Spring Day

  Southeast District 4-H Volunteer Leaders Spring Day.  The meeting was being held at the brand new Wayne County Center in Goldsboro and it was a perfect day for the drive and the event. 
 It was early as our Robeson County Volunteers piled into the van to attend the meeting.  There were ten folks attending from five counties.  We also had our Past State President, Diane Sturgis, and current President Kim Lackey in attendance.  Three of the district officers were also there; Rose Lee, President; Kim Nead, President-Elect; and Marilyn Merritt, Treasurer. 
  Barbara Byers, from Wayne County lead the first workshop on Cloverbud Leadership.  We talked about feelings, differences, family, and even touched on Citizenship.  Some of the activities included bubble blowing, fingerprint families, and making a flag.  Barbara also gave each participant an activity guide as part of attending the workshop to make it easier for them to implement when they get home.
  Kim Nead stitched up the lesson for the next workshop as the volunteers made their own heat pads.  Kim taught the group how to make a sleeve that was filled with dry rice, and then sewn to close it.  The sleeves can be placed in the microwave to heat up.  The warm moist heat is often a welcome healer for sore joints and muscles.  the beauty of this heating pad is that it can be used over and over again.
  After finishing the activities a business meeting was held.  The group decided to host lunch at District Activity Day to raise funds for the scholarship.  Kim Nead will get the scholarship applications judged and the winner or winners will be announced at District Activity Day.  The group also decided to host Fall Day on November 3 in Robeson County.  Please stay tuned as more details will be coming. 
  If you would like to know more about the SE District Volunteer Leaders Association and what they have going on please follow them on Facebook at SE District 4-H Volunteer Leaders Association.  You can also find them on remind at 4-H SE Volunteer Leaders' Association.       

Something New for the Family

  United Way of Robeson County did something a little different this year.  As a second leg to the ever popular Day of Caring, they added a family volunteer day.  Families gathered at Bigs Park Mall in the morning to get their family volunteer assignments and headed out to complete them.  Upon returning to the mall they were greeted with one heck of a welcome.
  United Way along with various United Way agencies set up a a child friendly fun event lead by the Robeson County partnership for children.  There were games, a bouncy house, activities, and so much more.  Youth could spin a wheel an answer health questions to win a cup at the WOW bus.  the Red Cross had coloring books, Community in Schools had some fun family board games, and 4-H worked with the youth to make personalized bookmarks.
  Everyone had the opportunity to enjoy lunch off the grill made by members of the Kiwanis.  T and L characters were on hand for photos and dancing opportunities.  At the end each family registered that morning had their name dropped in a bowl for a drawing for tickets to Disney World.  Now that's what we call a motivator!

Target Time

They are hitting the air with a little velocity.  This morning marked the first meeting of the Dirty Dozen 4-H Shooting Sports Club.  The group met at the firing range in Fairmont and had several new members this year.  After getting the pledges and business out of the way it was time to get to the business of the meeting...safety.
Each youth learned or got a refresher on the rules of the range.  There are eyes and ears that must be worn for protection, range rules and directions that also must be followed for safety, and then there is a little fun.  The veteran members taught the new members how to secure targets, which today are paper plates.
As they learned how to load, site, and shoot, the club leader kept a close watch on all of them.  Watching for eye dominance, who can adjust their style based on instruction, and what each of them needs to improve on was the course for the day.  For our first timers hitting that target the first time was a thril, after that they all wanted to be proficient as they got in more practice.
The club leader will let each of the families in the club know about the next club meeting.  If you would like more information about this or any of the clubs please contact Wendy Maynor at Wendy_Maynor@ncsu.edu.

4-H Caring

Each year United Way of Robeson County conducts the Day if Caring.  It is a day where folks volunteer and go out to the community to complete different projects and make a difference.  This year North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center and of course 4-H pitched in in a big way.
This year we reprised the knit in.  Officially known (at least on Facebook) as the 8th Annual Robeson County knit-in we encourage folks to come out and make items that are donated to local nonprofits.  You don’t have to be a knitter to take part.  Crocheting, quilting, weaving, and sewing have all taken place at this event and what’s more is it is a stitch of fun.  For those who have never done this, that’s ok too.  We have folks that will teach you this skills and have you finishing up a baby cap before you know it.

This year’s special project involved sewing satchels to be used for personal hygiene items that were donated to Lumberton Christian Care.  Of course we also made and collected caps, hats, booties, and blankets that will be donated to Hospice House, Church and Community Center, Agape, and My Refuge.
Thanks to Lumberton Chevrolet, United Way of Robeson County, and of course the more than 30 folks who came out and hpmade items for this year’s event.  When we were done there were more than 150 items completed and more coming in each day.

Summer Camp Day

  Sometimes we are so busy we find ourselves asking the question, “Where in the World is 4-H Today?”.  That’s the question today as we travel to Pembroke to market our 4-H Camp programs.  We need to say thank you to UNCP for having this great community program for local agencies to promote their summer programs to families around the county.
  The event included music, snacks, door prizes, and more.  We have a great time talking with almost 30 families and meeting new folks and telling them all about our 4-H program.

Two New Family Members

This article was written and published in the Robesonian, The Robeson Journal, and can be located on the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center website.

