4-H Flash Newsletter

March 2009
Volume 4, Issue 3

Calendar 

March 17, & April 14, & May 19- Horse Study Sessions

March 21– Washington County Robotics Expo

March 25- Ready Set Go Training - Ramada Inn Lewiston

March 31- New Deadline—ESE Dairy Goat Intent to participate

April 18-  Eastern States 4-H Dairy Judging

May 15– EIN Deadline (for leaders with club treasuries)– See page 2

May 15-16- 4-H Edge Weekend at UMaine Campus

May 15-17– Northeast Livestock Expo

May 22-24– 4-H Teen Weekend

June 26-28-Maine 4-H Days at the Winsor Fairgrounds

July 4-11- CWF

July 5-10– 4-H GPS/GIS TEK Trek

 For a complete listing of what’s happening in 4-H  check out the 4-H Calendar  Page at: http://extension.umaine.edu/4h/calendar.htm.

General Public Invited to Stop by the Third Annual 4-H Robotics Expo!

 The third Annual Washington County 4-H Robotics Expo is scheduled to take place in East Machias at the Elm Street School on Saturday March 21^st.  Teams working with Lego robotics kits around the county will come together to share their projects and learn more about robotics.  The morning will provide the students with the opportunity to set up their robotic projects in a “science fair fashion” and share their work with each other, judges and the general public.  Youth will participate in one of two educational activities during the afternoon, learning basic robotic skills in a hands-on skill-a-thon or participating in a team challenge project.  The general public is invited to stop in between 10:00am and 11:00am to see the displays and talk with youth about their projects

Washington County Bulletin Board Items

Demonstration Event Cancelled

Due to low registration, the Washington County Demonstration Event that was scheduled for April 4th has been cancelled.  We hope to reschedule this event later in the year.  Watch for more info in the upcoming months. 

Great Community Service Project– Plant a Row for the Hungry Program

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is sponsoring the Plant a Row for the Hungry Program.  Participation in this program is easy! Gardeners receive free seeds to plant one extra row of vegetables in their gardens and donate the produce to a local food pantry.  The food pantries will distribute food from your garden to the residents in your community who need and appreciate it the most. 

To register for this program, please contact the office at 1-800-287-1542 or 255-3345.  You may also email twood@umext.maine.edu to register.

Information for Maine 4-H Volunteers about the Required IRS filing for

4-H Clubs, Leaders Associations, Animal Science Committees, Etc.

Introduction:

All 4-H clubs and affiliated organizations that are eligible for the 4-H federal income tax group exemption GEN 2704, and raise funds or accept donations, must file the appropriate tax form on time even though some groups will be unsuccessful for this year.

Here is the 2 step process we will use for Maine 4-H Clubs to gather EIN information and to have organizations file a 990N E-Postcard:

Step 1: Determining if you need an EIN and then getting the number if needed.

a. If your 4-H club, leader association, animal science committee, etc. is going to fundraise and have a bank account then you will need to get an EIN to open your bank account. You can work with your 4-H staff to help get you your EIN and the steps are detailed in our Maine 4-H Policies Procedures and Guidelines Manual: http://www.umext.maine.edu/4h/manual/partb/b19.htm

b. Once you have your EIN you will need to let your county/state 4-H staff person know what this number is and to do that we ask that you fill out the “Maine Certification of 4-H Clubs and Affiliated 4-H Organizations Under the National 4-H Federal Tax Exempt Status” form and return it to the appropriate county/state 4-H office. http://www.umext.maine.edu/4h/manual/attach/mainecert.htm

 Step 2: Filing your 990N E-Postcard

Beginning in 2008, small tax-exempt 4-H organizations that previously were not required to file returns because they earned $25,000 or less are required to file an annual electronic notice called an e-Postcard.

Steps on how to file your 990N E-Postcard (You can only file on-line)

1. All 4-H clubs/organizations (which includes Leaders’ Associations, 4-H Clubs, Animal Science Committees, etc) in Maine need to file by February 15th and that report will include income for the previous October 1st through September 30th 4-H year.***

***For the tax year 2008 Maine 4-H clubs/organizations will have until May 15th, 2009 to file as the tax year was originally January 1st through December 30th, but will be changed to correspond to the 4-H year of October 1st through September 30th in future years.

