DEL ARROYO 4-H CLUB
September 2006 Newsletter

THEME: OUTER SPACE

WELCOME TO ANOTHER 4-H YEAR! We are all looking forward to a fun and productive year. We hope you will take advantage of all that the club and county have to offer.

FIRST COMMUNITY CLUB MEETING: Wednesday, September 20, 6:30 pm at Smith School (New Location), 391 Ontario Drive, Livermore. We will have installation of officers and enrollment. We have openings for an Historian (put together scrapbook for year) and several photographers. Please contact Margaret 447-6980 if you are interested in any of these positions. Refreshments will be provided by the Davis, Johnston, Daniel, Salcedo, Drew, Ott, Barney, Herr & Maloney families.

Each member is to bring one item that they made in 4-H for display at our first meeting. An item of clothing, a needlework project, a preserved food, a rocket, poster, etc. identified with member name, project name, year in project. Attach any award received, like county or state fair ribbons. This display will help spark the interest of new and returning members in our various projects. The item you bring can be from any 4-H year. Let’s have a lot of variety. This will earn you a project exhibit credit on your new PDR Form, Item 2.

The Livermore School District will no longer send flyers home with each student to advertise 4-H. Your help is needed in order to get new members, so a flyer is enclosed for you to duplicate and distribute at church, soccer, class, your neighborhood, and anywhere else you can think of that might reach those interested in joining us. Make it your goal to bring in at least one new member.

4-H RECORD BOOKS for 4th graders and up are switching to the new state forms. The new format will be the only forms accepted for county and state judging, therefore, all clubs will require the new forms. There are far fewer categories on the new PDR form, but everything that got credit on the old form also gets credit on the new form, just in broader categories. Also, a much greater emphasis is placed on community service, therefore, we will try to offer more opportunities to participate in community service. Several adults are needed to seek out and offer a variety of community services to our members. Please call Adel Barney 245-0599 to volunteer. There is an additional star ranking of Platinum. There is also a New Annual Project Report and a new Junior and Teen Leadership Report. The new forms and instructions will be available at our September meeting and are also available at ca4h.org. The primary report forms remain the same.

COAST CLEAN UP DAY is Saturday, September 16 from 8:30am until Noon. The areas we have been asked to help at are the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge at the Dumbarton fishing pier area in Newark, the Shoreline Interpretive Center at the west end of Breakwater Drive in Hayward and Eden Landing Ecological Reserve, end of Veasy Street in Hayward. This is a great family activity, but they request that there be no children under school age. Wear sturdy shoes, work clothes, and gloves. The would like you to pre-register by emailing Kathleen Fusek, Volunteer Coordinator at kfusek@ebparks.org or fax her at 510-569-1432. Beverages and water will be provided.

OPERATION S.A.M. ‘Supporting all Military” will be putting together holiday packages in October to send to our deployed men and women. We would like each family to help with this effort by purchasing and wrapping one or two items and bringing them to our October Community Club Meeting. Operation S.A.M. has provided a suggestion list for your purchases and it will be available at our September Community Club Meeting.

ACHIEVEMENT NIGHT will be held October 13, 7:00 pm, at Canyon Middle School, Castro Valley. Our record book winners (see ‘Congratulations’ below) will receive their awards, along with other Alameda County 4-H members. This is a nice family event for new and returning members.

CONGRATULATIONS!! Record keeping, the “do I have to do it?” part of 4-H, paid off for our members who submitted their 4-H Record Book for county judging. The following is a list of the Del Arroyo members, their award and their project category:
Shelby F. - Junior Medalist - Sheep
Carina S. – Junior County Winner - Poultry
Allyson D. - Senior Medalist - Rabbits
Makayla B. - Junior Medalist - Rabbits
Austin F. - Junior County Winner - Performing Arts
Megan D. - Junior Medalist - Performing Arts
Ryan D. - Junior Medalist - Performing Arts
Victoria P. - Junior County Winner - Service Learning
Caitlin B. - Junior County Winner - Food Preservation
Madison D. - Certificate o Merit - Performing Arts
Hunter O. - Co-Junior County Winner - Creative Arts & Crafts
Katie V. - Certificate of Merit - Creative Arts & Crafts
Kendall O. - Certificate of Merit - Creative Arts & Crafts
Shelby W. - Senior Medalist - Shooting Sports
Nathan H. - Senior County Winner - Entomology
Sean D. - Certificate of Merit - Performing Arts
Alicia G. - Junior County Winner - Dog Care
Lauren S. - Senior County Winner - Dog Care
Kelly S. - Junior County Winner - Sheep
Andrew W. - Certificate of Merit - Shooting Sports
Christian H. - Junior Medalist - Entomology
Robert F. - Senior Medalist - Leadership
Preston M. - Senior Medalist - Square Dance

Primary Certificates to: Nathan B., Hanna B., Hannah H., Michelle H., Kaelo M., Makai M., Kyle S., Joe V., Gabrielle P., and Cameron O.
All of these members will be further recognized at County Achievement Night. Keep up the good work - we are proud of each and every one of you.

