September 2012

4-H Clover Power Newsletter

Welcome to a New Year!

We’re glad to have you back for another exciting year of Polk County 4-H! September 17thwill be your first chance to re-enroll for this year, ( This also marks the time of year when 4-H’ers establish goals to complete new or ongoing 4-H projects.

Once again we will be using the 4-H online enrollment database to take your enrollments. It is important that you log into your record from last year and re-enroll as soon as possible after September 17th. Active enrollments are how your club leaders and the extension office know that you intend to re-enroll, and what new project areas you might be interested in exploring.

Remember selecting projects requires good decision making. Identify the projects you have interests in, compare alternatives, make a decision and then set goals to accomplish. Choose wisely – don’t pick so many it will be a burden, but don’t be afraid to take on a new challenge. It’s all part of the learning process.

For more background on 4-H project resources try visiting: .

Sincerely,

Phil Heckman

County Youth Coordinator

Re-Enrollment Deadline

Our re-enrollment period will run from September 17th-November 15th 2012. It is our hope that all of you will be able to find the time to log into your records on 4-H online and complete the process in the next few months. In an effort to get reenrollments done in a timely manner we will be providing an incentive to clubs that meet the enrollment goal before that date. The annual enrollment fee is $30.

After November 15th we will continue to accept re-enrollments, but we will be charging an additional $5 late enrollment charge. This charge will be used to offset the costs of the club incentives. All brand new members will remain at the $30 fee through May 15, 2013.

Recognition

Congratulations to the following 4-H’ers for their special achievements at the Iowa State Fair 4-H Shows–

Cara Maak, 2012 Visual Arts Judges Choice Winner

Rachel McIntosh, 2012Considered for 2012 Photography 4-H Gallery Award

Jenna Kasper, 2012 Photography 4-H Gallery Award

Emily Freel, Rabbits - Best Best of Breed, Best Opposite of Breed

AJ Vockings, Rabbits – Best Opposite Sex of Variety

Andi Wolfe, Rabbits – Best Opposite of Variety

Morgan Green, Horse - Res. Champion Hunter Under Saddle, Res. Champion Senior Showmanship

Victoria Purcell, Horse - Champion Pony Showmanship

Jessica Taylor, Horse – Champion Trail, Champion Sr. Horsemanship, Champion Sr. showmanship

Clover Churchill, Dairy Goats – Rec. Graders Jr. Champion, Rec. Grades Res. Champion, Grades Res. Grand Champion

Colt Churchill, Dairy Goats – Rec. Graders Jr. Res. Champion

Haley Konrad, Dairy Goat –Nubian Jr. Champion

Ben Lehman, Dairy Goat – Champion Intermediate Dairy Goat Showmanship

Aalyshah Zaragoza, Dog – High-Scoring Graduate Novice A Obedience

Purple ribbons were awarded in various divisions to: Kristy Adey, Cody Batterson, Ellen DeWilde, Austin Gallagher, Jessica Taylor, Morgan Green,Jake Peers, Victoria Purcell, Emily Freel,Blake Printy, Andi Wolfe,Amber Hammes, Antoinette Veldhuizen, and Aalyshah Zaragoza.

Polk County received 2nd place in Sheep Herdsmanship with Amber Hammes, Cody Batterson, Zach Vermillion, and Antoinette Veldhuizen representing Polk County Sheep Exhibitors.

4-H Communication Posters on Display at ISU

Congratulations to two Polk County 4-H’ers, Anton Hoff and Elizabeth Macro, for receiving Seals of Excellence on communication for their posters at the Iowa State Fair. This, year all of the 4-H Communication posters that received Seals of Excellence at the Iowa State Fair were selected to be put on display at the Extension 4-H Youth Building on Iowa State University’s campus. The posters will help begin conversations about the communication, leadership, and citizenship skills 4-H members learn through the program with building visitors. Next time you’re on campus, stop by the 4-H Building to see the display!

“Can” We Make a Difference? ...Of Course We “Can!”

