The Ohio 4-H Master Clothing Educator Training will be held February 27 – 28.  More information about the Master Clothing Educator program and February Master Clothing Educator Training is available online.  Click the link below for more information about the training.

15 February Master Clothing Educator Training Update Flyer – Final

The Wayne County Dairy Service Unit (DSU) offers a scholarship to provide financial assistance to students in Wayne County that intend to go on to post-high school education in the field of agriculture, with a special interest in the dairy industry.  At least one scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded to qualified applicants.

Applicants for the scholarship must be a resident of Wayne County at the time of application, have graduated from an accredited high school program or be in their senior year, and have an agricultural background with interest towards continuing in agriculture.  Special consideration is given to those applicants with a dairy background, involvement in a 4-H or FFA dairy project or having employment in a dairy based business.  Applications for the scholarship are due to the Wayne County Extension office by February 17, 2015.

Scholarship applications are available on the Wayne County Extension web site at: http://go.osu.edu/vU5. Outstanding Dairy Youth Award ($250) nominations are also due February 17, 2015.  The nomination forms and more information about this award are also available on the Wayne County Extension Office website at: http://go.osu.edu/vU7.

The 2014 Ohio 4-H Conference will take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center on Saturday, March 14, 2015. This event is designed to bring together 4-H volunteers and teens from across the State of Ohio. The objective of this event is to learn together and from each other in order to improve our abilities to deliver the 4-H Program to its members. We truly believe that these educational selections offer something for everyone, and have the ability to satisfy every taste and need.

Nearly 150 sessions will be available to choose from!

Who: All Ohio 4-H Teens & Volunteers are welcome to attend

When: Saturday, March 14, 2015

Where: Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio 43215

How do I sign-up? Read through the session descriptions to select which sessions you want to attend and then complete the registration form and return it to your County Extension Office.

When is the deadline to register? February 6, 2015

How much does it cost? $35

All registrations postmarked after February 7th will be charged $45 and will not include the luncheon.

If your 4-H club has money in its treasury, it should be stored in a safe place (and that doesn’t mean under someone’s mattress!).  It is a good idea, if your club hasn’t done so already, to open a bank account for the club’s treasury, keeping in mind the following:

• Don’t raise money just for the sake of raising money.  Your club should have a purpose for raising money, such as a trip or a recognition dinner. All the money (receipts and expenses) should go through the treasurer.  Try to establish a budget for the year.
• Your treasury should have a minimum carry-over from year to year.  Those who raised the money should spend it.
• The treasurer should keep accurate records and a report should be given at each meeting.
• The treasury should be audited annually by a committee from your club.
• Withdrawals from the bank and payments of bills should be approved by the club.
• To open an account, your club will need an “Employee Identification Number” (EIN).  Do not use a personal Social Security number on a 4-H club bank account.  Your club must apply for an EIN with the Internal Revenue Service using IRS Form SS-4. These forms are available at local Social Security offices, banks, and IRS offices.
• If your club disbands, the funds in its treasury should be given to a worthy cause—for example: 4-H Committee, 4-H Camp Scholarship Fund, County 4-H Endowment, or another charity.  If your club divides, the treasury should be divided based on membership with equal shares per member going to the respective club treasury.
• If your club’s gross receipts exceed $25,000 in the tax year, your club is obligated to file an Annual Information Return with the IRS.

Having a bank account will be a learning experience for the members of your club.  It will teach them to reconcile bank statements and how to handle money responsibly.

Don’t forget to turn in your annual 4-H club treasury report to the Extension Office by January 31^st.  The forms are available on our Wayne County Extension website at http://wayne.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/forms-and-applications.  All 4-H clubs and county 4-H committees must submit this form in order to be eligible to operate as a 4-H club or affiliated committee in 2015.

March 8-14 has been designated as Ohio and Wayne County 4-H Week.  4-H Junior Leaders will be visiting local schools to recruit new members and doing radio and TV spots.

I hope your club will take leadership in your community to promote 4-H. Please have your members make posters for local store windows, invite a new person to club meetings or talk to a community service organization!  Any way you can help spread the word about 4-H is greatly needed and appreciated.

County-wide Junior Leadership club meetings are held the first Monday of each month January to May, and October through December (no meetings during the summer).

All meetings are held from 7:00-9:00 p.m., most in the County Administration Building, although some locations are different, depending on the program.  Forty-five minutes to an hour is spent on learning a leadership skill that can be taken back to the 4-H club and taught to other members.  Members also have a short business meeting, refreshments, hear from guest speakers, and learn leadership games and other team-building activities.  Average attendance is 30. Please make sure your JL’s (aged 13 and over) are signed up to receive the JL meeting notices and email update.

The February Junior Leaders meeting will be held on February 2, 2015 at OSU / ATI from 7-9 pm.  We will meet in Skou Hall Room 030.  We will be learning more about the programs offered at ATI, learning about how to prepare for college and scholarships no matter where you may apply to go to college, taking a campus tour, and having a short Junior Leaders business meeting!