— Written By Ashley McRae and Joanna Rogers

 North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, has added new members to their family; are you wondering who it could be? Wonder no longer! Joanna Rogers, as the 4-H Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant, and Ashley McRae, as the Adult Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant, are the newest members to join the Cooperative Extension family. 

Joanna Rogers has prior education in nutrition and catering to specific diets that fit the individual’s dietary needs. Ms. Rogers is excited to take on the Youth EFNEP Assistant role and looks forward to helping youth (ages 5-18) in Robeson County make positive, healthy changes. Being from a low-income area, many families cannot afford to eat healthy. Joanna’s goal is to provide youth with a new outlook on how to eat healthy and become more active. Her services include a series of lessons that help teach healthy eating habits, eating healthy on a budget, and promote fun ways to be active. At the end of each lesson, students will be able to enjoy a nutritious snack that compliments the lesson completed for that day along with take home materials to share with their families. 

Ashley McRae is a native of Robeson County and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke where she received a bachelor’s degree in social work. Prior to working with Cooperative Extension, Ashley was an Adult Education Instructor. Mrs. McRae finds it gratifying to help people learn as well as helping individuals master new skills. Through EFNEP, Ashley hopes to educate and assist as many families as possible in the areas of nutrition, managing food resources, and food safety. Through a series of nutrition classes, EFNEP teaches families to be more knowledgeable on conserving food dollars, new ideas for increasing physical activity, and food safety practices. Participants who are enrolled in classes will have the opportunity to watch, as well as participate in, food demonstrations; learn new recipes; practice food handling skills; and learn how to improve their dietary intake. 

Participants will complete a minimum of nine classes with each class lasting an hour. Ashley’s target audience is limited-resource families with young children living in the household and are eligible for public assistance. Adult EFNEP serves individuals and families who are expecting a child, as well as individuals who provide noncustodial parental care, as long as these individuals meet the income guidelines. They must also be responsible for planning, shopping, and preparing food for the children in their care. Still wondering who the newest Cooperative Extension members are? Stop by Cooperative Extension to learn more! 

For more information, please contact Joanna Rogers, Youth EFNEP Assistant, or Ashley McRae, Adult EFNEP Assistant, with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, at 671-3276, by E-mail at Joanna_Rogers@ncsu.edu for Joanna or Ashley_McRae@ncsu.edu for Ashley, or visit our website at http://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/. 

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University are collectively committed to positive action to secure equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination and harassment regardless of age, color, disability, family and marital status, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. NC State, N.C. A&T, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

Read more at: https://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/2018/05/cooperative-extension-welcomes-new-program-assistants/

Clover Days

  It may not be March anymore but it is Clover Days at our local Tractor Supply in Lumberton.  Clover Days is a national partnership between 4-H and Tractor Supply Co.  Each store each sells paper clovers for $1 or more.  The funds raised by our local store come back to help us find camp and Congress making it affordable, for everyone.
This event will go on for 10 days.  Please let folks know that when they shop and donate it makes a difference for youth right here at home.  If you have the opportunity don’t forget to go by and purchase your own clover...after all every dollar makes a difference.

Wet and Wild

The second Tuesday of every month means it’s time for Dirty Rascals Junior Master Gardeners to meet.  On the agenda today: time to clean out the wacky weeds (and kale), as well as get seedlings and water to theAerogarden.  Of course we have to start our meeting with our pledges...and business, then it’s on to the fun.
We started by heading outside to clean out our raised beds.  We have lots of plans of what we will plant but we can’t do that until the old growth is gone.  That means the red clover and kale that was planted in the fall are coming out.  We did leave the garlic because it is just coming up and in the next few weeks should be ready for harvesting.  When we plant this year we are looking at tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, popcorn, and building one more bed for our pumpkin contest seeds.
When we finally finished and made it back inside we learned about hydroponic gardens.  Planting in something other than soil often has some people speculate if it will work.  However we have years of experience to show it does.  This year we are growing lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.  We are excited to see what happens.
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, May 8, at 5:30 pm.  If you would like more information about this or any of our club opportunities please contact Wendy Maynor at Wendy_Maynor@ncsu.edu.

Meeting the Parliment

  Tonight was our quarterly 4-H County Council and Volunteer Leaders' Association meeting.  We did the typical meeting things, catching up on what the clubs are doing, what we have done in the program, what's coming up in the program and important club deadlines.
  Tonight was also the deadline to turn in Electric projects and project records for those wanting to go to Electric Congress this year.  Martae Callahan learned about wiring sockets with his project.  Jalen King learned about different things that conduct or insulate electric current.  D. J. Brown also submitted an electric portfolio for the opportunity to attend this event that will take place in July.

  At the end of the night the County Council officers led an activity involving making trail mix using parliamentary procedure.  Each of the youth had to make specific motions involving placing items in the trail mix and often it created an animated discussion.  Youth quickly learned how to amend motions and call the question so they could get down to business and eat what they had created.
  Our next meeting will be June 4 at the Cooperative Extension office.  For more information please contact Wendy Maynor 4-H Program Associate at (910) 671-3276 or Wendy_Maynor@ncsu.edu.