Hello Dunn County 4-H Families!

Welcome to March! I hope you all had a great month.  It was wonderful to see so many of you at the Battle of the Clubs!  Congratulations to our winning team - Missouri Valley! Also to second place Little Elk Creek, and third place Rock Falls Rockets! They each received a gift card to Shop 4-H. You will also find the winner of the food drive later on in the newsletter.

We had a lot of fun last month, and there's more to be had this month.  In this edition you will find information on:

I wish everyone a safe and healthy March.  If your school gives you a Spring Break, I hope you can take that time to relax as a family and recharge.  Summer is getting close, which means much more 4-H programming!

As always, if you have any questions about anything in this month's newsletter, or 4-H in general, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Battle of the Clubs 2026

Zachary Rozmiarek

Dunn County 4-H Educator

715-308-8616

Congratulations to our 2025-26 Food Drive Winner...Colfax 22'ers!

The 22'ers collected 195 items which averaged out to 7.5 items per member! They will be rewarded with an ice cream sundae party at an upcoming meeting.

In total, Dunn County 4-H members collected 737 items that were donated to food pantries around the county.  Thank you to everyone who participated and for helping out our community.

Pictures of all of the participating clubs will be posted on Facebook over the next few weeks.

We are happy to announce that 2026 camp planning is underway, but we need your help!

We are looking for camp chaperones.  To make camp happen we need a 1:10 adult to youth ratio. We are looking for 4 additional volunteers for base and 5 for outpost camp. Without enough adults to help supervise, camp can't happen.

Camp chaperones are used in a variety of ways and for different lengths of time.  Please use this form to let us know your interest level in volunteering. If you're not available the entire time, or can't stay over night, that's ok! We'll still have a spot for you.

If you are interested, or would like more information, please fill out the attached form, or reach out to Zac.

Camp Dates: June 7-10

Base Camp- Sleeping in Staff Cabin

Outpost Camp- Sleeping in Tents 

 Applications are due to the Extension Office by March 10!  Zoom interviews will be scheduled in March.

Award winners and scholarship recipients will be recognized during the Awards Ceremony at the Dunn County Fair.

4-H youth in Grades 3 and up are invited to join Dunn County 4-H and staff from the Neighbors Nursing Home as we learn about and celebrate their residents!

We will be hosting a 5 part in person/virtual hybrid series where 4-H youth will interview a resident at the Neighbors and write and present their story. We will be meeting on the following days and locations:

In addition to learning from and building connections with the residents, the youth will also learn valuable interviewing, writing, and public speaking skills! We're excited for this new partnership, and hope that you can join us!

Registration will close on April 6.

June 7-10th

Kamp Kenwood and Lake Wissota State Park, Chippewa Falls

Cost: Covered by Leaders Council

Grades 3-9 (for 2025-26 school year)

Registration for Summer Camp opens March 1st!  The Dunn County Leaders council will once again be sponsoring ALL Dunn County 4-H Youth!  This means that your child can go to camp with no cost to you! 

Youth in grades 3-6 will be at base camp at Kamp Kenwood while youth in grades 7-9 will be at Lake Wissota State Park for an Outpost Camp experience.  Register on 4-H online by April 19th. For questions about camp, visit the 4-H resources page, or reach out to Zac.

Please note, although camp is being offered at no cost, there is a fee that will be paid by the Leaders Council. We ask that if you sign up, you plan to attend. If you are no longer able to attend, please let us know ASAP. Depending on the timing of your cancelation, you may be asked to reimburse the Leaders Council for the cost of camp.

The Youth Equine Project will be holding their Horse 101 Spring Meeting on Sunday April 12 from 5-7pm at the horse arena on the Dunn County Fairgrounds.

They will be discussing the ride night and cliniation schedule, as well as requirements to show at the Dunn County Fair.  There will be no horses at the first meeting.

Dunn County Youth in grades K-4 are invited to join us as we make suitcases, get passports and "Travel" from place to place making instruments, doing crafts, and playing games!  

The programs will be held on from 10:30-noon on March 18th in Menomonie, and from 10:30- noon on March 31st at the Colfax Library.  The same activities will be offered at each session.

These programs are open to the public.  Registration for Dunn County 4-H members will open February 1st.  Registration for non members will open February 10th. Registration for both sessions will close on March 9th. The sessions are limited to 20 youth, so sign up soon!

