Montana 4-H Clover
is produced by
Montana State University Agriculture and Extension Communications

and funded by
Montana 4-H Foundation.

Agriculture and Extension Communications is part of MSU Communications Services
416 Culbertson Hall Bozeman, MT 59717
publications@montana.edu
(406) 994-2721

Edited by: Karen Johnson, Marla Goodman, Suzi Taylor

Contributors: Rae Lynn Benson, Wendy Gerky, Chery Ann Weatherell, Jennifer Wells, The Livingston Enterprise, The Great Falls Tribune

What is MSU Extension?

MSU:
The Extension program is a fundamental part of Montana State University's land grant mission, developed to ensure that all Montanans benefit from the University.

Public access:
The program extends university knowledge to the people who need it, even if they never set foot on a campus. It gives every Montanan access to useful information and expert help via workshops, demonstrations, community meetings, publications, videos, the internet and other sources. Montana 4-H is MSU Extension's youth development program.

Educational outreach:
Extension links a network of MSU facultytopic specialists on the MSU-Bozeman campus and agents in 53 counties and seven reservationsto the people. Its role is to extend practical knowledge to the public about agriculture, natural resources, youth development, community development and family and consumer sciences.

Free information:
MSU Extension provides resources on topics that range from raising livestock, growing crops and protecting the environment to raising a family, managing finances, starting a business and protecting your family's health and well-being.

For everyone:
You can use Extension by calling your local agent (listed in the county section of the phone book), by taking advantage of workshops and demonstrations in your area, or by clicking on "Extension and Outreach" at www.montana.edu.

For a catalog of free and low-cost publications, call (406)994-3273 or browse the Extension catalog online.

Great Falls 4-H'ers get national recognition for making a difference

Crystal Martinich (leader) oversees Joleen Martinich as she sews. Anita Pecukonis (leader) works on keeping numbers in order.

A Great Falls 4-H club was mentioned in the April 27, 2003 edition of USA Weekend Magazine for pitching in to help others.

Members of the Bootlegger Bandits 4-H club were among three million people in 529 communities who participated in the magazine' s Make a Difference Day last fall.

Make a Difference Day takes place on the fourth Saturday in October and encourages individuals and groups of all ages to volunteer.

With help from adult leaders, the Bootlegger Bandits' 11 members, ages 9 to 15, sewed 26 polar fleece hats and 36 pairs of mittens for the homeless. The hats and mittens were distributed by the Great Falls Rescue Mission and Set Free Christian Ministry.

" (The Bandits) are very service-oriented," said Tammy Phelps, a parent and group leader.

Club members have been involved in Make a Difference Day for the past three years. They came up with the sewing idea after wrapping toys and other gifts for St. Vincent De Paul' s Christmas giveaway in December 2001.

" The kids noticed there were no gifts for young teens," said Phelps. " It broke their hearts."
The Bandits decided to create their own contributions to the needy and gathered to make hats and mittens last October.

" They were hard," said 11-year old Marynda Martinich about sewing mittens.

" One of (my mittens) was crooked for a second, but I fixed it," said Tessa Goodspeed, 11.

The Bandits all agreed the polar fleece hats were easier to sew than the mittens. The difficulty was the thumb part.

" I had to take out the thread and redo mine," said Joleen Martinich, 13.

Other club members who took part in the project were Hannah Cockrell-Pickering, Kristie Mulheim, Josh Pecukonis, Susan Pecukonis, Wendy Phelps, Tori Silvia, Michelle Carlstrom and Matt Carlstrom.

The Bandits are working on two new projects: sewing lap quilts that will be distributed through Aging Services and Meals on Wheels; and making bed-size fleece blankets that will be distributed through the For The Children Coalition to the people at the Agape Center.

Excerpted with permission from the April 27, 2003, Great Falls Tribune.Copyright 2003.

Montana 4-H Clover 2003
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The programs of the MSU Extension Service are available to all people regardless of race, creed, color, sex, disability or national origin. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, LeRoy Luft, Interim Vice Provost and Director, Extension Service, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717.