4-H Top 4

Happy back to school and almost back to school for everyone!  I know things are still a little different and everyone is doing a great job adjusting accordingly.  Please read below to get ready for some great programs coming up!

-Each year the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) have a meeting with a youth component.  This year their meeting was adjusted to a virtual meeting.  Unfortunately the youth component had to be cancelled for this year.  However the commissioners have invited all our youth (probably most interesting to our 14-18 year olds) to attend the closing session online.  Ms. Doris Kearns Goodwin has written the book Leadership in Turbulent Times. Ms. Goodwin will serve as the capnote speaker for the NCACC Annual Conference.  For those who attended last year you may remember her as well.  If you are interested, you are invited to join in virtually for the closing session to hear Ms. Goodwin speak.  The session will take place on Saturday, August 15th from 9:00 - 10:15am.  You can tune in at this link: https://adaptandadvance.squarespace.com/day-four.  This is a live video stream with a chat box - no videos. 

-4-H Artastic is around the corner.  For those unfamiliar with this program it is our visual arts contest.  Youth enter their arts and crafts into our contest and we judge them.  Plus to double the impact of their efforts we enter their items into the fair for them so they can compete for ribbons and more.  This year we are asking parents to fill out the form at this link (https://forms.gle/hjra4mkEtgHo7wBr8) to enter the items and then drop them off at our office at 455 Caton Road in Lumberton.  The deadline to register and turn in projects is Monday, September 14.   Please contact Shea Ann DeJarnette or Wendy Maynor with any questions about this contest. 

-4-H Animal Science will be virtual this year.  After much conversation and the latest information from the Governor and NC 4-H's moving back toward face to face programing, we decided we had no choice but to go ahead and make this a virtual contest.  I would like to thank the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair for continuing to support our contest with premiums and ribbons for this year's winners.  As details are available for this contest I will send them directly to our 4-H participants.  If you have any questions or concerns about this program please contact Shea Ann DeJarnette at Shea_Ann_DeJarnette@ncsu.edu.

-We are encouraging everyone to download the 4-H App from their app store.  This seems like our most reliable way to communicate and for folks to sign up for events.  We are ecstatic about some of the new program offerings we have been able to make available and register for programs with the click of a button.  So far everyone who has downloaded it and tried it, is pleased with how user friendly it is and how much time it saves you from having to come to the office.  To download our app, just go to the app store on your phone and download 4-H Now!  When you open that app search for Robeson County 4-H tap on it and you will be linked to us.  The download and app are free.

That's all for today.  Stay safe and we can't wait to see you soon.

Wendy, Christy, and Shea Ann

NCACC Invitation

Below is an invitation from Sarah Kotizan with the NC 4-H state office.  

You are invited to participate in the closing session for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) annual conference! If you attended YouthVoice 2019, you heard from Ms. Doris Kearns Goodwin and received a copy of her book Leadership in Turbulent Times. Ms. Goodwin will serve as the capnote speaker for the NCACC Annual Conference again this year.  In preparation for this conference, Ms. Goodwin repeatedly mentioned how much she enjoyed being at the conference last year and wanted to make sure that youth delegates had a chance to join in again virtually this year. 

If you are interested, you are invited to join in virtually for the closing session to hear Ms. Goodwin speak.  The session will take place on Saturday, August 15th from 9:00 - 10:15am.  You can tune in at this link: https://adaptandadvance.squarespace.com/day-four.  This is a live video stream with a chat box - no videos. This is a unique opportunity that I hope you will consider! A special thank you to Jason King, Director of Education and Conferences with the NCACC for extending this opportunity to NC 4-H.

If you have not attended YouthVoice before, be sure to talk to your 4-H Agent about attending YouthVoice 2021 in New Hanover County next August! It is a great experience and opportunity.

Sincerely, 

Sarah Kotzian

JMG News

BIWEEKLY UPDATE | AUGUST 2020 FALL UPDATE GROUP REGISTRATION PRE-K PREVIEW FROYO FRIDAY! IN THE NEWS

FALL IN LOVE WITH ONLINE LGEG!

You Heard it Here First! The online, video-based Virtual Learn, Grow, Eat & GO! Course for Elementary Students will be available for use next month. Stay tuned for more updates over the next few weeks!

GROUP REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

Group Registration Opened August 1! Is your school Hybrid or Remote this fall? No worries, you can still do JMG and participate in one of our online options, or alternatively teach your own!

REGISTER YOUR GROUP HERE!

LEADERS, ONLINE FOR FALL? ACCESS DISTANCE LEARNING GUIDELINES & APPROVAL

PRE-K PREVIEW

Free Downloads Now Available! Click here to learn more, access free preview activities, and sign up for a chance to win free books!

FROYO FOR YOUR FRIDAY!

FroYo Blueberry Bites Three ingredients for a delicious, cold summertime treat! Try them and let us know what you think! Thanks to our friends at Dinner Tonight for this recipe.

IN THE NEWS

Missed your chance to bug out with us? Read more about Growing Good Kids Camp here!