Many of Del Arroyo’s members and adults attended 4-H Summer Camp and enjoyed this years
“Breakfast Cereal” theme. Our older members assumed leadership roles of counselors, committee chairs and committee members to help make the camp a success. All attendees made lots of new friends and learned new skills. Did you attend camp? If not, start planning to attend next year. Be part of the 4-H camp ‘family’, fun and fellowship.

Robert & Katie F. and Preston M. attended State Leadership Conference at UC San Diego as delegates. The theme was “Take a Risk”. Tom Fraser also attended and presented sessions for delegates.

The Square Dance Project was offered the opportunity to staff the 4-H Foundation’s booth at the State Fair in Sacramento. Preston M., Kelly S., Robert and Katie F., and parents spent a day handing out information, applying tattoos, and answering questions about the 4-H program. In addition to parents and children getting information about joining 4-H, several 4-H members and alumni from all over the state stopped by and shared their experiences.
Additionally, Kelly S. showed sheep and did sheep showmanship, and Lauren S. did Small Animal Showmanship at the State Fair. Both placed very high in their showmanship classes.

We will set up a display in honor of NATIONAL 4-H WEEK in mid-October at the Civic Center Library. We need a members (new and old) to help with ideas for display and arrangement. Sign up for this committee at our September CC Meeting or contact Chair Amanda Johnston 447-2803.

MEMBERS - If you did not receive your Record Book with this newsletter, you can pick it up at our September Community Club Meeting.

MEMBERSHIP/ENROLLMENT LEVELS are an age based system as follows:
Primary: Must be 5 years old or in kindergarten as of January 1, 2007
Junior, Intermediate & Senior: Must be 9 years old or in 4th Grade by January 1, 2007 and can remain a member through December of the program year in which they turn 19 years old.
For Home Schooled Children, the age criteria only will apply.

ENROLLMENT/UPDATE FORMS are enclosed with this newsletter for returning members and adults. Please complete and return at our September CC Meeting. All forms must be completed and returned, along with registration fees to register for this year. You do not need to make changes on the pre-printed form, as the computer will automatically update age, grade, etc. Enrollment forms for new members will be available at our September CC Meeting or by calling Margaret at 447-6980.

MEMBERS NOTE: Please try to sign up for more than one project. Sometimes, even with the best intentions, a project leader isn’t able to complete a project. Or, it could be that your piano lesson or sporting event is at the same time as the one project you signed up for. Also remember, sometimes the day and time listed in the project description has to be changed due to other commitments of the project leader and you may then encounter a conflict. You must have a completed project report form to turn in at the end of the year or you are not considered a member of Del Arroyo 4-H.
Remember, too, to be a courteous member. Please attend your project meetings. Phone in advance if you are unable to attend a meeting. Your project leader has the right to drop you from the project if you miss two meetings without notifying the leader. Always pay any fees promptly.

NEWSLETTER –This newsletter will be sent via e-mail starting in October. Be sure your e-mail address is clear on the enrollment forms. The electronic newsletter will help you reduce the paper piles in your life and save the club considerable costs. The Del Arroyo web site is now up and running at http://clubs.ca4h.org/alameda/delarroyo/

MEMBER NEWS
Hi my name is Makai (M.). I had fun in the cake booth. My favorite cake was chocolate-chocolate.

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My cavy’s name is Dill. He got his car and he won the first place prize at Alameda County fair. He got a purple ribbon. I did cake booth. We made cakes and money. It was very fun.
By Kaelo M.

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I was in the Rodeo Parade this year. I helped decorate the float, and I rode on the float in the Parade. I had a lot of fun this year. By Hunter O.

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Hi my name is Lauren S., this year at the fair I qualified to participate in the Small Animal Round Robin. That is when the first place showmen from rabbit poultry dog and cavy switch and get to show each other's animals. I qualified through dog so I had a week to learn how to show a rabbit, chicken, and cavy. It sounds like work but it can be really interesting, especially when all the hard work pays off. Now I get to go to the California state fair! Yes, I won at the county fair! There I will compete against all the other county winners. See you at the state fair!