National Make a Difference Day is October 27nd this year, and once again we will use this opportunity to continue to perform an annual, county-wide, community service project. Continuing the tradition, we’ll be doing our 4th annual 4-H food drive to show just how big ofa difference we can make. Last year we were able to donate more than 500 non-perishable food items to local DMARC food pantries, which was one of the largest single donations that they saw all year. We are asking that 4-H clubs find a way to try and collect as many cans of food to donate to Polk County Food Shelters as we “can” in advance of the Thanksgiving Season. Members “can” collect at school, ask their neighbors, or partner with a local grocery store. We are looking for however you and your club feel that you “can” make the biggest difference. We will be collecting donations at the extension office, and making a display of just how big a difference Polk County 4-H “can” make!

Polk County Hall of Fame Inductees

Mike and Sheri Cory have been involved in Polk County 4-H for over thirty years. The Cory’s are lifelong residents of Polk County and in 1965 Mike Joined the Elkhart Rising Son’s 4-H Club, a club founded by his father and fellow 4-H Hall of Fame inductee Ira Cory. He was heavily involved in the Beef, Sheep, and Horse project areas throughout his 4-H career. In 1975 Mike married Sheri and they began farming full time on Mike’s Family Farm. Their three sons were also involved in 4-H and in 1985 Sheri became a 4-H club leader for Mike’s old club. The Cory’s have shared their knowledge of the beef and sheep industry with the youth in the club and they have hosted many livestock workshops at their home.

Mike and Sheri have been a fixture of the Polk County Fair and the Iowa State Fair for over thirty years as well. For over thirty years Mike has been a member of the Polk County Fairboard, and he took over the running of the Iowa State Fair 4-H Barbeque from his father in 1970. He’s volunteered to work with the Iowa State Fair Sheep show for the past 32 years and has been a livestock superintendent for the Polk County fair for as long. Mike and Sheri have donated time, trophies, and livestock supplies in their sponsorship of the Polk County Bucket Bottle Calf, Junior Feeder, Market Heifer, and Open Sheep Show Classes.

Mike and Sheri’s enthusiasm for 4-H has continued with the next generation of Cory’s as well. They are helping their oldest grandson Justyce with his sheep and beef projects as he becomes a fourth generation of Cory’s participating in the Polk County 4-H Program. It is truly an honor to have such outstanding examples of 4-H ideals as we have here with the Cory Family.

Recruitment Efforts for This Year

4-H recruitment for the 2012-2013 year isalready in full swing thanks to the help of many, many volunteers. Polk County 4-H has already been represented at several different locations and events in the county, and we are just getting warmed up. We have made up several “recruitment kits,” with various brochures, business cards, and things to give away, and we would be happy to assist any club or family that would like to recruit at their school or other appropriate event. If you know of an event in your area that you think would be a good opportunity for us to grow 4-H, just contact Diana at or 515-957-5772 to check out some recruitment materials.

National 4-H Week

National 4-H Week is October 7-13, 2012. Your 4-H club may want to celebrate it by volunteering to speak at a business or community service organization about the 4-H program and what you have learned. Write a feature story about your club for the local newspaper, put up a 4-H display in a business, library, or school window, or invite prospective members to your next 4-H meeting. Consider helping with the County-Wide Can Drive to raise 4-H awareness in your community!

Got Clover?

For National 4-H Week (October 7-13), the Polk County 4-H Advisory Board will again hold their “Wear a Shirt, Win a Shirt” campaign. All club members are asked to wear their 4-H shirt to school during that week,talk with their classmates and friends about 4-H and invite a friend or two to a club meeting. If that friend joins 4-H, they and their friend will each receive a free 4-H t-shirt ! The 4-H Advisory Board also encourages you as leaders to show you’ve GOT CLOVER by wearing your 4-H shirt on that day as well!

Record Keeping

Record keeping is an important part of 4-H. There are forms available at the Extension Office. You may also use the computer, a portfolio, a video, or whatever format you are most comfortable with for keeping your 4-H records. The records you keep now will help you when you apply for county, area or state 4-H awards as well as college scholarships when you are a senior in high school.

