Dear 4-H Families:

June is a time to welcome AmeriCorp members to the office. Wisconsin 4-H recently received an AmeriCorps grant to help us grow Wisconsin 4-H across the state! With funding from Serve Wisconsin, Wisconsin 4-H will have AmeriCorps members serving across Wisconsin to grow capacity! Learn more about AmeriCorps here!

In 2023-2024, AmeriCorps members will work with Wisconsin 4-H to build relationships with partners, identify opportunities to increase capacity, and begin new 4-H programming.

Our AmeriCorps programs have the goal of increasing the capacity of youth-serving organizations in counties throughout Wisconsin, by creating new 4-H clubs and programs. The members will work directly with community partnerships in youth-serving organizations to:
1. Assess current offerings
2. Identify opportunities to increase capacity
3. Develop and Provide new opportunities in counties across Wisconsin

The hope is to provide currently engaged youth with additional educational opportunities, reach new youth, and utilize new or existing volunteers in additional service to the organization. Through an asset-based approach, members will provide positive youth development opportunities – being led and supported by 4-H educators.

Hello, my name is Kyra Lynch, I am a 4-H AmeriCorps member serving in Dodge County and my duties include expanding 4-H and creating a safe space for all kids to learn more about 4-H and their community around them. I am an 4-H alumni and I was part of the Neosho Utopian 4-H group for 8 Years. I love art making and crafts, reading, swimming, camping, and I love animals. I look forward to having fun hanging out and meeting everyone as well as being a part of this wonderful community once again!

I am Leah Fischer-Toerpe, an AmeriCorps member excited to be serving in Dodge County 4-H this summer. During the school year, I study English literature at UW-Milwaukee. I also have a background in library service. When I’m not doing homework, I’m probably playing with my 6 nieces and nephews (ages 1 to 14) or our Bernese Mountain Dog. I love reading, nature, and creative play.

Please welcome Kyra and Leah to Dodge County!

Marie

Marie Witzel
4-H /Youth Development Educator
920-386-3790
marie.witzel@wisc.edu

If clubs or groups have items to share, send them by noon on Thursday to be included in that week’s issue.  Anything received after 12 p.m. Thursday will be considered for the following week. The articles should be sent to Marie at marie.witzel@wisc.edu.

If you have Secretary's Minutes to share, please send them to the 4-H / Youth Program Assistant, Terra at: treider@wisc.edu by noon on Wednesday to be included in that week's issue. You can also contact the office with any questions. Thanks!

Astico Perseverance (Blake Kurth) -- Recently, our club participated in our annual Adopt a Highway. This community service keeps our area roads neat and clean. We also assembled goodie bags through the Dairy Good Helpers program to give to our local firefighters and police officers.

Watertown Badgers (Thomas) -- I am from the Watertown Badgers, and I volunteered at the Dodge County Dairy Brunch at the Hafemeister Family Farm on June 2nd. It was a big event! Volunteers were busy giving out food, drinks, or cleaning tables down. My job was to clean tables, refill syrup bottles, refill butter bowls, and to ask people to let us throw out their plates when they were done eating. I saw friends from other 4H groups volunteer as well. It was fun doing my job. When the brunch was finished, we cleaned up all the trash, tables, chairs, syrup bottles, and butter bowls. I thought it was a nice thing to do for people. Many people were polite and thanked us for a job well done. I even stopped to speak with the Dodge County 2023 Fairest of the Fair, Miss. Lexi. She was very nice. I look forward to next year!

The Wisconsin 4-H Foundation is proud to announce our Senior Spotlight initiative. We are looking to recognize and highlight the incredible Wisconsin 4-H members who are aging out of the Wisconsin 4-H program. This is a great opportunity for our 4-H graduates to reflect on their 4-H experience and be recognized for all their hard work. 

This form and info can also be found on our website at: https://bit.ly/4be1K0s

Submissions will be accepted May 1 - June 30, 2024. Anyone who participates could have their story featured on The Wisconsin 4-H Foundation’s Facebook and Instagram pages and our website. They will also be entered into a random drawing for a prize from the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation. 

