Walk-a-Thon Time is Coming!

Save the date: The Sarasota County 4-H Foundation‘s annual Walk-A-Thon is scheduled for November 12th in the Myakka State Park. Donations received from the Walk-A-Thon provide scholarships for youth attending Summer Camps, Congress, District Events, Washington Focus, Legislature, Horse Camp, Horticulture Activities, Livestock Judging, Marine Science, Workshops, Project Support, Club Support and much, much more. Let’s all work together to make this years 4-H Walk-A-Thon the best ever!

Attention Steer Exhibitors

The first steer weigh-in will be held at the Sarasota County Fair Grounds on Saturday, September 10th, 7:00—9:00 AM. Exhibitors must turn in a completed entry form (with all required signatures), entry fee, and bill of sale. These forms can be found in the Sarasota County Fair Rule Book. Visit their web site at: www.sarasotafair.com

All steers entered in the 2012 Sarasota County Fair must be born and bred in FLORIDA. At first weigh-in all steers must weigh a minimum of 500 pounds, but not more than 900 pounds.

Steer Record Books can be found on the Sarasota County 4-H website at sarasota.extension.ufl.edu

New 4-H members wishing to participate in a steer project must turn in their 2011-2012 4-H enrollment forms prior to the September weigh-in.

NOTE: Exhibitors must be present at initial and final weigh-in unless excused with prior approval.

Do YOU Have An Official 4-H Club?

August is the time to re-new your 4-H Club Charter. Florida 4-H has established criteria for enrolling clubs as an “official 4-H Club”. Your 4-H Club Charter gives your club the authority to use the 4-H name and emblem. The criteria for 4-H clubs in Florida are as follows:

• The club has five members (from at least two families) with completed enrollments.

• The club is organized with youth officers.

• There are one or more appointed club volunteers, following application, screening and training.

• An initial meeting place is secured for at least several consecutive months.

• An official non-discriminatory club name is chosen.

• Club rules, which may be in the form of by-laws, are established.

• At least six or more regular meetings plus project meetings are scheduled.

• A written educational plan/calendar for the club program and activities is presented to the county 4-H office (a draft is okay).

Charter Applications should be completed by the Club Secretary, and signed by the Club President, Club Leader and Extension Faculty. Clubs may have continuous use of their charters over many years, however; clubs are required to submit an “Annual Request for Charter” each year. Charters are due by September 1st of the current 4-H year. Forms to establish your club charter, or to renew your annual charter are available at the 4-H Office, or on our 4-H website.

Upcoming 4-H Dog Shows

Aug. 4-7: Florida 4-H Dog Conference Camp Cloverleaf in Sebring. For more info contact: Bill Heltemes whelteme@ufl.edu

Sept. 24: State Fair Educational Seminar Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa. For more info contact: http://www.floridastatefairag.com/

October 8: Marion County 4-H Dog Show (Marion County) For more info contact: Xiomara N. Diaz xdiaz@ufl.edu 

November 5: Florida 4-H Dog Project Scholarship Show Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa. All divisions (Showmanship, Obedience, Rally & Agility) will be offered. All profits will benefit the Florida 4-H Scholarship Fund. More info coming soon, contact June Lyness- Dogfan101@aol.com or Patty Martin c_pmartin@verizon.net

4-H Salt Water Fishing Tournament - July 21

Grab your fishing tackle! The Sarasota County 4-H Program has organized a free saltwater fishing tournament for youth this summer. On the morning of July 21, all youth ages 5-18, can participate in a fishing event to be held at Hart’s Landing on beautiful Sarasota Bay. No need to register ahead of the event. Call 941-861-9818 or email kwilson@scgov.net to learn more about this exciting event.

4-H in Iraq

 4-H is an international experience which reaches out to youth throughout the world.   Recently four new 4-H clubs were initiated in Iraq to teach children skills in livestock care.  These new 4-H clubs bring the total number of clubs in Iraq to 40, which serve 800 youth, including girls and boys working together.  4-H can be seen as a positive youth development for youth of war-torn countries.  To learn more about the international impact of 4-H programs contact Keith Wilson by e-mail at kwilson@scgov.net or by calling 941-861-9818.

BE PREPARED - HURRICANE SEASON

Are YOU ready? Hurricane season is June 1st through November 30th, with peak activity in mid-August through mid-October. Do you have a plan? The first step in preparing your family, pets and your home for a disaster is to plan now. With interactive tools found on www.floridadisaster.org you can create a plan for your family. This site provides recommendations for food and water supplies, planning for pets, what documents to protect and more. It also provides evacuation routes, emergency contacts and useful checklists. Remember, the best way to make your family and home safe is to be prepared before a disaster happens.

Expect the unexpected: Be prepared for a power outage, and what to do in case you need to evacuate. Make sure you have canned foods and water jugs in case you have to turn off the gas, electricity or water (know how to do this!). Buy plywood or shutters in advance to protect your windows from flying debris if your area gets hit. Also, be cautious if you have any non-native trees close to your house or animals – these can be uprooted easily in strong winds!

Things to do now—for your pets... Prepare a list of boarding facilities and veterinarians who could shelter your animals in an emergency - include 24 hour phone numbers. Ask friends or relatives (outside your area) if they could shelter your animals in an emergency. PetsWelcome.com is one site that maintains a list of hotels that accept pets. Organize a “Pet Disaster Supply Kit” now and store it in an accessible place. Keep items in sturdy, water proof containers that can be carried easily.

Your pet disaster supply kit should include:

• Medications and medical records
• Leashes, harnesses, and carriers to transport pets
• Current photos of your pets
• Dry food, enough for several days
• Water, depending on the size of the animal / animals
• Bowls, pet beds, and comfort items (if easily transportable) 

Your Horses… Preplan for two possibilities:

1. What to do if you must evacuate
2. What to do if you remain at home.

If you are planning to transport horses, LEAVE EARLY and make sure you listen closely to changing advisories, trailers are considered high profile vehicles. If winds reach 30 mph or more, please stay off the road. Assemble a disaster kit; pack halters, leads, duct tape, tarps and plastic, fly spray and animal medical supplies including bandages and medicines. Always use water proof containers when packing. For additional information contact The Sunshine State Horse Council on-line at http://www.sshc.org/.

Terms to know: Hurricane Watch: Hurricane conditions are possible in the specified area of the watch, usually within 36 hours. Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions are expected in the specified area of the warning, usually within 24 hours. Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings: Take these alerts seriously. Although Tropical Storms have lower wind speeds than hurricanes, they often bring life-threatening flooding and dangerous winds. Be ready!