4-H Newsletter - October 2023
A Letter From the Extension Agent
I say this every year, but can you believe that the new 4-H year is here?! There are already many activities starting, so I encourage you to re-enroll quickly. Enrollment is an annual process to let us know that you plan to do another year in 4-H. It’s also your opportunity to start fresh with new projects and goals. I encourage you to think about trying a new 4-H project this year. Have you ever wanted to learn to quilt? Tie a fly? Decorate a cake? Now is your chance!
It's also important for leaders to let us know if you plan to continue. We’ll be evaluating our volunteer needs in the upcoming months to fill potential holes. We already know we’ll need leaders for Dog, Visual Arts, 4-H Council and Indoor Committee. If you are interested in volunteering, I’d love to talk to you!
Sincerely, Allison Kosto- Extension Agent, MSU Extension Broadwater County
Re-Enrollment
The New 4-H year starts October 1st. Instructions on how to enroll are included with
the newsletter. Make sure to get the new 4-H Clover Project Selection Guide from
your leader or the office. Please re-enroll by November 1st to remain on the list
to receive the 4-H newsletter and other communications. If you do not have internet
access at home, we have a public computer at the office to help you through the process.
Remember, if you plan on taking a 4-H project to fair, you must be enrolled in that
project. If you have any questions, contact the office.
Financial Reports
All Treasurer’s (including Council, Livestock, Exchange, Teen Club and Archery) are required to complete the Yearend Financial Report. Financial records need to be reviewed after September’s bank statement is received and are due Friday, October 20th to the office. The form will be emailed out to all treasurers and will also be available to pick up with the September statements. Please turn in COMPLETED forms, which means they have been reviewed and signed by two people!
4-H Achievement Night
The annual Achievement Night has been set for Sunday, November 12th at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds. We will be celebrating with a taco bar at 5:30 pm and the program will start at 6:00 pm. Come to receive your awards and celebrate our achievements. New members are invited also! Come and watch and see what you have to look forward to at the end of the year!
New 4-H Club Needed – Incentive Provided
Did you know that the Townsend area clubs are mostly full?! We have a growing thriving
4-H program and need your help to continue to grow! We are looking for parents or
leaders who are interested in starting a 4-H Club. Starting a 4-H Club is a process,
but it is a worthwhile effort knowing that you can truly make a difference in the
lives of youth. As a club leader, you can grow the enthusiasm for 4-H and create a
positive youth development environment. You can help shape the club into its own style
and personality to fit your members. The 4-H Council will provide $500 in startup
funds for an approved new club and provide mentors to help new leaders be successful.
Contact the Extension Office if you are interested or want more information!
National 4-H Week
Help celebrate the 81st National 4-H Week October 1st-7th! This is a great time to tell your friends about 4-H. Each club is encouraged to find a way to celebrate! Here are a few ideas:
· Put something “4-H” on every bulletin board around town or school.
· Make a 4-H promotional video.
· Do a service learning activity.
· Hang 4-H flags along main street.
· Organize a “green day” at school.
· Do a radio PSA.
· Announce the “4-H Club of the Day” during school announcements along with highlights and achievements of that club.
Old Baldy Extends an Invite to Edgewater Corn Maze
The Old Baldy 4-H Club would like to extend an invitation to all other 4-H members in the county to meet them at the maze again this year! The date is Saturday October 14th and will meet at 5:00pm. More information on a possible discounted cost for 4-H members will be shared later. Watch your emails!
Broadwater County 4-H Council Needs Volunteers!
Did you know that all of our county 4-H planning and decisions are made through our Broadwater County 4-H Leaders Council? The Council is made up of four officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. Each club leader is also part of the council. Elections for officers are for 2 years rotations and this year, the treasurer and secretary positions need to be filled. Both current officers will not be continuing their positions. Elections for Treasurer and Secretary will be held at the October 24th Council meeting, so if you are interested, please reach out soon!
If you are looking for a way to help with our 4-H program, this is a good opportunity! All Council members do have to become Certified Volunteers. This is done by enrolling through Zsuites, passing a background check, and completing the Montana Volunteer Orientation. If you have any questions, please reach out to the office or to our Council President, Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852.
Countywide 4-H Activities
Committee & Council Meetings
4-H COUNCIL: The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 24th at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (Flynn Building, 416 Broadway, Townsend). Contact Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852 if you have any questions or agenda items. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.
