I just wanted to reiterate my appreciation for everyone’s participation in the Fall Youth Staff Retreat at Grissom. We covered a great deal of information in a short amount of time and I appreciate the attentiveness as we worked through everything.

Given that the Galaxy Conference next year falls during the week that we have been conducting the retreat, we will need to change to a later date. I’m working now to be certain we don’t schedule on top of something else on campus and hope to have the date secured and out to you by the Professional Development Conference.

Thanks to those of you who supported the Indiana 4-H Congress event last month with your attendance or by sending youth. We realize that many teens had to make choices with fall festivals or school band or sports activities … but I firmly believe that those youth and adults who attended, went home with new ideas and new leadership tools.

I’m not sure where the summer went … but fall IS in the air. I know you have all moved on to achievement/awards programs and are already working to gear up for the 2008 4-H Program year. See you at Professional Development Conference.

- Renee McKee, State 4-H Program Leader

ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

An Update from The Indiana 4-H Foundation
Thanks to all the adult volunteers, Junior Leader participants, scholarship recipients and their families and staff involved in planning and presenting the Indiana 4-H Congress, Saturday, September 22 at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and Convention Complex. Special thanks to Laurie Stewart, the keynote speaker for the youth training session. The Indiana Soybean Alliance was the Bright Green sponsor for the Congress awards luncheon where 28 outstanding young people were recognized as 2007 4-H Accomplishment Scholarship recipients. Thirty-four donors invested more than $30,000 in a Bright Green Future for these deserving youth.

Welcome newly elected Board member, Sherry Fabina-Abney, partner with Ice Miller, LLP, 4-H volunteer and parent from Johnson County. Sherry replaces longtime Board member Peggy Naile who resigned due to other commitments. Thanks, Peggy, for your Foundation involvement and your continuing personal support and advocacy for 4-H.

Sunday, September 30 was a special evening as the Foundation and more than 250 guests honored Dr. Robert M. “Doc” Abel, former Foundation Board member and president, for his more than half century of service to Indiana citizens, especially its youth. The reception was held at the Elkhart County Community Building in Goshen. Susie Warner and Terry C. Shewmaker co-chaired the planning committee. Thanks to them and to Laurie Sula and all the Purdue University Cooperative Extension - Elkhart County staff for their assistance. As part of this tribute, the Foundation has created the Doc Abel Leadership & Citizenship

Endowment. For information about contributing to this endowment, contact President Annie Watts Cloncs, 765.522.2300, awatts@tds.net, or Executive Director, Beth Stickles McDaniel, 317.692.7046, exec@4h.org. Gifts can also be made online at www.in.4H.org.

  We were saddened to learn of the passing of Mary Frances Smith, retired Purdue University 4-H Extension Specialist on September 11. For those of us who were fortunate enough to be 4-Hers in the era of Mary Frances Smith, she WAS 4-H! It was an honor and pleasure to have known her and learned from her. Mary Frances touched many lives with her leadership, friendship and wonderful spirit. Her many contributions to a strong Indiana 4-H program, including the establishment of the Indiana 4-H Foundation, continue today. The Foundation is honored to be a recipient of memorial gifts in recognition of Mary Frances’ lifetime commitment to 4-H youth. Gifts can be sent to: Indiana 4-H Foundation, 225 S East Street, Suite 760, Indianapolis, IN 46202.

We’re looking for new ideas and suggestions for promoting the 4-H License Plate! As you know, the plates are available for purchase at the BMV… with no advance paperwork required. The contribution to the Foundation is paid along with your registration fees. The BMV reimburses the Foundation. Please share any license plate promotional ideas with Linda Aldridge, your IEEA representative on the Foundation Board: laldridg@purdue.edu.

Please visit the new website www.in.4H.org, join the Bright Green Team and share your 4-H story and encourage others to as well! We welcome your ideas and suggestions as we continue to improve and enhance this site.

- Annie Watts Cloncs, President (765.522.2300; awatts@tds.net)

2007 & 2008 Indiana 4-H Youth Congress
2007:  202 people representing 39 counties attended 4-H Youth and Adult Congress on September 22 at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds. While at Congress, the youth delegates participated in an outstanding presentation by Laurie Stewart titled, “Attitude Check: Being Real, Being Respectful, Being You!” Adult Congress participants received “Focus on Communication” lesson plans that they will be able to lead with their Jr. Leaders, 4-H Club Officers, and other 4-H members in the next year.

All youth and adults participated in the recognition of the 2007 4-H Achievement Scholarship recipients.

Sponsors for 4-H Youth Congress include the Indiana 4-H Foundation and Indiana Soybean Alliance. Adult 4-H Congress sponsors were Monsanto and National 4-H Council.

2008:  The 2008 Indiana 4-H Congress will be held on October 11 at a location to be announced.  Please add this date to your 4-H Calendars.

- Steve McKinley

State 4-H Junior Leader Conference Promotion Team
The 2008 State 4-H Junior Leader Council is willing to visit your county Junior Leader meetings to help promote the 2008 State 4-H Junior Leader Conference to be held June 17-20 at the University of Indianapolis. During their recent planning weekend, Council members set a goal of increased membership for the 2008 conference and hope to be able to visit several counties over the next few months. Council members are willing to promote Junior Leader Conference, other 4-H-related trips, and perhaps conduct a leadership activity with your group, time permitting. 

