• July 25-Aug. 20: Colorado/Japan month-long summer exchange (incoming)
• Aug. 16-Sept. 7: Colorado State Fair, Pueblo

• 2005 NRCS Environmental Awards
• NRCS Youth Environmental Awards

Colorado Make it Yourself With Wool Contest

The Colorado Make it Yourself With Wool contest has been set for Saturday, Dec. 3, in Burlington at the First Christian Church. Individuals who have made a garment using a minimum of 60 percent wool fabric or specialty wool fibers like mohair, cashmere, alpaca, camel, llama or vicuna are eligible to enter. Garments entered in the contest must have been completed after Jan. 1, 2005.

Please share the above information with 4-H members who are enrolled in the wool unit and others within your community that may be interested in participating. Entry blanks and further information was mailed directly to each Extension office. If you need additional entry forms or have questions concerning this event, contact Sheri Rider, Colorado Director, 47910 RD Y, Burlington, CO 80807, phone 719.346.5251 or via email at srider@fone.net — Connie Cecil

Forestry Award

The Colorado Forestry Association will again provide Savings Bonds to the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion 4-H Forestry projects at the state fair. The bonds will be ordered immediately after selection so that they may be presented to the recipients during their county achievement night programs. — Connie Cecil

Unit 5 Creative Sewing

Please note that the requirements for Unit 5 Creative Sewing are not correct in the State Fair Exhibit Requirements. The member does not have to have a universal record, but they do need to have the MJ0605 4-H Creative Sewing Member Manual and Record. If the member has done a universal record that is ok. Please contact me at 970.491.7883 if you have questions. Thank you! — Connie Cecil

Audio-Teleconference to be Held August 9

The Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center (UDETC) will hold an audio-teleconference on Aug. 9, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. The conference, titled “Leveraging Underage Drinking Resources,” discusses use of available resources to help communities limit youth access to and consumption of alcohol. To register, click on http://www.udetc.org/Registration.asp. - Jan Carroll

Essential Elements

The DVD copy of Cathann Kress’ presentation: Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development is back in my office. This is a philosophy that values youth, provides the foundation for the 4-H program, and ensures significant impact. Please let me know if you would like to borrow it. - Jan Carroll

NRCS Environmental Award

Through the generous support of the NRCS, National 4-H Council will recognize three exemplary programs through the NRCS Youth Environmental Awards Program with awards of $7,500 each. One staff member from each program awarded will be sponsored to attend the 2005 National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) Conference in Seattle, WA, Oct. 30-Nov. 3.

The NRCS Youth Environmental Awards encourage outreach and replication – and therefore increase the impact – of successful 4-H programs. In addition to national recognition and monetary support, recipients are required to disseminate program information at state, regional, and national youth development professional meetings and conferences. This enables 4-H’s most successful programs to share and promote best practices, furthering their reach.

The NRCS Youth Environmental Awards will recognize the best of 4-H environmental stewardship and conservation programs and outreach that successfully meet the criteria outlined in the attached application. This award gives financial recognition to existing successful programs, not funding to start new programs. The financial award will be given to the 4-H Extension Unit (county extension office, state 4-H program office, state or local 4-H foundation, etc.) that is involved in the planning and implementation of the award-winning program.

To be eligible for awards, programs must address one of the following issues:

• Water Resources
• Soil Resources
• Atmospheric Resources
• Grazing Land and Forestry
• Wildlife Habitat

For further information please download the attached PDF files. Applications are due back to the State 4-H office (attn. Ellen) no later than Thursday, Aug. 18. We will then forward the applications on to National 4-H Council by Monday, Aug. 29. Please direct all questions to Sheila Chaconas at the National 4-H Council: 301.961.2858 or e-mail schaconas@fourhcounci.edu — Ellen Butler