INDOOR COMMITTEE: The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 24th at 6:00 pm at the Extension Office (Flynn Building, 416 Broadway, Townsend). Contact Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852 if you have any questions or agenda items. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.
LIVESTOCK COMMITTEE: The next meeting will be Tuesday, November 7th at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). If you have any questions or agenda items, please contact Jason Noyes at 406.949.4851. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.
HORSE COMMITTEE: The next meeting has not been set yet. Please watch next month’s newsletter for more information. If you have any questions or agenda items, please contact Jan Finn at 406.266.4992 or [email protected]. Agenda items must be submitted by the Monday prior to the meeting.
TEEN CLUB: The next meeting for Teen Club will be Monday, October 30th at 5:30pm at the Extension Office. Teen Club is open to all Middle or High School aged members. If you are not currently in Teen Club, but want to find out what it is about, please come to this meeting! Please RSVP to Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852.
INTERSTATE EXCHANGE CLUB: Plans are made to be partnering with Bradford County, Pennsylvania for this upcoming exchange program. We will be hosting them mid to late June 2024 and will travel mid to late June 2025. Some of the sites they will likely include in their itinerary are water caverns toured by boat, the Little League Museum, Hershey Park, the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, a coal mine, Niagara Falls and Gettysburg.
Members must be 12 years of age as of October 1, 2023 to host and a minimum of 13 years old to travel. The first organizational and informational meeting will be held on Monday, November 6 at 7:00 PM at Infinite Hope Counseling located at 108 N Front St, Ste C. Questions, please call/text Jennifer Beatty at 406.490.1362 or email her at [email protected].
4-H Animal Project Activities
Beef (Market and Breeding)
There will be a workshop for the Market and Breeding Beef Projects on Sunday, October 15th at 1:00 pm at Ferrat Ranch (191 Ferrat Lane, Toston 59643). All members of both projects are encouraged to attend, as well as any members in the vet science project or others who want to learn more about cattle. This workshop will be focusing on nutrition for beef cattle and nutrient requirements, as well as feeding cattle efficiently and how nutrition affects cattle performance in general and in 4-H project settings. RSVP by October 11th is appreciated! Any questions, please contact Samantha Ferrat (406) 949-0869 or John Ferrat (406) 959-7911.
4-H Non-Animal Project Activities
Sewing
The next sewing workshop will be Saturday, October 14th at 9:30 am at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Sewing workshops are planned for the second Saturday of the month from November-April (no workshop in December). If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Sarah Holland at 406.266.3473
Baking and Cooking Workshops
There are four workshops scheduled for this year. These will be held at 6:30 pm on Thursday evenings on November 16th and 30th and December 7th and 14th at the Trailhead Church (20 Trailhead View Dr, Townsend). If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Beatty at 406.490.1362.
Interstate Exchange
See information above under the Countywide Activities.
Statewide 4-H Opportunities
Shooting Sports Leaders Training Opportunities
There are shooting sports leaders trainings planned for this fall and winter. Any adult interested in becoming a Shooting Sports Leader must complete training in that particular discipline in addition to becoming a certified volunteer. The trainings include four online training modules and an in-person training portion. The 4-H Council has traditionally helped with some of the financial costs of the training. Trainings will be held on the following dates:
· October 13-15 – Lewistown, MT. This training will give leaders the opportunity to get two certifications for the weekend. The disciplines offered are rifle, pistol, archery, shotgun, muzzleloader, and hunting.
· December 1-2– Kalispell, MT. Disciplines offered; Rifle, Pistol, Archery, Shotgun, Muzzleloader, Hunting, and Coordinator.
· December 8-9– Miles City, MT. Disciplines offered; Rifle, Pistol, Archery, Shotgun, Muzzleloader, Hunting, and Coordinator.
· December 15-16– Belgrade, MT. This is an Advanced Training for Rifle, Pistol, and Archery.
· Basic and Advanced Trainings for Western Heritage, Muzzleloader, and Hunting Skills will be held later in the Spring of 2024.
Fall Leadership Training
Join the State 4-H Ambassador Officer Team for a fun filled, action packed weekend of leadership training at Fall Leadership Training on October 20-22 in Billings. Anyone interested in furthering their leadership skills and ability to impact their club and community are welcome! This is a great time to connect with those friends you may have met at 4-H Congress or meet new people from around Montana.