Record keeping forms may be downloaded at:

How do you get started?

  1. Gather all of your 4-H project materials, exhibit folders, note cards from a fair exhibit, pictures, clippings, feed records, expense records, etc.
  2. Decide which projects you want to complete recordkeeping for. Remember you do not have to keep records on every project you signed up for. When selecting the projects you want to complete for recordkeeping, consider which is your favorite project(s). Are there one or two projects you are really interested in?
  3. When you have decided which project(s) you are going to keep records on, you can determine which type of recordkeeping system you are going to use: the basic, experienced, or advanced project forms, portfolio, video or cassette, design your own system on the computer, etc. You can also download the forms from the web.
  4. You can now get started completing your forms. Besides the project record, you many complete the 3-page yearly summary telling about the 4-H events you have attended, recognition you have received, presentations you have given, as well as activities you have been involved in at school and in the community. You may also list all other project areas not in your records. You may include information from the fair, pictures, or newspaper articles to tell your experience.

Once you have completed the recordkeeping project forms, you can put it all together in a three-ring notebook, a folder, portfolio, video, cassette, or save it on a computer disc. If you want a Polk County 4-H recordkeeping cover for your notebook, they are available at the Extension Office at no charge.

Record Keeping and Award Applications

Record keeping is an important part of 4-H. There are record keeping forms available at the extension office or online at Award applications can be found on the website at Having complete records will be very helpful in filling out applications for county and state awards.

Make your Record Keeping hit the Top 10

This year when you are completing your recordkeeping, make it the best ever and shoot for the top ten. Each club will be able to submit one junior, one intermediate, and one senior recordkeeping to the extension office by October 3rdfor consideration. The leaders of each club should submit the recordkeeping they feel best represents their club.

The top ten junior, intermediate, and senior recordkeeping for all of Polk County will be chosen and awarded at the Family Fun Celebration in November. Recordkeeping will be returned to the 4-Her. Put extra effort into your recordkeeping this year!

County Awards

County award application forms are There’s also a link to the Recognition and Awards Instructions. The booklet explains the county awards available to Polk County 4-H members. The awards are based on the 4-H year from September 15, 2011 to September 14, 2012. All applicants will participate in an interview appropriate for their grade level.

All applications are due to the Extension Office by Noon on October 1. Junior, Intermediate, and Senior interviews are scheduled for October 8th and October 10th starting at 5:00 p.m. at the Polk County Extension Office.

* Members can apply for up to four project awards. Project award areas include: Aerospace, Agriculture, Automotive, Beef, Bicycle, Camping, Cat, Child Development, Citizenship, Clothing, Communication, Computer, Consumer Management, Crops, Dairy, Dog, Electricity, Engine, Tractor & Field, Entomology, Environment, Fashion Revue, Fishing, Food & Nutrition, Forestry, Goat, Health, Home Improvement, Horse, Horticulture, Leadership, Music, Personal Development, Pets, Photography, Poultry, Rabbit, Recreation, Safety, Science & Engineering, Self-Determined, Sheep, Shooting Sports, Swine, Veterinary Science, Visual Arts, Welding, Wildlife, and Woodworking

* All awards will be presented at the annual Awards Ceremony November 4th at 2:00 p.m.

Applications are available at the Extension Office or can be downloaded from the awards website at:

Intermediate Leadership Group

Save the date for October 20th, as Intermediates interested in learning to become better leaders will be spending a day at the Adventure Learning Center High and Low Ropes courses. Climbing is not required, but learning, teamwork, and communication are. After spending the day at the course, interested intermediates can choose to be trained to facilitate challenge activities and initiative similar to what they have experiences at the ALC. There will be an opportunity in the late spring for these kids to share what they’ve learned and to use their skills to help make their fellow club members better leaders and better communicators as well. If you are in the 7th or 8th grades and are interested in attending the day at the ropes course please RSVP to Phil at 957-5771 or by October 12th.

Polk County Award Interviews

Applications for the 4-H Life Skills Award for senior 4-H members, who graduated in 2012, are due to the extension office no later than 5:00 p.m. September 4, 2012.