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I liked to turn in the food in the fair and get the money.
By Christian M.

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This year I worked at the Cake Booth at the Alameda County Fair. We sold cake, cookies, and drinks. I also helped clean up the tables. It was fun!
By Cameron O.

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Last year in 4-H, I had a lot of fun. I was in 2 projects Quillting and Cake Decorating. My favorite project was Cake Decorating. I helped out at the Cake Booth and the Thanksgiving community Dinner. At the cake Booth we sold a lot of cakes. At the Thanksgiving community Dinner we sorted cans. That is what I did in 4-H. By Katie J.

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This year at the fair, my brother, sister, and I worked at the cake booth. I decorated cakes and then I got to sell them. It was very fun, and everyone should try to work there next year!
By Kendall O.

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I turned my preserved food into the fair. I enjoyed seeing how I did! It was fun eating the stuff after!
By Amanda M.

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This year at fair was really fun! I won lots of ribbons. I was really surprized, though when I heard by Dill Pickles won Best Preserved Food for 9-11 year olds! It was so fun at fair this year and I hope it is really fun next year! By Caitlin B.

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Hi my name is Carina (S.). This year at the Livermore Rodeo Parade I rode with the Del Arroyo 4-H float. I helped decorate our float by blowing-up balloons and attaching them all over the truck. I had a great time listening to school bands playing, seeing the lavishly decorated floats, and feeling the itchy hay. I love everything about the parade. Especially the fact that every one has a great time!

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I took Yard Beautiful this year. We made ladybugs, whirlygigs, and birdhouses, and I want to do it again next year. By Kendall O.

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This year I worked the cake booth. I served drinks. I also used the cash register. I even swept. After my shift I bought some cake. It was fun and I am going to work it again next year.
By Nathan B.

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This year I helped decorate the float for the Rodeo Parade. We put balloons and posters. I also rode on the float. By Cameron O.

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I worked in the Cake Booth this year. It was fun to meet people and sell them cake and cookies. I had a lot of fun working in the Cake Booth this year.
By Hunter O.

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Camp this year was really fun! All the counselors were awsome and made the time we stayed at camp even more fun! Things at camp that you could do are hikes, swimming, the night hike and lots more! Also almost every night there is a dance. Camp is one of the best things I did this summer! I hope you do it next year. I know I will! By Caitlin B.

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I took 2 lambs to State Fair this year. This fair is much bigger than our fair. I saw baby pigs 1 day old and I watched a calf be born. I also worked in the 4-H booth at the fair. I spoke to the public about 4-H and I gave out bookmarks and put on tattoos. I hope that the kids I talked to join 4H, because 4H is a lot of fun. By Kelly Semonsen

I was in the Rodeo Parade committee this year. I helped decorate the float by putting on balloons and posters. Riding on the float in the parade was fun.
By Kendall O.

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I took the Yard Beautiful project. I was the Junior Leader. I had a lot of fun helping to lead the class and help the kids. It was a lot of fun. By Hunter O.

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Note: Thanks to the above members who submitted articles (some were coerced to before they could swim at the Officer’s Planning Meeting). As always, the news is typed as received including spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc. Our members do a great job. Many of the above contributors are mini members (grades K -3). Newsletter articles earn credits on the PDR Form and towards our Super Member Award. Submit articles to Margaret by the last Friday of each month.

HELP DEL ARROYO RAISE FUNDS by enrolling in the Albertsons Community Partners program. Again, we will attempt to have enough money in our treasury to function this year without any active fund raising efforts, as this has been the wish of the majority of the parents for the last several years. However, we need some funds coming in so that we don’t have to raise member fees. Please enroll your family, your relatives, and your neighbors, and we will receive a percentage of their purchases.

CLASSIFIED ADS - Do you have something to sell? Are you looking for items? Do you have a special announcement? Do you have a service to offer? For $5.00 per month we will run your ad in this newsletter. Ads must be submitted to Margaret, 1435 Heidelberg Drive, with a check payable to Del Arroyo 4-H by the last Friday of the month.