This is an excellent way to encourage your 4-H members to participate in Junior Leader Conference and other 4-H trips! If you are interested in scheduling a speaker, please let me know. Thank you for your help!

- Steve McKinley

2007 Indiana State Fair 4-H Youth Development Report
Enclosed in the monthly mailing is a copy of the 2007 Indiana State Fair 4-H Youth Development Report. This is a compilation of the number of 4-H exhibits, exhibitors, ribbons and winners of various championships.

- Carl Broady

Shooting Sports Education
We had another great workshop September 10-12, with a wonderful group of volunteer leaders. The list of newly certified Shooting Sports Education instructors is available from the link below. Please remember that instructors are only allowed to teach youth in their area of certification. Other adults can help (and are encouraged to) but a certified instructor must be present at any activity where shooting occurs.
Download list of Certified Shooting Sports Education Instructors

- Natalie Carroll

Poultry Biosecurity Seminar
The Indiana State Poultry Association in conjunction with the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, Purdue University, and USDA-APHIS is offering an educational poultry biosecurity seminar on the road! Please encourage your local 4-H poultry members to take advantage of this FREE program to increase biosecurity awareness and help prevent the spread of poultry disease.

A team of Purdue Veterinary students will hold a 1-2 hour seminar with the flock owners, particularly 4-H exhibitors, at a convenient location and stress the importance of disease prevention. The program will involve the following:

• A pre-test issued at the beginning to determine prior knowledge of biosecurity.
• A presentation in CD and video format. Material covered will include common poultry diseases, ways to prevent disease, proper steps to take if you have sick birds, and the importance of working together to ensure the continuation of exhibition as a hobby. 
• A post-test completed at the end to ensure the lessons were learned.

Finally, we will be asking each participant to bring a dozen eggs from their flock for a free flock health check. The eggs will be later tested at Purdue's Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab. Those involved will also receive a free T-shirt. 

Please forward this opportunity on to your county poultry superintendent and ask him/her to contact me on a possible date and location (Kyle Kohlhagen, Phone: 765-494-8517; Fax: 765-496-1600; kkohlhag@purdue.edu).
Download Poultry Biosecurity Letter
Dowload Poultry Biosecurity Flyer

- Kyle Kohlhagen, Graduate Assistant, Indiana State Poultry Association

Operation: Military Kids
National Guard Youth Deployment Briefings
Thanks for the great response to our request for volunteers to assist with the series of National Guard Youth Deployment Briefings that are being held around the state through the end of October. Several have already been completed and OMK’s presence has been much appreciated. Local contacts are being identified with military personnel and families that should lead to future programming opportunities.

The final weekend of the briefings will include the following: Saturday, October 20 – Indianapolis, Linton (8-12) and Martinsville, Washington (1-5); and Sunday, October 21 – Terre Haute, Jasper (8-12) and Greencastle (1-5).

OMK Activities to Assist
25 “OMK Activities to Assist” kits are being created to support OMK activities led for youth from military families. These kits will contain a number of lesson plans and the supplies needed to lead these lessons with the children. These kits will be distributed to District Offices and State OMK Team members around the state so that they can be accessed more easily. Kits will be ready by Professional Development Conference.

2008 Grant
We are pleased to announce that Indiana has been approved for a continuation grant for the OMK program through September, 2008. We look forward to continuing to build our partnership with military families throughout the State of Indiana. Thank you for your continued support!

- Steve McKinley

State Crops, Entomology, Forestry Career Development Events
Date:  December 8, 2007, StewartCenter, Purdue University. Note that the Forestry CDE will have a staggered start (information will be in the letter to the coaches). Resources for Entomology and Forestry are at: www.four-h.purdue.edu/staff.home/natalie/career.html.

- Natalie Carroll

Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Career Development Event
Date: April 12, 2008, Ross Camp, Tippecanoe County. Resources are available at:
www.four-h.purdue.edu/staff.home/natalie/career.html

- Natalie Carroll

VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT

VolunteerIN…4-H Toolkit for Success
Lesson plans for the second year of the “VolunteerIN…4-H Toolkit for Success” are being prepared by the 4-H Volunteer Development Committee.  This series, based on the Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development, will focus this year on the Mastery concept.  To begin the second year of the materials, an IP Video program will be held on Tuesday, January 29 and on Thursday, February 21 (the same program will be offered on each date). Each program will be held from 7:30-9 p.m. Eastern Time (6:30-8 p.m. Central Time).

IP Video sites may be enrolled by visiting: http://1144sms/ipevents/. Look for programs #1245 (Jan 29) and #1246 (Feb 21).

Please begin to promote these opportunities to your volunteers. Once the specific lesson is identified, we will share that information with you. Final lesson plans will be distributed to county offices in early January, 2008.

- Steve McKinley

4-H Volunteer Vision
The October “4-H Volunteer Vision” is available here for your use with volunteers.

- Steve McKinley

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Volunteer Recognition: Salute to Excellence 2008
The nomination form for the 2008 Salute to Excellence awards was included in the September CCC.  Please consider submitting a nomination for each of the following categories: Volunteer of the Year (less than 10 years of service) and Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer (10 or more years of service). Each application must be accompanied by 3 letters of recommendation addressing the points listed under the selection criteria on the nomination form. Nominations received by December 1, 2007 at the State 4-H Office will be considered to represent Indiana in the regional competition for the 2008 awards.

- Steve McKinley