Our Dodge County Pig Pals Swine Spectacular Show is looking for Swine Project members, 4-H and FFA youth, that are involved with the Swine Project this year.  This is a great activity that offers people with disabilities a chance to shine in the show ring with your help.  This is also a great way to grow your leadership by partnering or working within the show in a variety of roles.  Our show is scheduled for Sunday, August 18th beginning with all arriving at 9:15 am. 

We will once again be expecting approximately 20 participants so that means we will need at least 20 swine exhibitor mentors to be partners along with 20 well trained pigs.   We will also need barn safety people, lots of them to make it a safe show, alone with ring safety, and water safety youth.  Parents and adults associated with swine project members can also volunteer.  ALL volunteers will receive a Dodge County Pig Pals T-shirt.

Please contact Mary Pat Boschert at 920-382-7943, call or text or email at billboschert@gmail.com to volunteer and answer any questions.  Thanks everyone!

The Wisconsin Working Stock Dog Association (WWSDA) wants to encourage young people to learn more about breeding, training, and handling dogs specific to working livestock. To help this goal we are offering a scholarship of up to $500.00 that can be applied to the cost of approved learning events such as lessons, clinics, or auditing a clinic.

Wisconsin 4-H and the Wisconsin 4-H Leadership Council are excited to host Fall Forum 2024!  Mark your calendars for November 2-3, 2024 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. 

Fall Forum is a statewide conference that brings 4-H youth and adult leaders together to connect, collaborate, celebrate, and build excitement and energy for a new year of 4-H.  It is for youth in grades 7-13, adult volunteers, and staff.  It’s a great opportunity for youth and volunteers to discover and explore their sparks and make new friends from across the state.  Everyone will leave inspired and ready for a great 4-H year!

We need YOU to help make Fall Forum a success!  We are looking for session presenters.  Those presenters could be you, or they could be youth and adults from your county.  Please think about incredible programs in your local 4-H program and invite them to share at Fall Forum.  There are two types of sessions:

Workshops - There will be 2 workshop timeslots on Saturday, November 2nd- 1:15 -2:45 p.m., 3:15 - 4:45 p.m. These workshop sessions are designed to be engaging, hands-on and feature topics of interest to youth and adults.  Participants register for workshops in advance. (We have limited breakout space at the Holiday Inn Stevens Point, so we may have to limit the number of times workshops are offered.)

Interactive Stations - There will be 2 opportunities to share information and hands-on activities on Saturday, November 2nd - 8:00 - 10:15 a.m., 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.  Participants move from station to station freely and explore different interests and information.  Leaders should be prepared for about 100 youth and adult visitors at each station.  This is a great opportunity to lead brief hands-on activities or to offer Q&A sessions about a specific topic.

Session proposals are due by June 21st.  

Wisconsin State Fair is seeking agriculture-related groups (such as 4-H clubs, FFA chapters/alumni groups, or community clubs) to staff the Compeer Financial Discovery Barnyard for the 2024 Wisconsin State Fair. Groups should have a passion for educating the public about Wisconsin agriculture. Volunteer Group of the Day will receive a $1000 stipend paid to their group after successful completion of their shift, 1 daily admission ticket for each volunteer, 1 Lunch and 1 Dinner ticket for the Tommy G Thompson Youth Center Cafeteria for each volunteer, AND on-site parking!

If you are 18 years or older and interested in becoming a 4-H volunteer, we can help! We will provide new volunteers with training to ensure the safety of all youth and volunteers. The below linked trainings and a background check are required. Answers to questions about reporting and training are available on our FAQ page.

JUNE

18 - 4-H Leaders Association Meeting

JULY

4 - Happy Independence Day
OFFICE CLOSED

16 - 4-H Leaders Executive Board Meeting

22 - Orange Cards Due (Livestock)

Visit the Wisconsin 4-H Website

WI 4-H Policy Updates

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.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension
Dodge County 4-H
Extension Dodge County  127 E. Oak Street  Juneau, WI 53039-1329
tel: 920.386.3790    fax: 920.386.3928