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

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Preparedness Newsletter

In This Issue: Ready Tips CERT & Communities Children & Disasters Important Dates Ready Tips Back to School in the New Normal As students prepare to go back to school, they may find schools operating differently due to COVID-19. Some students may be continuing with online learning while others may be preparing for in-person learning in schools, which may require them to wear face cloth coverings, continue social distancing, and have their temperatures checked. Despite having to prepare your kids for school in a new learning environment, it is always a good time to help them learn about preparing for an emergency. We encourage you to consider the following actions to prepare your kids for an emergency. Create an emergency plan with the whole family and practice it regularly. Build an emergency kit that includes essential items such as water, non-perishable food items, first aid supplies, prescription medicines, and other items that will ensure safety and comfort. Review your emergency communications plan and keep the information in a safe place like a backpack, wallet, or taped in a notebook. Teach your kids when and how to call important phone numbers, like 9-1-1, for help and how to send text messages in case of an emergency. Know the emergency plan for your child’s school and childcare facility, if open, and practice it with your child. Learn different ways to help children cope during and after an emergency. Get your kids involved and keep them informed on how to be prepared for emergency and disaster situations. If something goes wrong, children can be prepared to act! If you’re looking for activities, information, or other tools to help you and your family prepare for disasters, check out our Resource Library. For more information on Children and Youth preparedness, please visit https://www.ready.gov/kids. CERT & Communities CERTs Balance Competing Needs During the Pandemic In mid-May, in Columbus, OH, unrelenting rain led to record rainfall totals over the course of two days. The rain also led to flooding in the area. To help, Franklin County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members joined the county’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security officials to assess the damage. This required CERT volunteers to pivot from their work assisting with COVID-19 response to address the flooding. Christie LeClaire-Murphy, a member of the CERT, had been helping with COVID-19 testing at nursing homes. She also collected food donations and made cloth face coverings. After the flooding, she shifted gears to help with assigning damage assessment teams and operating the radio. She donned rain gear to review and document damage in the rain by using special paper and pens designed to hold up in wet conditions. “Balancing emergencies and going where you’re needed is part of the role of a CERT,” she says. Read more... Agencies Pilot Training for Community-Based Organizations From food banks to childcare centers, community-based organizations (CBOs) play critical roles in many areas across the country. Many people rely on these services during “normal” times. When emergencies occur, however, these organizations can see a surge of need during and after the event. But what happens if these CBOs themselves are affected by a disaster? CBOs can be more resilient when facing an emergency if they’ve planned ahead of time. To help prepare them, FEMA created a new training called Organizations Preparing for Emergency Needs (OPEN). A few community organizations and state agencies had a chance to pilot the training before the official release of OPEN. Before COVID-19 restrictions went into effect, FEMA conducted an in-person pilot class in Region I (Lowell, MA). (Note: The photo featured in this article was taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.) Read more... Plan Your Hurricane Response Now When hurricanes happen, they often bring rain, wind, and floods. The 2019 National Household Survey revealed over 87 percent of respondents who live in hurricane-prone areas believe they will receive timely reports or directions from local authorities. Most of these folks get that information from TV (59 percent), the internet (17 percent), and newspapers (12 percent). To develop or improve your emergency plan for hurricanes, visit ready.gov/hurricanes#prepare. To learn more about disaster preparedness in general, visit here. Language Access Resources On Tuesday, July 14, 2020, FEMA Region II held a webinar about language diversity in the United States and the importance of providing clear strategic messages in the areas of preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. In addition, the Office of Equal Rights covered the legal framework of implementing Limited English Proficiency during a disaster. Click here to view the recorded session.     Cyber Security and Other Scams Targeting Small Businesses (English and Spanish) On Wednesday, July 22, 2020, Region II held a webinar session in English and Spanish with the Federal Trade Commission discussing the types of cyber security scams that target small businesses and how to avoid them. See below on how to view the recordings: English: please click here. Spanish: please click here. Community Assets Mapping On Wednesday, July 8, 2020, FEMA Region II held a webinar featuring Keith Adams, the Executive Director of New Jersey Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NJVOAD). In the session, he discussed how to identify community assets and resources that can be used to meet community needs and to strengthen the community. Click here to view the recorded session.   Children & Disasters New YPC Members Bring Enthusiasm for Preparedness Seven new members joined FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) this summer. FEMA created the YPC in 2012 to bring together young leaders from across the country who are interested in supporting disaster preparedness. The Council consists of 15 members who are in the 9th through 12th grades. New members became acquainted with returning members and learned more about FEMA programs at the annual YPC Summit in July. Due to COVID-19 precautions, FEMA held this year’s event online. During the Summit, YPC members were joined by the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump. During the Summit, she noted that children are disproportionately impacted during and after disasters and highlighted her “BE BEST” initiative, part of which educates children about emergency and disaster response. YPC members also began planning their own projects to support community preparedness over the next year. Read more... Important Dates August 18: Webinar — Preparedness Resources for the Power-Dependent Medical Equipment Population (Noon ET) August 19: Webinar — Preparing for National Preparedness Month (Noon ET August 20: Webinar — Effective Accessible Communications, Part I (Noon ET) August 25: Webinar — Safe Learning for Kids (Noon ET) August 27: Webinar  — Effective Accessible Communications, Part II (Noon ET) Disclaimer: The reader recognizes that the federal government provides links and informational data on various disaster preparedness resources and events and does not endorse any non-federal events, entities, organizations, services, or products. Please let us know about other events and services for individual and community preparedness that could be included in future newsletters by contacting  FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov.