Greetings 4-H Families!
In this issue:
- 2021 Calendar of Events
- 4-H Silent Auction – Live NOW!
- 4-H Donation Drive Competition
- Los Mariachis Fundraiser
- Equine Committee Survey
- County Wide Club Meetings
- 4-H Trip Scholarship Information
- 2021 Family Guide Available
- Extension Office Hours Reminder
- Ohio 4-H Guidelines Reminder
- Volunteer Reminders and Training dates
- County Fair Update – Help Wanted for Livestock Committee!
COUNTY 4-H UPDATES
2021 4-H Calendar Available
Mark your calendar and save the dates now for important county events and deadlines! Updates will be added to the website and this calendar as we receive them, as well as emailed to all 4-H families.
Please note: dates, times, and locations, and format are subject to change based on OSU and county health and safety guidelines. We will keep you informed as time progresses.
A printable calendar can be found here.
Virtual Silent Auction to Benefit 4-H – LIVE NOW!
The Madison County 4-H Committee is hosting a Virtual Silent Auction this week! The site is open to bids NOW and closes this Saturday, December 5 at 5pm!
All items can be viewed and bids submitted at go.osu.edu/mc4hsilentauction. Anyone can bid (over 18), so share with your friends, family, and neighbors!
Items are anything from a gift basket, a Tennessee cabin rental, and gift certificates for some great local restaurants – there is something for everyone! Special thanks to all the local businesses and people that donated items! All of these items would make great holiday gifts for friends and family!
To make a bid, click on the item you wish to bid on, which will take you to a form which you can submit your information and your bid. Click the link to a shared Google Spreadsheet to view the most current bid BEFORE submitting your bid.
Bid HIGH and bid OFTEN! All proceeds benefit the Madison County 4-H Program.
If you have any questions, contact the Madison County Extension Office at 740-852-0975 or Frances at foos.61@osu.edu.
4-H Donation Drive Competition
To help our local community, we are hosting a Donation Drive Competition between project areas!
Drop of your items to the Extension Office by January 31st to raise points for your proect area!
- Large Livestock Projects: Bring canned food items (canned fruit/veggies, soup cans, etc.)
- Small Animal Projects (Rabbit, Poultry, Dog, Alpaca, Small Animal): Bring boxed or bagged food items (cereal, pasta, etc.)
- Special Interest Projects: Bring snack-like items (non-perishable)
- Equine Projects: Bring personal needs items (deodorant, diapers, shampoo, dish soap, tissues, body wash, toothpaste, etc.)
The project group with the MOST donations will win a pizza party at the 2021 Madison County Fair!
Click here for a printable flyer:4-H Donation Winter Drive
Los Mariachis Fundraiser
Dine in at Los Mariachis in London December 7-9, 2020 to donate 20% of your purchase to Madison County 4-H!
You must present this flyer at the time of purchase.
Horse Committee Fundraiser Inquiry
The Madison County Equine Committee is looking to sell yard signs for livestock projects, similar to this picture.
They are wanting to gauge interest in members to purchase a yard sign with the sillouhette of a livestock animal and the 4-H clover. Please fill out this short, one question survey to indicate your interest!
Please note: this photo is NOT the official proof, just an example of what it could look like.
County Wide Club Meetings
Since we are all “stuck”, we want to make it easier for you to host engaging club meetings this Winter/Spring! This is completely optional, but we hope it can help in your planning!
We are hosting a series of virtual club meetings starting January 10-March 28 on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 2pm. Each meeting will include county updates, Q&A time, and an engaging guest speaker for a total of 45 minutes, then advisors can select the option to lead a breakout room with your club officers to host your business meeting!
Advisors can also request the 4-H educator to “pop in” to their meeting for an additional activity, clarify something, etc.
CLUB REGISTRATION: In order to have these count as a club meeting, advisors MUST register in advance for a breakout room HERE: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0UkEjx3PVzdDdbv
FAMILY REGISTRATION: Families can attend on their own, but it will only count as a club meeting if they attend their individual club meeting in the breakout session after the guest speaker with their club advisors/officers. Families will register for each session HERE: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Tv182ymIwT0NYV
Dates and Topics are listed below. All are Sundays from 2-4pm. The guest speaker and county updates will be 45 minutes-1 hour, and then clubs can have time in their breakout rooms for however long they need!
- January 10 – Fire Safety on the Farm
- January 24 – Cooking Safety
- February 14 – Paleontology
- February 28 -TBD
- March 14 – Maple Syrup Making
- March 28 – TBD
4-H Trip Scholarships
There are many opportunities available to youth outside of our county programs! The Madison County 4-H Committee sponsors trips for our youth to help them gain leadership skills and represent our county! Trips include: State Leadership Camp, Shooting Sports camps, Citizenship Washington Focus (trip to D.C.), and many more!
Applications ASAP for early registrations (CWF, Buckeye Leadership Workshop, etc.) or 6 weeks in advance of registration for event.
Download the application here! Opportunities are available for 4-H youth of all ages!
2021 Family Guide Available NOW!
The 2021 Family Guide is now available for download at ohio4h.org/familyguide!
You can view sample pages of project books, see comments from families that have enrolled in the project, etc. at projectcentral.ohio4h.org!
Now is the PERFECT time to browse the 4-H projects available for next year! Contact our office with any questions about projects, purchasing books, etc.!
OSU Extension Office Hours
Office Hour Update: As a reminder, our office is open on Monday-Wednesday, 7:30am-4:00pm for open hours and Thursday and Friday by appointment only. Please continue to call ahead before coming into the office, wear your mask when inside, and stay home if you are sick.
In-Person 4-H Meetings and Events
As we head into winter months and flu season, in addition to COVID-19, remember to follow our meeting guidelines for any in-person 4-H meetings and events that you may be attending: That information, along with any new updates, is at https://ohio4h.org/families/stay-connected.
By following recommended guidance, we’re helping to keep our families and friends safer, our kids learning, and our economy going.
As a reminder:
- Hosting virtual meetings and events is preferred.
- If activities are critical/essential and are in-person, they must be education-focused.
- Group cannot be larger than 50 people, including adults, youth, presenters, etc.
- This directive is dependent on local health department guidelines.
- The group size may need to be reduced to 10 (or other amount), based on the directives of your local health department.
- Face masks are required.
- This includes inside AND outside at all times.
- Program participants and parent/guardians ages five and older must wear a mask.
- The exception is shooting sports where safety is a concern when on the line. Refer to the full guidance document online for additional shooting sports guidance (link below).
- Medical conditions or disability exceptions are also permitted.
- Potlucks and buffets are not permitted
Any time our county is designated a Level 4 Public Health Emergency (color-coded purple) by the Ohio Department of Health, all in-person 4-H club meetings and events must be held virtually or postponed until the designation changes to Level 3 or below.
Ohio’s Public Health Advisory System updates are at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/publichealth-advisory-system/
Upcoming Events
December 1 – 4-H Trip Scholarship Applications Due
December 6 – Drive Through 4-H Banquet, 11am-2pm (RSVP REQUIRED)
December 17 – 4-H Volunteer Training – 7pm-8:30pm – VIRTUAL, Registration required at go.osu.edu/virtualvolunteertraining
December 24-25 – Christmas Break – Extension Office Closed
COUNTY JR. FAIR UPDATES
NEW: Livestock Committee Members Needed!
2021 is bringing some fresh changes to our Jr. Fair structure! In lieu of Livestock Key Leaders, the Jr. Fair Livestock program is moving to a committee structure to help encourage sustainability and limit the amount of work for the one person, creating a team effort!
If interested in being a part of this committee, contact madisoncountyjfb@gmail.com to learn more.
The 3 Committees will now consist of:
- Equine Committee (has been in place for several years, If interested, contact Colleen Martin at stephighatlfs@aol.com for information on meetings times, dates, etc.)
- Small Animal/Specialty: includes rabbit, poultry, dog, alpaca, and small animal
- Large Animal Committee: Includes beef, dairy, swine, goat, and sheep!
Responsibilities of these committees will include:
- Species specific rule recommendations to JFB (timely and accurate oversight and revisions)
- Judge recommendations
- Develop and maintain volunteers
- Fundraising/Budget
- Fair format/show bill/arena and facility set up, recs
- Assist extension office with skillathons
2021 Market Steer Tag In
If you are taking a Market Steer project in 4-H/FFA this coming year, you must attend the Steer Tag in on January 9th, 2021 from 9am-12pm at the Madison County Fairgrounds.
If you are planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair, the DNA sample kits and EID tags are avialable for pick up in the Extension Office and due back by January 10th, or you can drop off during county beef tag-in.
CLUB/VOLUNTEER UPDATES 
Volunteer Trainings: An email was sent out with information regarding the requirements for 2021 volunteer training. Visit go.osu.edu/virtualvolunteertraining to RSVP for a volunteer training session.
If you would like to complete an in-person training, contact Frances directly at foos.61@osu.edu or call the Extension Office to set up alternative arrangements.
4-H Club Update Event: NEW for 2021, we will be having a 4-H Club Update on January 20th. There will be a 10:00-11:30am time and a 7:oo-8:30pm timeslot.Register at go.osu.edu/virtualvolunteertraining
This will cover any updates for 4-H for the year (calendars, policies, new events, fair updates, etc.) so that the volunteer trainings can focus on more educational and applicable topics that will help you as volunteers. We will require at least 2 representatives from each club to attend – either 2 adult volunteers or 1 adult volunteer and 1 teen leader representative. This will count as a training opportunity for volunteers as well.
County Wide Club Meetings: Visit go.osu.edu/mc4hmeetings for all the information! Since we are all “stuck”, we want to make it easier for you to host engaging club meetings this Winter/Spring! This is completely optional, but we hope it can help in your planning! We are hosting a series of virtual club meetings starting January 10-March 28 on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 2pm. Each meeting will include county updates, Q&A time, and an engaging guest speaker for a total of 45 minutes, then advisors can select the option to lead a breakout room with your club officers to host your business meeting. Advisors can also request the 4-H educator to “pop in” to their meeting for an additional activity, clarify something, etc. CLUB REGISTRATION: In order to have these count as a club meeting, advisors MUST register in advance for a breakout room HERE: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0UkEjx3PVzdDdbv
Club Achievement Packets: Make sure you are picking up your club achievement packets at the extension office! If you plan to meet with your club, be sure to follow the Ohio 4-H Guidelines. Contact Frances with any questions. This goes for any meetings, fundraisers, community service, and other get-togethers!
Background Checks: If you are up for a background check this year, you will receive notice in the next month or so via mail and/or email. Please get that done sooner rather than later!
4-H Online Update: Enrollment is now open on our NEW system! Visit oh.4honline.com, same link as usual, and log in with your same informationand submit your enrollment. Contact our office with any questions. If you forgot your password, contact us to reset it. DO NOT create a new account for you or any of your families!
New Volunteers: If you are adding someone to your club as a volunteer, make sure they fill out a new volunteer application ASAP to get the process started! Contact Frances for more information
STATE 4-H OPPORTUNITIES
Be sure to check Ohio4H.org for the most recent state 4-H information and follow the “Ohio State – 4-H Youth Development” Facebook page!
Baking Sprits Bright Video Series
4-H Youth are invited to tune in each week for a different holiday recipe tutorial. Videos are posted to Ohio State-Crawford County 4-H Facebook every Friday through Christmas!
4-H Winter Stay at Home Activities
Looking for something fun to do at home? Check out these easy “at-home” winter themed activities to do as a family here.