2. 4-H clubs and organizations will not receive a reminder from the IRS in the mail to file so you must remember to file.

3. Go to www.irs.gov and use the keyword/search filed to find links to 990-N information. Here is the link:  http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=169250,00.html. Once on this page you need to go to “How to File” and then follow the instructions below. (Please note that when you access the system, you will leave the IRS site and file the e-Postcard with the IRS through their trusted partner, Urban Institute.)

A. Register as a New User (The confirmation login e-mail may end up in your spam folder so you

may need to look there for it.)

B. Create your Form 990-N (e-Postcard)

C. To complete a 990-N e-Postcard, qualified 4-H Clubs & Affiliated 4-H Organizations need to provide the following information:

1) Organization’s legal name – as legally chartered or otherwise formally tied to the organization’s EIN

2) Any other names your organization uses (not relevant for most 4-H Clubs & Affiliated 4-H Organizations)

3) Organization’s mailing address – as tied to the organization’s EIN

4) Organization’s website address – if you have one

5) Organization’s EIN (Employer Identification Number) – this is a unique number that identifies the organization to the IRS, much like our personal Social Security Numbers identify individuals to the IRS. This is what you received when you sent in your SS-4 form.

6) Name and address of the principal officer of your organization – tied to the EIN. This is most likely the leader of your 4-H club and the name and address on the SS-4 Form.

7) Organization’s annual tax year – which may or may not be defined by your State 4-H Program Office (The tax year for Maine is October through September.)

8) Confirmation that your organization’s annual gross receipts are still normally $25,000 or less.

4. Submit your Form 990-N (e-Postcard).

5. Print or electronically save the confirmation you receive after you have filed as this needs to be sent into your county office and you should keep a copy of this record for your 4-H club.

6. Send in the documentation that indicates that you have filed your 990-N-E-Postcard. Remember even if your group is unsuccessful in filing please save that documentation as well as it indicates that you tried to file.

Maine State 4-H News

 1. National 4-H Congress and Conference Applications

Applications are now being accepted for the chance to attend the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta in 2009 and the National 4-H Conference in Washington in 2010. Congress is a five day  leadership development conference held in Atlanta where youth meet other 4-Hers from all over the country, learn new skills, participate in community service and enjoy special events. The National 4-H Conference is held at the National 4-H Conference Center just outside of Washington, DC in March where 4-H delegations from every state meet to share ideas and make recommendations for the future of 4-H. Delegates participate in activities that emphasize civic engagement, youth-adult partnerships, and professional development. If you are between the ages of 14 and 18 and would like to attend Congress in November 2009 or Conference in March 2010, you can apply now. Deadline for your application is March 13, 2009 and more details can be found at www.umext.maine.edu/4h/events/natltripsletter.htm or contact your county Extension Office for details.

2. 2009 Massachusetts All-Breeds Blue Ribbon Calf Sale

March 28, 2009, 12:00 pm at the Eastern States Exposition Mallary Complex, in West Springfield, MA. Youth programs start at 10:00 am; clinics include: “Vaccinations and Inoculations for the Show Calf”, “Show Calf Nutrition”, “Calf Selection”, and “Hoof Trimming Demonstration”, no pre-registration is required for the youth programs, these clinics are open to any interested 4H youth or anyone else with interest in learning more about these topics. For directions and more information go to: http://www.blueribboncalfsale.com/.

3. 4-H GPS/GIS TEK* Trek - See flyer on page 9

*Technology and Environment for Kids AKA Naturalist Camp July 5-10, 2009 at Greenland Point Center and the University of Maine at Machias in Princeton and Machias, ME, for ages 12 – 15. 4H GPS/GIS campers will "Get Outdoors" to learn about wildlife and their surroundings including woods, water, land and air. Participants will learn to collect GPS data and carry out a service mapping project for the Center and will also spend 1-1/2 days at UM Machias using the computer labs and exploring the campus. ATV and Boater Safety certifications course will be available. Bring cameras for tips on photography! Special cost to 4-H members: $150.00 for the entire week (non 4-H cost is $250.00). To register, go to www.greenlandpoint.com Under Skills Camp, find Naturalist Camp – 4H GPS/GIS – At bottom of list, go to Click Here for Application. Apply Early! Camp is limited to 15 youth!