All other applications are due to the Polk Co. Extension Office no later than 5:00 PM October 1, 2012.

Applicants for awards will participate in an interview appropriate for their grade level. You must be available at the scheduled interview times:

Life Skills interview – by appointment

All other interviews will take place in the evenings of October 8th and October 10th.

All 4-H members may apply for up to four project awards. Applications are available shortly at the extension office or online at:

The Annual County Awards Event will be November 4th at 2:00.

Officer Training

The Officer Training workshop will be held Wednesday, November 14 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Polk County Extension Office.

The workshop will include on overview of parliamentary procedure, working together as a group, and practicing the skills of their office. County Council will lead the workshop.

We will also be providing free pizza for all that attend!! You may register by calling Phil at

957-5771.

Make a Difference Day October 20th 9-3

For each of the last several years, 4-H camp’s fall volunteer day has welcomed 100+ adults and youth looking to make a difference in the program and facility at their 4-H camp. Typically work for volunteers includes: raking, trimming, painting, staining, and cleaning cabins. However, we have jobs that fit the skills and abilities of all ages.

This year they will have a special focus, as the volunteer day will be the following weekend after the 1st Annual Get Vertical 4-H Adventure Run, so we they will be cleaning up the camp grounds from this event. Come for any or all of the volunteer day on October 20 to Make a Difference at the camp. Lunch is provided to volunteers, so please contact the camp in advance to let them know you will be there. 515-795-3338

To find out more info about the Adventure Run, you can find the link on the Iowa 4-H Foundation’s website: or go directly to the registration page at:

Registration for the event is still open and volunteers are still needed for the event too.

Dates to Remember

Phone Numbers, E-Mail and Website Addresses

Phil Heckman – 957-5771

4-H County Youth Coordinator

Diana Sosalla – 957-5772

4-H Volunteer Coordinator

Amy Marek – 957-5763

4-H Internal Program Coordinator

Jeff Macomber – 993-4281

Youth Development Specialist

Andrea Nelson – 957-5775

Interim County Extension Education Director

Polk Co. 4-H Club Page

Dates to Remember

October

1County Award Applications Due

24-H Program Advisory Board 7-8:30 pm

3County Council Meeting 7-8:30 pm

7-13National 4-H Week

8County Awards Interviews 5:00-9:00 pm

10County Awards Interviews 5:00-9:00 pm

114-H Find Out Night 6:30 pm

17Annual Fair Board Meeting 7:00 pm

20Make a Difference Day at the State 4-H Camp (Tentative)

November

4County Awards Ceremony 2:00 pm – Lutheran Church of the Cross Altoona, IA

64-H Program Advisory Board 7-8:30 pm

7County Council Meeting 7:00 pm

14Officer Training 6:30 pm

21Fair Board Meeting 7:30 pm

22-23Office Closed

December

44-H Program Advisory board 7-8:30 pm

5County Council Meeting 7:00 pm

19Fair Board Meeting 7:30 pm

22Beef Weigh-In - 8:00 am – 11:00 am Iowa State Fairgrounds Cattle Barn

24-25Office Closed

January

1Office Closed

3County Council Meeting 7:00 pm

84-H Program Advisory Board 7-8:30 pm

10New Families Workshop 6:30 pm

16Fair Board Meeting 7:30 pm

21Office Closed

February

1State Award Applications Due

1Scholarship Applications Due

54-H Program Advisory Board 7-8:30 pm

6County Council Meeting 7:00 pm

20Fair Board Meeting 7:30 pm

21Spring Leader Training Meeting 1-3 pm or 6:30-8:30 pm

March

1Deadline for Financial Aid for Camp from the 4-H Foundation

54-H Program Advisory Board 7-8:30 pm

6County Council Meeting 7:00 pm

12FSQA 6:00 – 8:00 pm

13FSQA 6:00 – 8:00 pm

14New Families Workshop 6:30 pm

April

24-H Program Advisory Board 7-8:30 pm

3County Council Meeting 7:00 pm