DAD!! The 4-H Kind!

There are many definitions for the letters DAD. In North Carolina 4-H, they tend to mean District Activity Day! In the South Central District, this event draws youth for the 15 county to compete on a wide range of topics.

Several members of Richmond County 4-H recently showed their presentation skills by competing at District Activity Day. The event was held at East Montgomery High School in Montgomery County, North Carolina. Three Richmond County youth showcased their talents along with over 140 other members of the South Central District.

Kristi Reep (pictured receiving her award from SC District Director Dr. Donald Cobb) competed in the 9-10 Fashion & Fabric Care category. Her presentation was titled “Granny’s Button Jar” and she demonstrated how to sew on a button. She was awarded a Gold medal and was asked to compete at State 4-H Congress in Raleigh.

Sarah Tyler competed in the 14-18 Safety category. Her presentation was titled “Fire Safety” and she spoke on fire prevention & what to do in case you are ever faced with a fire. She was awarded a Silver medal and was asked to compete at State 4-H Congress in Raleigh.

Last, but certainly not least, Alana McQueen showcased her ability in the talent show. Alana clogged to “Charlie Brown.” Alana was awarded a Blue ribbon for her efforts.

Special thanks to all the family and friends who came out to support these outstanding young people! They would not be able to achieve so much without your support. Thanks also to Courtney Miller and Mary Bowles, who volunteered their time to serve as room hosts! We are looking forward to seeing the great things these Richmond County youth do in the future! Click here to see more pictures from DAD!

Technology, Painting & Goat Care - we've been busy!!

It's been a busy couple days & I think it'll stay busy for a while at this point!

Yesterday we had 19 9-13 year olds in the office learning about Internet Safety & Painting Techniques. We traveled to Richmond Community College to discuss Internet safety and how to be safe when we are online. Dr. Carlotta Knotts helped us to find some websites that were safe to go to and we learned that we should never give out information about ourselves over the Internet. Before heading back to the Extension Office, we talked about cyber bullies & how to react when someone says something to or about you online.

After some team building activities, we got out the paints, brushes & newspaper & started painting everything! Well, almost everything:) We started out practicing on paper. Diane Lucas & her daughter Danielle helped us learn all kinds of cool designs! We had to learn to paint really small things, because next we moved to faces! I painted Coleman's face - cool huh?!? Check out the pictures to see what Coleman painted on my face:)

After we were all decorated, we moved on to painting jars. We painted jars to hold everything from dog treats to hair ties to cotton balls! We had to be sure to place our creations in the oven for a few minutes to make sure that the paint stayed on. We got to take our creations home to share & now we know how to create more cool jars if we need them!

This morning we got here early to a bit of a different sight! There was a pen set up behind the building & two goats in it! We learned all about how to take care of them and show them from several members of the 4-H Livestock Club. We got to lead them around the "show ring" and learned how to stay on the right side while showing (don't block the judge's view:) and how to make sure they stay healthy. We finished the class with a game of review darts and everyone has this afternoon free.

We are excited to continue our Summer Fun classes Friday with Sewing Basics! Stay tuned for news as several of our members will travel to Montgomery County tomorrow for District Activity Day!

Summer Fun Starts with a Twirl!

Yesterday was a very important day on the 4-H Calendar. It was the first day of 4-H Summer Fun! What better way to start the 4-H Summer than with 15 Cloverbuds (5 to 8 year old members) learning to dance & doing crafts!


We started the morning by getting warmed up with the help of Ms. Sharon Nichols, who just opened a new Dance Studio in the old Kay building in downtown Rockingham. Ms. Sharon helped us learn everything from the bunny hop to the waltz & as you can tell from the pictures, we had A LOT of fun doing it!

After thanking Ms Sharon & eating a yummy sack lunch, we started doing crafts and team building with a bit of coloring! We made sun catcher key chains and colored several 4-H pictures. They all turned out really cool. We finished the day by learning about communication using Team Chutes, which are actually just parachute panels that we put together to form obstacles to overcome. We learned that it is easier to listen to one team leader than for everyone to try to do things their way. After we figured that out, the obstacles became pretty easy!