4. New England 4-H Dog Clinic

Saturday, May 2, 2009 at the Tolland Agricultural Center, Route 30, Vernon, CT, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. The dog clinic is open to all registered 4-H Dog Project members 9 – 18 years of age and their registered 4-H project dog. Information and registration materials can be found on the Maine 4-H Website’s dog page at: http://www.umext.maine.edu/4h/resources/dog.htm.

5. State Dairy Show and ESE Tryouts

Save the Date! The 2009 Maine State 4-H Dairy Show will take place on July 18-19, 2009 at the Windsor Fairgrounds. More information can be found on the Maine 4-H Website’s Dairy page at: http://www.umext.maine.edu/4h/resources/dairy.htm.

6. Make It With Wool Contest

4-Hers in Maine are invited to enter the Make It With Wool Contest, a national competition sponsored by the American Sheep Industry Association. The state-level contest will be held on October 10, 2009 at the Page Farm Museum at the University of Maine in Orono. Contestants may enter garments made with wool that are sewn, knit, crocheted or felted. More information and rules for the contest are on our website at http://www.umext.maine.edu/4h/events/other/wool.htm or you can contact Michaele Bailey at 1-800-287-0274 for more information.

7. Dairy Judging

Tryouts for the 4-H Dairy Judging Team will be held on Saturday April 18 in Penobscot County. The top four qualified youth will be selected to compete on the Eastern States 4-H Dairy Judging Team. Judging will begin at 10:00 am at the Ronnie Simpson farm, 189 Corinna Court Road, Corinna. Simpsons will serve dinner at noon. Judging will continue in the afternoon at the Louis Nuite farm, 129 Dyer Road, Atkinson, ME 04426. Bring a clipboard and a pencil and be ready to judge. For more information you can contact Dave Marcinkowski, State Dairy Specialist at 1-800-287-7170.

8. Dairy Quiz Bowl Team

Tryouts for the Dairy Quiz Bowl Team were held on February 15, 2009 in Augusta. Four 4-H members were selected to compete on the Quiz Bowl Team at Eastern States: Aaron Martin, Michaela Davis, and Brittany Moon of Cumberland County and Ashley Hardy of Franklin County. Congratulations!

9. Volunteer Forum Videos

Three sessions were video recorded at the Volunteer Forum held on November 1, 2008 at Maple Hill Conference Center in Hallowell in conjunction with the Animal Science Committee meeting. Those recordings are now available on a set of two DVD’s to borrow from your county extension office. The sessions that were recorded were Cloverbud Corner, Life Skills Wheel, and Healthy ME, Healthy You. Call your county extension office for more information.

10. Northeast Livestock Expo

The Northeast Livestock Expo (NELE) will be held May 15-17, 2009 at the Windsor Fairgrounds. If you are a beef, sheep, goat or horse enthusiast of any age, mark your calendars and plan to attend this event. NELE is a multispecies event that includes shows, sales, youth activities and a cook-off for beef, goat and of course lamb dishes. New this year will be horse events. The activities include: - American Lamb Board Cook-Off - Purebred, Feeder Lamb and 4-H Market Lamb Show and Sale Youth Show and Activities - Horse shows & clinics.

For more information on horse events please contact Cathy Thomas at hippology@myfairpoint.net or call 458- 1402. For more information or to receive entry forms for NELE, please contact Wendy Reinemann at (207) 785-2978, or by email at guiniridge@gmail.com . You can visit the NELE website at www.northeastlivestockexpo.com.

11. 4-H EDGE Weekend 2009: Connecting Kids to Campus is Friday May 15, and Saturday May 16, 2009 at the University of Maine

It’s going to be the best EDGE yet! Team building and recreational opportunities on Friday! Super workshop sessions on Saturday! Things like Marine Botany, Animation, Veterinary Science, and dozens more! Watch for coming information on Parent Workshops like Planning for College in Challenging Times and Supporting Career Aspirations. There’s a great panel planned for Saturday lunch that both youth and adults will enjoy! We’re still investigating overnight arrangements for parents – dorms turned out to be VERY expensive so we are looking for other alternatives! The cost this year will be $55.00 per 4-H member and $40 for additional family members. Non 4-H members may also attend at a fee of $75.00 per person. Registration will start in late March and the forms will be up on the website. Check the EDGE 2009 site on the Maine 4-H website – we’ll be adding new information about workshops and activities! Save the dates...It is going to be the best EDGE yet! Don’t miss it!!