We are also looking for older youth and volunteers to help run the stations.  If you are interested in helping out, email Zac at zachary.rozmiarek@wisc.edu

The 2026 Shooting Sports Project will meet on Sundays from April 12- May 3. Sessions start at Noon and will take place at the Northwest Rod and Gun Club in Boyceville.  The fair shoot will be held on the fairgrounds the Sunday before the Dunn County Fair.

Air rifle will not be offered this year.  If you would like to volunteer to lead air rifle, reach out to Tim Holmstandt or Zachary Rozmiarek.

Find more information and the registration form under the Shooting Sports tab on the Dunn County 4-H Resources website.

Summer Academy at UW–Madison gives 8th–11th graders an immersive college and career exploration experience, complete with residence hall living, hands‑on workshops, and campus adventures. This year’s theme, The Quest, invites youth to explore their future through Exploratory Tracks for broad career sampling, Core Tracks for deeper skill-building in specific fields, and an Advanced Academy for 11th graders ready for an intensive, arts‑focused experience with UW–Madison faculty.

This year's cost is only $150! 

Visit the Summer Academy website for more information and registration details.

The Cloverbuds Science in the Season Curriculum has great activities that you can do at home, or during a club meeting.

Check out this resource if you are looking for something for your Cloverbud to do over Spring Break.

Need more Cloverbud ideas? Reach out to Zac for activities, curriculum and more!

Want to learn some new community service or engaging, fun activities for your club?  Have an idea your club would like to share?  Join in the Clover Connect idea sharing zooms this spring!  

Two engaging, interactive topics are planned:  

Hands to Larger Service: Community Service Ideas

Sunday, Feb 22 at 7 p.m. & Monday, Feb 23 at Noon (same content will be repeated)

Making 4-H Meetings Fun:  Bringing Laughter and Learning to 4-H Meetings 

Sunday, Mar 22 at 7 p.m. & Monday, Mar 23 at Noon (same content will be repeated)

The sessions will include information sharing, hands-on learning, and time to share ideas with other older youth leaders and adult volunteers from across the state!  

There is so much that goes into a successful 4-H program; sometimes its hard for staff and volunteers to explain everything you need to know. This Month's Exploring 4-H Newsletter shares some of the terminology that you might hear at club meetings and events. 

Being new is scary.  Please don't hesitate to reach out to Zac or your club leader if you have any questions.  We're here to help.

County-wide project meetings are open to any 4-H member who meets the age criteria.  If you are unsure about adding a project area, these meetings are an excellent way to explore and learn more.  Reach out to the extension office or project leaders for more information.

 Projects can be added any time before May 1st in 4honline.com. 

County Government Building, 3001 Us Hwy 12 E, Menomonie, WI 54751

Please park on the West Side of the building and use the Health Department Doors for all programs at the Government Center.

4-H On the Air is a fun and unique opportunity for the youth, and a great way to promote your club and Dunn County 4-H. Interviews can be done at the station or by phone. 

If you are listed here, please take a moment to connect with WAXX: farm@midwestfamilyec.com or call Jill at 715-852-2659.

The Dunn County Leaders Council is excited to help fund your 4-H trip!  The Leaders Council is committed to funding 25% of all state and national trips and experiences. The Leaders Council may fund at greater amounts depending on the number of participants and budgetary allowances.

The Leaders Council supports youth in excelling in 4-H activities by helping to remove financial barriers.  If your youth needs financial assistance for a 4-H project or activity, email zachary.rozmiarek@wisc.edu.  All requests are voted on by the Leaders Council and are kept anonymous.

The Leaders Council will meet on Wednesday, April 29 at 6:30pm in the Lower Level of the County Government Building.

The Leaders Council isn't just for club leaders.  ALL Dunn County 4-H parents and volunteers are invited to attend.  If you are looking for a way to support the Dunn County 4-H Program, the Leaders Council is for you.

Parents and volunteers are welcome to join online or in person.

The Leaders Council is looking for volunteers who would like to serve on a committee.  If you are passionate about helping youth, and would like to help fund raise, organize events, or assist with awards, reach out to Zac for more information.

In order to share the great work our Club Leaders are doing, we are asking you to report your monthly attendance numbers.  These numbers will be tabulated and presented to the county board and other stakeholders to help ensure the future of 4-H for years to come!

Please enter your monthly attendance numbers in this form below or send them to Zac at zachary.rozmiarek@wisc.edu.

Thank you to our 2025-26 Leaders Council Sponsors!  If you, or someone you know, would like to become a 2026-27 sponsor, reach out to Zac, or visit the link below.

An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.