As I type, a group of 9 to 13 year old 4-H'ers is at Richmond Community College learning about Internet safety and cyber-bullying with the help of Dr. Carlotta Knotts. I sure hope they learn that this is a safe site to visit:) This afternoon we will be painting everything from jars to faces as we learn about working with different types of "canvases" with Ms. Diane Lucas. Stay tuned for more updates of what our 4-H'ers are learning and doing during Summer Fun!

All Kinds of 4-H Fun!

Yesterday was an exciting day in the world of Richmond County 4-H! Many People are coming together to work for the good of 4-H and Richmond County Youth!

June 1st was the first day of Summer Fun Registration! We registered about 40 youth yesterday for classes that are held during the summer. Classes can be taken on subjects ranging from sewing to livestock to science to CSI to holiday crafts to healthy lifestyles. We are taking a few more trips than we have in the past, including a visit to the North Carolina Zoo, the Rotary Planetarium in Wadesboro, Richmond Community College, and the Sandhills Research Station. Registration will be held at the Extension Office from 9-5 and on an individual basis after Thursday. For more information, including required forms, schedules and class closings, please see the Richmond County Cooperative Extension website at richmond.ces.ncsu.edu.

Also, Mr. Brad Dixon, Assistant Director of Development for 4-H Camps and Conference Centers, Ms. Sharon Rowland, Executive Director, NC Cooperative Extension Foundation & Director of Development for the Central Region and Jim Clark, NC 4-H Historian, visited several businesses and individuals in the county to share the vision for the 4-H Museum Complex at Millstone 4-H Camp in Richmond County. Brad gave a wonderful presentation to the Richmond County Board of Commissioners with support of myself, our County Extension Director Clinton McRae, Millstone Camp Director Gene Shutt and his wife Dorothy, who is a public school teacher, Summer Camp Director William Terry and Head Male Cabin Counselor Will Speight. If anyone would like more information on the project, please check out http://www.nc4h.org/donors/museum.html or call Brad or Sharon at (919) 513-7989.

We are excited about both of these very big projects! Stay tuned for more information on events involving the Museum Project and be sure to come in & register for 4-H Summer Fun!

4-H Operation: Military Kid Camp Gets Funded at Millstone 4-H Camp!

Many of you have probably seen the front page of the Richmond Daily Journal with the article about Millstone 4-H Camp needing some help. Some of you may have even offered your skills as a carpenter, painter or just generally felt concern for the camp located in Richmond County. One Richmond County citizen, however, turned his concern into action, and dollars!

After reading on Friday that Millstone 4-H Camp had lost the $30,000 in support that allowed them to offer a week of Operation: Military Kid Camp at no cost to 100 youth (Guard, Reserve and Active Duty) whose parent(s) have recently, are currently, or are scheduled to serve our country overseas, this concerned citizen got on the phone. On Monday, a generous donation was made to make this camping experience available to 100 Military Youth at Millstone 4-H Camp! As this citizen told me Monday, “Kids ought to get to go to camp.”
Youth at Operation: Military Kid Camp in 2008 participate in Flag Raising Ceremonies to start their day at Millstone 4-H Camp. The Camp will be offered in 2009 thanks to a generous donation from a concerned citizen in Richmond County!

While at camp, youth participate in canoeing, archery, shooting sports, climbing, swimming, arts & crafts, cookouts, campfires, nature exploration, teambuilding, high ropes, and much more. All these activities help youth improve their leadership and communication skills while making new friends. Camp OMK will focus on building coping skills and creating positive outlets for the intense emotions these children now live with daily. Campers build camaraderie as they meet other youth who are going through similar situations, but equally important is the opportunity to enjoy a carefree camping experience with their peers. While at camp, these children will have fun, laugh, learn and just enjoy being kids.