12. 4-H Teen Weekend - Leadership Opportunities

Outdoor Fun - Friends - 4-H - Camping - Canoeing - Open to all 4-H members Ages 12-18 Program will be held at the University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Bryant Pond Arrival: 6:00 pm, Friday May 22nd Pick up: 11:30 am, Sunday, May 24th Cost: $40 per person • Space is limited, first come, first serve

• Volt certified volunteers are welcome to apply for a limited number of slots.

• Permission slips/registration forms are available by contacting 743-6329 or 1-800-287-1482.

• Confirmations with details will be mailed

• All special requests need to be directed to Susan Jennings, Extension Educator at 743-6329 or 1-800-387-1482.

Registration: Please mail the registration/health form and payment to the Oxford County Extension Office, 9 Olson Road, South Paris, Maine 04281

Questions?? Call Susan Jennings at 1-800-287-1482, 665-2068

13. Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)
It is time now to sign up for Citizenship Washington Focus that will be July 4 to 11, 2009. CWF is a leadership program conducted by the National 4-H Council for high school youth ages 15 to 18. Delegations of 4-Hers from across the country spend six days touring the city and attending leadership skill-building workshops. This summer, the Maine delegation will leave on July 4 and return on July 11, 2009. You will stay at the National 4-H Conference Center just outside Washington, DC. Visiting the most popular sites in Washington will be a part of the trip. Visit their website at http://www.citizenshipwashingtonfocus.org/ for more information.

Contact your county 4-H office to find out how to apply for this trip. Each county will have their own selection process.

TEK-Trek

Technology and Environment for Kids

GREENLAND POINT CENTER

and the

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE at MACHIAS

Princeton and Machias, Maine

July 5-10, 2009

Ages 12-15

AKA *Naturalist Camp - 4-H GPS/GIS is an alternative to the traditional Conservation Camp where campers will "Get Outdoors" to learn about wildlife and their surroundings including woods, water ,land and air.  Participants will collect GPS data to carry out a service mapping project for the Center and will spend 1 1/2 days at UMM using the computer labs and exploring the campus.  ATV and Boater Safety certifications course will be included as an additional option. Bring your cameras for tips on photography!

COST includes times at both sites:

$250.00

(4-H members $150.00)

To register, go to www.greenlandpoint.com

Under Skills Camp, find Naturalist Camp - 4-H GPS/GIS

At bottom of list, go to Click Here for Application

Apply early!

Camp is limited to 15 youth!

Cooking with the Kids

 Bookworm Apple Bark

Ingredients:

1 Granny Smith apple

1 tbsp peanut butter

2 1/2 tbsp golden or black raisins

1 1/2 tbsp dried sweetened cranberries

1 small bunch of fresh chives or fresh

parsley (optional plate garnish)

Directions:

Cut apple into four quarters, starting at the stem. Remove the core by cutting away to leave a flat surface on the apple quarter. Be careful not to cut too much of the edible portion of the apple away. Drop and slightly spread the peanut butter on apple quarters. Mix together the raisins and dried cranberries then sprinkle on peanut butter. Cut chives into one-inch pieces and garnish.

Taken from “Cool Fuel Cookbook” - Fun recipes for kids

Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD)  Phone Numbers 1-800-287-8957.

If you are a person with a disability and will need any accommodations to participate in any programs, please call the Hancock County Office at 1-800-287-1479 or Washington County Extension Office at 1-800-287-1542 to discuss your needs.  Please contact us at least 20 days prior to the event to assure the fullest possible attention to your needs.

University of Maine Nondiscrimination Statement

In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and in pursuing its own goals for diversity, the University of Maine system shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or citizenship status, age, disability or veterans status in employment, education, and all other areas of the University.  The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.  Questions and complaints about discrimination in any area of the University should be directed to the Director of Equal Employment Opportunities, 101 North Stevens, (207)581-1226.

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In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and in pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or citizenship status, age, disability, or veterans' status in employment, education, and all other areas of the University. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Questions and complaints about discrimination in any area of the University should be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens, (207) 581-1226.

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