2006 - 2007 OFFICERS & CHAIRMEN

Allyson D., President
Amanda J., Vice President.
Lauren S., Recording Secretary
Caitlin B., Treasurer
Caitlin D., Corresponding Secretary
Hunter O., Reporter
Gavin H., Webmaster
Sean D., Song & Recreation
Carina S., Sgt. At Arms
Kendall O., Sgt. At Arms
Historian
Photographers
Katie J., Telephone Chair
Megan D., Telephone Chair
Madison D., Refreshment Chair
Hannah B., Refreshment Chair
Cameron O., Hospitality
Nathan B., Hospitality
Kaelo & Makai M., Hospitality
Kelly W., Hospitality

ADULT SUPPORT

Margaret Miller, Community Club Leader 447-6980
Adel Barney, Co-Community Club Leader 245-2599
Zel Helstrom, Co-Community Club Leader 373-9447
Lisa Ott, Enrollment 449-4535
Tami Garliepp, Project Leader Coordinator 606-8754
Liz Fratus, Supplies & Awards 455-1851
Kristen Salcedo, Financial Advisor 455-5623
,Community Service

Sept. 20 6:30 pm Enrollment & Installation of Officers
Oct. 11 6:30 pm Enrollment continued & theme program
Nov. 8 6:30 pm Potluck dinner & New Member Orientation
Dec. 13 6:30 pm Presentation Day Workshop & holiday item for veterans
Jan. 10 6:30 pm Presentation Day practices & Valentines for Veterans
Feb. 14 6:30 pm Skit practice and theme program
Mar. 14 6:30 pm Talent Show and Dessert Potluck
Apr. 4 6:30 pm Fair and Camp programs
May 9 6:30 pm Record Book workshop & theme program
May 30 6:30 pm Election of new officers & Record Book turn in
June 6 6:30 pm Awards & Ice Cream Social

All monthly community club meetings are planned for 6:30 pm at Smith School, 391 Ontario Drive, Livermore. Officer meetings are planned for 2:00 - 3:00 pm, the last Wednesday of the month, rotating between Barney’s, 2516 Bess Avenue and Maloney/Helstrom’s, 860 Arbor Court. Watch calendar for location. All officers, chairmen and members are invited and encouraged to attend the officer meetings.

Enrollment costs for the coming year are as follows:
$25.00 for one member
$50.00 for two members (from same family)
and $10.00 for each family member thereafter.
Included in the cost for the year are insurance fees required by the county, as well as club costs for literature, newsletters, awards, scholarships, etc. The club will pay the enrollment fees for leaders.

List of the projects for the coming year is enclosed. Please go over this list prior to the enrollment meeting. Additional projects can be added - all that is needed is an adult leader or a teen leader with an adult advisor. Please remember that a project leader can be any adult who wishes to work with 4-Hers and share their knowledge-they don’t have to have children in 4-H.

SPECIAL NOTES TO PARENTS

The monthly community club meeting is for the entire family. Each member is required to have one responsible adult with them at the meeting, but we would like to encourage you to bring siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. The community club meetings are where your child gets up and speaks, demonstrates a new skill, leads an activity, and children do their best when you, the family, is there to show how proud you are of them. Please come each month and show your support.
Please keep the project list. Circle the projects your children have selected. If you have not heard from the project leader by the November meeting, please call the leader and ask when the project is going to start. If you can’t get a response from the project leader call Margaret Miller at 447-6980.
We would like each parent to register and be certified in 4-H. This is a simple process that greatly expands what you can do. Additionally, 4-H is now requiring 2-deep leadership. Registering all adults in a household satisfies that if you are holding project meetings or committee meetings at home. Registration forms will be available at our September meeting and throughout the year.
Please mark your calendars for the night you are responsible for refreshments and clean up. If you can’t make it to the meeting you are assigned to, please send your refreshments with another member or trade months. Each family should bring 3 dozen large cookies. Clean up consists of putting the benches away, wiping the refreshment table, sweeping the floor, and checking and cleaning restrooms.

LEAD A PROJECT!! We do not have BEGINNING 4-H, ROCKETRY, SEWING, CATS, ARCHERY, WOODWORKING, FORESTRY, JUNIOR OR TEEN LEADERSHIP, GARDENING, FISHING, or many other projects that could be offered to our members. You could help! Please call Margaret Miller at 447-6980 or Tami Garliepp at 606-8754 to get more information and sign up to lead a project.

Would you like to lead a project but are stuck for ideas or just don’t know where to start? Del Arroyo has numerous books and information. Most are designed for 4-H projects and take you step by step through the program. Some of the categories and titles we have are:

Call Margaret 447-6980 to see any of the above information and discuss leading a project.