There are actually two OMK Camping opportunities at Millstone 4-H Camp this summer. Thanks for a generous donation from a citizen concerned about this group of young people, youth ages 8-13 will camp July 12th-17th and can accept up to 100 campers. Registration deadline for Camp OMK is Wednesday, June 17, 2009. Cloverbud or Young Heroes Camp, for youth 5 to 8 years old, can experience a shorter version of camp August 2nd-5th and can accept up to 40 campers. The registration deadline for Cloverbud or Young Heroes Camp is Wednesday, July 22, 2009.

If you are interested in more information about either of these 4-H Operation: Military Kid Camps please check the web at www.millstone4hcamp.org for forms or call Gene Shutt or William Terry at 652-5905 with questions.

It's Time to Think Livestock!

Last Saturday Richmond County's Livestock Agent, Tiffanee Conrad-Acuna, and I had quite an adventure! We went to help out with an awesome training at the Robeson County Regional Fairgrounds for about 50 youth & parents/leaders who are interested in showing livestock this year. Charlie Brown, Tiff's retired show goat & horse companion, helped us with the goat section & everyone seemed to get a kick out of our heifer improv as Tiffanee & I helped Robeson County's Livestock Agent Michelle Shooter with the heifer class!

For all the info & pictures, check out the Robeson County 4-H Blog at www.robeson4-h.blogspot.com! We were sorry that no one from Richmond County could attend this year, but are looking forward to seeing how these young showmen grow and care for their animals over the next few months!

Richmond County Goat Showmen after the 2008 Richmond County Show!

If anyone happens to see this & wants more information about showing livestock this fall, please call Tiffanee or Michelle at the Extension Office at 997-8255! We have several youth who show goats in the Sandhills Farm Credit Circuit and some who show chickens and rabbits at local shows. We can even help you find an animal if you don't already have one!

Time for The Teens!

Well, it took me a few days to recover from the late, fun night enough to write this, but the South Central District 4-H'ers met recently at Teen Retreat in Moore County. The county was again a wonderful host to around 100 youth and adults from the 15 county district as they met to conduct business and have fun. This year's District Officers; Nick Clegg President from Moore County, Kelli Hateley Vice President from Stanley County, Allen Monk Reporter from Bladen County, and Ashley Willams Secretary from Cumberland County, lead the meeting.


Richmond County 4-H'ers Nathan Ezzell, Grayson McQueen, Courtney Miller, Logan Northcutt and Sarah Tyler then spread out and attended workshops on scrapbooking, Introduction to the Ambassador program, Botanical Prints, Vermicomposting, and Breaking the Ice: an Introduction to Ice breakers. The workshops were fun, educational and gave the 4-H'ers a chance to meet people from across the district.

After the workshops, everyone loaded up for the short trip to Moore County First Health's fitness center for some swimming and recreation. After everyone dried off, it was time for our district Service Learning project of writing letters for the Operation military Kid program. This programs give Hero packs to children of deployed military parents. Inside each Hero pack is a letter to the military parent and child to thank them for their service and for sharing their lives with the country.

Once all the letters had been written & dinner eaten, it was time for Officer Campaigns. Richmond County was well represented this year with two of our Outstanding 4-H'ers running for district office. Nathan Ezzell ran for Vice President with a campaign slogan of "Come Roll With Me" and Courtney Miller ran for Reporter amongst the flashes of cameras, mostly her own. After a tough night of campaigning and answering questions about their background, opinions and activities, everyone waltzed into the main room for the Dance.

Everyone was up early on Sunday morning & ready to complete the county skits, chants and generally show good 4-H Spirit! After the votes were tallied, the new district officers were announced. Dixie Acorn from Hoke County will be President, Luke Hill from Bladen County will be Vice President, Courtney Miller from Richmond County will be Reporter and Ryan Fairley from Scotland County will be Secretary. After what had to be a very difficult discussion about the great attitudes showed throughout the weekend, Bladen County was awarded the District Spirit Stick for 2009.

Thanks for everyone who went or supported those attending! Don't forget that we will be conducting our Summer Fun Volunteer Training at the next County Council meeting on April 28th. Come hungry, we'll have pizza! Check here for pictures of the weekend!