Registration is open now and done online through Zsuites. The registration deadline is October 6. Youth participants must be 14 on October 1, 2023. Registration cost is $180 which includes lodges, meals and program supplies.For more details, check out the Fall Leadership Training website.
Re-Enrollment Reminders!
Ø Your 4-H age is calculated by how old you are on 10/1/2023 and does not change for the whole 4-H year!
Ø Years in 4-H are automatically updated in zsuites. When a member transitions from a Cloverbud to a traditional 4-H member, the years start over again at 1.
Ø Cloverbuds are members 4-H age 5-8. ‘Cloverbuds’ is the only project they can enroll in.
Ø Members who are 4-H age 8, can either be a Cloverbud or a traditional member.
Ø Members must be 4-H age 9 to enroll into Shooting Sports projects (except for BB Gun Safety).
Ø Members must be 4-H age 10 to enroll into Market Beef.
Ø For Market and Breeding livestock projects, the member must ALSO enroll into a project level for that species. (Ex. If you are enrolling into market swine you must add both ‘Market Swine’ AND ‘Swine Level 1, 2, or 3’.
Ø For DOG- You must enroll into a “Dog Level 1,2 or 3’ project. IF you also want to do agility or obedience at Fair, you must also add ‘Dog Agility’ or ‘Dog Obedience’, or both.
Ø Project Books- please indicate in zsuites whether or not you need a project book. Check with your club leaders on how your club handles book orders. But zsuites is our back up for book lists, so please make it accurate. Rember the project level books are required, however the resource manuals are not.
Enrollment deadline is November 1st. At that point, only enrolled families will receive reminders and newsletters.
Leadership Academy Monthly Workshops
Join the Montana 4-H Leadership Academy workshop on Sunday afternoons in 2023-2024 4-H year.
The leadership academy is a network of Montana 4-H members interested in exploring and developing their own leadership skills while serving their county 4-H program in new ways. Each month the officer team members will present a different workshop topic that they have found to be important as they have grown their own leadership abilities through a virtual platform.
The workshops are Sunday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:00pm. The dates are: November 12, December 10, January 14, February 11 and March 10. Registration is done online Montana 4-H website. . Click on the blue ‘register now’ button. Once registered, the zoom links will be shared monthly.
Other Opportunities
Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast
This event is scheduled for Thursday, October 19th at 6:30 am at the Watson Event Center (290 Litening Barn Rd, Townsend). This is a great opportunity for the older 4-H members to perform a community service and help them set up and clean up after the event. Please RSVP to Paul Kroeger at 406.439.1042.
Montana 4-H Emerald Event: Fundraiser for Statewide 4-H Youth and Volunteer Programs
The Montana 4-H Foundation will host an Emerald Event on Friday, October 27th at The Commons in Bozeman. You, or someone you know, may want to sponsor a table or other aspects of the event. The Foundation needs help getting the word out to potential sponsors of the event.
Two young country music talents will perform. Opening will be Chisolm Christensen, a Montana 4-H alumnus. Headlining is Trey Taylor, an up-and-coming Nashville recording artist. Attendees will enjoy more than two hours of music, along with a delicious dinner and dessert bar.
There are a variety of ways for you to support 4-H through this Emerald Event:
• There is a limited number of Emerald sponsorships at $4,000 per table. Each table allows sponsors to enjoy the evening with eight friends or clients. Sponsors will be invited to meet the entertainers at an early reception. They will also receive additional advertising benefits.
• Gold sponsor tables are available at $1,000 per table, seating eight. Parties partake in the main event, meal, and auction.
• There are limited sponsorships for the meal, entertainment, venue, and more. If you are interested in partnering with Montana 4-H on these areas of the Emerald Event, please contact Jane Wolery at (406)590-2492 or Cathy Ratzburg at (406)937-5858.
Thanks to the C’Mon Inn, we even have a block of reduced rate hotel rooms for the event!
Sponsors may want to use this event as their annual holiday party for employees or clients. Get ahead of the holiday season. 4-H Foundation has the venue, entertainment, food, and fun. The gift will be supporting Montana’s largest out-of-school youth education program.
