I’m sure a number of you have now experienced teleworking (for those essential workers…THANK YOU!) So, I would love to share a little bit of the things I have learned while teleworking.
1. My Dogs Telework with Me: My dogs want to meet everyone on video conferencing, and no matter how serious the call, everyone seems to love pets.
2. Keep Moving: I take a morning walk for 15 minutes, and an afternoon walk for 15 minutes. It helps clear my mind of the new stresses of working digitally from work.
3. I Miss Your Kids: I gain so much energy and happiness from your youth – that this has been so hard. I can’t wait to share them again once this is all over!
4. I’m trying to organize way ahead, but my heart aches thinking about the what ifs. Don’t be surprised if I give you a, “I don’t know right now” response to if an event will happen. It’s not that I don’t care, but I literally don’t know.
5. I’m trying to balance keeping resources coming to families and understanding that you may just not want them right now. If you do nothing else, please do your enrollment for us. It helps me plan and plan ahead for what I hope to be a successful summer!
Month: March 2020
National #LittleRedWagonDay
On the last Wednesday in March, National Little Red Wagon Day celebrates the memories in the making and the ones already made. One iconic toy wields the power of imagination for adults and children alike as it brings us together to explore, laugh and play.For nearly 100 years, Radio Flyer has been bringing smiles to kids of all ages and creating warm memories that last a lifetime. As a brand, Radio Flyer has always supported unstructured outdoor play and its positive impact on children. With their 100th anniversary on the horizon, Radio Flyer would like to establish a day that not only celebrates kids’ imaginations but the vehicles that help them explore it – their wagons.
This iconic toy is one of the most enduring toys of all time. For generations, children have led little red wagons down Independence Day parade routes, carried out infinite imaginary missions and voyages of childhood fantasy. It is not unusual for a little red wagon to be handed down from one generation to the next, treasured like a family heirloom. The adventures are enjoyed by all, regardless of age. Source: https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-little-red-wagon-day-last-wednesday-in-march/
But there is a song!
Now, most 4-H’ers know Little Red Wagon as something else– a 4-H CAMP SONG! To keep everyone ready for 4-H Camp, I give you, “Little Red Wagon” (Please note it is a little different, but a great practice, If anyone who has been to camp wants to record themselves singing the song, I will be MORE than happy to post it!)
Bored? Check Out Officer Books
Congratulations on being an officer in your 4-H club! You deserve a lot of credit for taking on the responsibility of keeping your club organized and moving it forward. Below are links to some publications and tools that you will find very helpful. Click on the ones that interest you, print them out, and continue playing an active role in your club. Good luck!
Were you lucky enough to be selected as a Leader for club? Selected and voted to become President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Recreation, Healthy Living, or Community Service? While your club may not be meeting for a while, Ohio 4-H has your back! New Officer Books can be found:
https://ohio4h.org/officerresources
Tell about what you like about your new officer books! What might be better if you had more resources for it?
Van Wert County Extension Physical Office is Temporarily Closed
Our physical office is temporarily closed starting Tuesday, March 17 due to the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. The office will remain closed until we are notified by Ohio State University administration that we can resume normal operations within our office space.
At this time, all staff will continue to serve clientele remotely during normal office hours. Please feel free to contact Rachel Hoverman at hoverman.22@osu.edu or (419) 203-8570 if you need immediate assistance.
Thank you for your patience, understanding and support during this challenging time. We sincerely appreciate it.
The OSU Extension – Van Wert County office team, Curtis, Deb, Rachel, Melissa, and Heather
Van Wert County 4-H Response to COVID-19
Dear 4-H Families, Volunteers and Supporters:
As you may be aware, The Ohio State University has announced the suspension of face-to-face instruction and the move to virtual instruction effective immediately through April 20, 2020.There will be evaluation whether they should continue in person beyond this time. Our primary concern is for the health and safety of all our people. Virtual meetings are encouraged.
Based on these guidelines, all 4-H Clubs must postpone/cancel all face-to-face meetings between now and April 20, 2020. The 4-H Enrollment deadline will be changed to May 1, 2020. In addition to all 4-H club meetings, the following list of 4-H events qualify as non-essential between now and April 20. Based on these guidelines, these non-essential activities must be postponed/ cancelled/ or held virtually. Examples include (this list is not exhaustive and subject to change at any notice):
- 4-H committees, including advisory, saddle horse, endowment, etc.
- Club kick-offs, open houses, etc.
- Community service projects
- Educational clinics
- Events put on by advisory or county committees or clubs, including fundraisers
- Fundraisers
- Social events (egg hunts, square dances)
- Teen leader groups
NOTE: Senior Fair Board will need to make the determination for fair-related committees.
One of the best ways to prevent the spread of viral illnesses is to minimize the circumstances in which individuals might interact and transmit the diseases. The safety of our community is our top priority. We realize that our COVID-19 policy guidelines will cause disruption, but the risk of not acting outweighs the inconvenience of these temporary measures. We will share updates as more information becomes available.
Please read through the following date changes and mark your calendar accordingly.
Schedule changes for the next 4 weeks:
4-H Enrollment Deadline will be Extended to May 1, 2020.
Postponed:
- All 4-H Club Meetings, Field Trips, and committee meetings.
- 4-H Leadership Night, Mar 12
- SENIOR 4-H BANQUET- Mar 22
- Swine Educational Clinic- Mar 29
- Rabbit QA – Apr 4
Cancelled
- Ambassadors Meetings 6:00pm Mondays
- 4-H Camp Counselor Meetings for Mar 23, Mar 30, April 13
- 4-H Endowment Board, Mar 16
- 4-H Council, Mar 16
- Scholarship Interviews, Mar 18
The best way to reach us is via email:
Heather Gottke, 4-H Educator, Gottke.4@osu.edu
Rachel Hoverman, 4-H Program Coordinator, Hoverman.22@osu.edu
