residue please)
  • Store them during our “off” time in bags – inside a box – they will get heavy
  • Bring them to the Extension Office for the Club Weigh-In 
  • Fundraise to purchase a bench for your club Contact Aubry (Fowler.443@osu.edu) for more details (optional)
  • The club who collects the most caps by weight will receive a bench sponsored by the Junior Leaders and a personalized plaque for their bench.

Acceptable Plastic Caps:

  • Empty and Clean K-Cups are now accepted as well!

Leigh Miller of Amanda Work & Win 4-H Club receives Milestone 4-H Award: 50 Years of Service

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Leigh Miller, of Amanda, was recently honored for 50 years of volunteer service to the Ohio 4-H Youth Development program. This award is sponsored by Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation.

Leigh says, ”I continue to volunteer for 4H because I want to keep giving back for what I got.”  The 2021 awards presentation was held on March 11 and can be viewed online at https://ohio4h.org/about/ohio-4-h-conference/2021-award-winners.

Ohio 4-H is the youth development program of Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. In 2020, over 83,000 Ohio youth participated in clubs, school programs, and camps. Ohio has more than 18,000 active 4-H volunteers.  Learn more at ohio4h.org. OHIO 4-H GROWS TRUE LEADERS IN 2020

For more information about 4-H in Fairfield County, contact Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu or visit fairfield.osu.edu.

Kris Doyle of the Blue Ribbon Showmen receives Milestone 4-H Award: 40 Years of Service

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Kris Doyle, of Lancaster, was recently honored for 40 years of volunteer service to the Ohio 4-H Youth Development program. This award is sponsored by Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation.

Kris says, ”I continue to volunteer because I have seen over the years how 4-H has impacted the youth in so many ways. I want to be a part of that experience, to see them grow into outstanding adults who contribute in their own ways to their community.”  The 2021 awards presentation was held on March 11 and can be viewed online at https://ohio4h.org/about/ohio-4-h-conference/2021-award-winners.

Ohio 4-H is the youth development program of Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. In 2020, over 83,000 Ohio youth participated in clubs, school programs, and camps. Ohio has more than 18,000 active 4-H volunteers.  Learn more at ohio4h.org. OHIO 4-H GROWS TRUE LEADERS IN 2020

For more information about 4-H in Fairfield County, contact Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu or visit fairfield.osu.edu.

2021 Ohio 4-H Cloverbot Challenge

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In honor of the Mars Rover, this year Cloverbuds will be going to space with the challenge happening on Mars. Cloverbuds will design a place to live on the Red Planet and create a model featuring their method of transportation. The Challenge will take place virtually on Monday, July 12 or Thursday, July 22 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. We will be utilizing breakout rooms in ZOOM so that teams will have the opportunity to share their projects. With help from the Ohio 4-H Foundation, teams can order a kit to get them started. For more information, visit: https://ohio4h.org/families/cloverbuds/cloverbot-challenge.

 

Attention Livestock Exhibitors: Quality Assurance Updates

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Quality Assurance is an annual requirement of the Ohio Department of Agriculture for youth taking livestock projects to county and state fair. In Fairfield County, Quality Assurance Training is required for all members who will be exhibiting a livestock project at the Fairfield County Fair or Junior Exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair. Beef (Breeding & Market); Dairy Breeding & Dairy Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.

Deadlines for 2021:

  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2021.
  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by August 15th, 2021.

At this time, Quality Assurance CANNOT be taught by club/chapter advisors to Fairfield County 4-H/FFA youth virtually (i.e. Zoom, Google Hangouts, Google Classrooms, Facebook Live, etc.).

Here are the acceptable options to complete Quality Assurance in 2021:

  • In-Person 4-H Club/FFA Chapter Clinic taught by a 4-H/FFA Advisor who has completed the Quality Assurance Assistant Instructor Training this year (which took place on April 7th and April 26th). Advisors who attended this training will notify their members of their club/chapter QA Clinic date and will be responsible for getting all QA paperwork submitted to the Extension Office by the appropriate deadlines.
  • In-Person Countywide Make-Up Clinics: To be held on Saturday, May 8th at 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. and Sunday, May 23rd at 2:00 p.m.- 3:30 p.m. at the Ed Sands Building at the Fairgrounds. Attendance is limited and an RSVP is required. Please register online at this link for either countywide in-person QA Clinic: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0P19iWcND165rpQ
  • In-Person Beef Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person BQA taught by a certified BQA instructor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.
  • In-Person Pork Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person PQA taught by a certified PQA advisor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu. Youth MUST be age 14 or older (current age) to complete in-person PQA. Youth will receive a PQA certification number from the National Pork Board upon completion.
  • Online: Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA). This is the ONLY approved ONLINE Quality Assurance Program for youth in Ohio. For 2021, this web-based course has been approved by ODA for 8-18 year olds.
    • Go to: https://yqca.learngrow.io/Account/Login
      • Fairfield County 4-H Members should select “sign in with 4-HOnline”. It will prompt you to select a state and then enter your 4-HOnline account information. After successfully logging in, you will be given a list of active family members. Select the family member and start the account creation process.
      • Fairfield County FFA Members (who are not in 4-H) should select FFA & Independent Sign-In.
    • You will need to select the web-based training ($12.00 per member, annually).
    • For a complete list of directions visit: Getting Your YQCA Online Certification
    • When you are finished, please send name(s) and certificate number(s) to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.

4-HOnline Enrollment Due May 1st!

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Thank you to the 195 adult volunteers, 904 Youth (Project) Members, and 162 Cloverbud Members who have completed their 4-HOnline Enrollment! We are just 3 DAYS away from the enrollment deadline – so for those who still need to choose to re-enroll, please do so!

Here are a few enrollment reminders:

Perfect Stay at Home 4-H Projects – DOWNLOAD these 4-H Books for FREE!

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Download these 4-H Project Books for free. A special collection of project books is available for free on the Perfect Stay-at-Home Projects web page (https://ohio4h.org/stayathomeprojects). Click on the book you want, and when the file opens on your screen, save or print it from there.

The following 4-H Project Books are available and currently posted on the website listed above:

  • 173 Horseless Horse
  • 409 Sew Fun
  • 592 Get Started in Art
  • 459 Let’s Start Cooking
  • 462 Yeast Breads on the Rise
  • 359 Your Thoughts Matter
  • 405 The Laundry Project
  • 375 Leadership Road Trip: Where Are You Going?
  • 611 Explore the Outdoors
  • 621 Ohio Birds
  • 493 Science Fun with Kitchen Chemistry
  • 500 Science Fun with Physics

Please make sure these projects are added to your 4-H enrollment this year. If you have already submitted your enrollment and it has been approved, email Missy Koenig (koenig.398@osu.edu) with the changes you would like to make to your projects. Enrollments are due May 1st!

At this time we are planning to have 4-H project judging in-person July 12-15, 2021. Details will be forthcoming. Members will need to have a completed project book for judging (whether they purchase a book or download/print a copy of their book from the list above).

Attention Cloverbud Horse Volunteers: Cloverbud Horse Curriculum

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Horse Curriculum Instructional Materials

Designed to promote life skills for children participating in the 4-H Cloverbud program, these materials can be accessed and printed from this link: Horse Curriculum Instructional Materials

Topics Include:

  • Making Sense of Horse Senses and Language
  • Hungry Horses
  • Backyard Safety
  • Hoof Beats
  • Horse Breeds and Uses