Christmas Time Is Here!

Lights are twinkling, happy music is everywhere. presents are being wrapped, the tree is up & decorated - it must be Christmas time! 

If you can't tell, I'm excited about this!  Christmas means tradition, family, friends & fun - all things that I love.  I wanted to take just a minute to let you know about some great opportunities & general cool stuff that is going on around here right now.

NCSU has used science to prove how Santa can deliver all those presents at once each & every Christmas Eve!  I always asked that question when I was little, and now they have figured it out.  Click here to see how the science works behind the sleigh!

Richmond County 4-H will come together to have our 4-H Christmas Project next Tuesday at 6:30.  We will meet here at the Agricultural Services Center in Rockingham.  We will have dinner, play some Christmas music, maybe look at some pictures from the last year and complete our service learning project.  This year we are again collecting donations for the Back Pack Pals program in Richmond County.  This fellow United Way Agency provides food to children in our schools who may not have access to nutritious food during the weekend.  The club that contributes the most items gets a pizza party on 4-H!  They sent home over 350 bags right - let's try to supply them for a week!

If you are still looking for that perfect present for your loved ones, there are a couple opportunities to support Richmond County 4-H while you shop.  United Way volunteers are wrapping presents for donations at Belk in Rockingham on weekends & the week before Christmas.  Stop in & get your presents wrapped with all the donations going to Richmond County United Way Agencies.

Last, but certainly not least, you can visit JCPenney in Rockingham December 4th - December 13th for the JCPenney Round-Up.  When you check out, the associate will ask you if you would like to round up your purchase to the nearest dollar.  All proceeds from the Rockingham store goes to Richmond County 4-H to purchase curriculum.  JCPenney has hosted two Round-Up events this year and have contributed nearly $700 to the program this year.

We hope that each and every one of you has a wonderful holiday season & remember to take time to enjoy it!

Farm City Week Starts with a Tractor....

Parade, that is!  The Saturday before Thanksgiving is the traditional start of Farm City Week here in Richmond County.  The parade was held in Ellerbe under rain-free skies this year.

John & Velma McInnis served as the Grand Marshals for this year's parade.  John & Velma have a long history of farming in Richmond County.  They are even helping get the next generation of farmers, scientists, doctors, lawyers, nurses & maybe even Extension Agents ready to lead by playing a huge role in the Richmond County 4-H Livestock Program.  They are a constant source of support and encouragement to our 17 youth who showed goats this year.  John also serves on a statewide 4-H Livestock Advisory Committee to help lead state programs in the right direction.  It was a privilege to be able to honor them at the Farmer-City Parade this year!

At least in my mind, no parade is fun or complete without yummy food & sweet treats being available.  This one was no different with venders selling everything from BBQ to hot dogs to baked goods and even fried Twinkies!  Everyone seemed to have a great time visiting the craft vendors too, and maybe got a bit of Christmas shopping started while enjoying the day!

This year was the 2nd year that a FREE craft station was offered by Richmond County 4-H.  We were able to again give youth the chance to make one of two crafts at no cost due to a generous donation from Richmond County Farm Bureau.  The kids who visited the 4-H station could make Little Gobbler Turkeys or Sweet Potato Bead Necklaces!  Everyone had a great time getting creative & we hope you enjoy your crafts & learning more about 4-H!

We want to thank everyone who came out for the Farm-City Week Parade!  Whether you drove a float, smiled & waved from the passagener's seat, sold food or crafts, helped 4-H'ers get creative or simply wanted to enjoy the sights, thanks for spending part of your day with us!  To see all the pictures from the day, please click here!

We hope you take some time this year to be thankful for all the gifts we are given.  Be sure to add one of the safest and easily available food supplies in the world to that list this year!  We look forward to seeing you at the Farm City Banquet on November 24th at the Cole Auditorium when Dr. Jim Clark will share how 4-H history goes hand in hand with America's Farmers!  Tickets are available at the door or the FSA office at 123 Caroline Street. 

Camp for Christmas!

It’s that time again!! No, not for snowflakes and Santa, but for thinking about canoes, crafts and Richmond County 4-H Camp! What better present under the tree than a week of fun and excitement this summer? Forget about enduring the the day after Thanksgiving crowds & visit the Agriculture Service Center to do your Christmas shopping this year. If you pay the deposit before Dec. 19th, we will make your child a certificate to open on Christmas (maybe wrapped inside a new sleeping bag, etc?!?)

We will be camping at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp in Reidsville, NC. We will depart on Sunday, July 25th and return on Friday, July 30st, 2009.

The camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and is staffed by trained and dedicated young men and women from across the country and around the world.
Youth aged 9-14 participate in horseback riding, canoeing, archery, climbing, swimming, arts & crafts, cookouts, campfires, nature exploration, teambuilding, high ropes, and much more. Adventure programs offer older youth (13 and 14 year olds) opportunities to gain compass, GPS and other outdoor living skills, plus participate in rock climbing, swift water canoeing and more. All these activities help youth improve their leadership and communication skills while making new friends from across the state.

If you are interested in more information about 4-H Camp, and to pay a $50 deposit or the whole camp fee of $325, call 997-8255 or email michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu for a copy of the camp form! You can also check out what happened at camp this year by scrolling down to July. There will be an opportunity to receive $50 -$200 Camp Scholarships this year, and the application will be mailed to those having paid their deposits before March 1st!!! Merry Christmas & Happy Camping!!

Richmond County 4-H at the State Fair

The theme at this year’s NC State Fair was “A Whole Lotta Happy!” and Richmond County 4-H’ers should be very happy after their strong showing at all events entered during 4-H’s Centennial Year!  Youth exhibited in the Entomology Displays, Junior Meat Goat Show, Junior Doe Goat Show, and the Heritage Festival during the recent NC State Fair. 

Madeleine Hudson, a Cloverbud 4-H member, made an insect collection with specimens found around Richmond County which was displayed during the State Fair.   She received a green ribbon for her hard work and will be old enough to compete in the category next year.  This family was using Madeleine's work to show younger generations what insects look like & do. 

The 4-H Livestock Club was busy for several days at the fair. During the Junior Meat Goat Show, 13 Richmond County youth displayed their finished products.  They have been working with their animals since early July and sold their goats during the Livestock Sale.  Youth competing in the Junior Meat Goat Show included Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Savannah Chappell, Michael Ezzell, Nathan Ezzell, Abigail Hamilton, Brianna Hamilton, Ryan McInnis, Trey McInnis, Alana McQueen, Grayson McQueen, Will Meacham, and Kristi Reep.  These young people did very well, bringing home three 1^st place ribbons, two 2^nd place ribbons, three 3^rd place ribbons, two 4^th place ribbons, and two 5^th place ribbons. Will Meacham, Jordan Carroll and Brianna Hamilton all had one goat in the Grand Champion class. 

The Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club was again working hard during the Junior Commercial Doe Goat Shows.  Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Nathan Ezzell, Eli Maske, Sarah Maske, Ryan McInnis, Trey McInnis, and DeLani Reep all competed in the Junior Commercial Doe Show. Ryan McInnis showed the Reserve Grand Champion Junior Commercial Doe, which could include any doe (female goat) that did not have breed pedigree papers.  Richmond County brought home two 1^st place ribbons, one 2^nd place, and two 3^rd place ribbons during the Junior Commercial Doe Show.

Finally, Alana McQueen displayed her clogging talent at the Heritage Festival during the fair.  She was selected to be a part of this showcase through her 4-H activities and represented Richmond County well, as usual. 

Congratulations to all of these young people and special thanks to all of the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and community members who traveled to the fair to support these youth as they strive “To Make The Best Better” in Richmond County!  To see all the pictures from this year's State Fair, click here! 

Farm City Week is Coming!

It hardly seems that summer has passed, but already we have a report ready to be published about Richmond County4'H's outstanding showing at the State Fair! That means that it is time to start thinking about Thanksgiving, which means eating lots of yummy food & catching up with family & watching football at my house.

Somewhere in those festivities though, it is important to stop and take a moment to reflect and be thankful for all the blessings that we enjoy. While they are MANY, I think that one of the most important things to be thankful for is the fact that we have all the Thanksgiving goodies readily available! For that, we need to thank a farmer!

Farm City Week allows us to do just that, while strengthening the ties between urban residents and rural America. It shocks me that in the rural county I live in, there are still some children who have never seen a tractor up close, or who do not know where their food comes from. Farm City Week allows us to take a step back from our busy lives and think about the simple gifts that we are given.

Richmond County Farm City Week kicks off on November 21st with the Farmer's Parade in Ellerbe, NC. We will also have a Farmer's Luncheon on November 23rd and a Banquet featuring NC 4-H Historian Dr. Jim Clark on November 24th. Take a look at the Richmond County Cooperative Extension Homepage for all the details & come out to join us at one, or all, of these great events!

Hope to see you there!

Fun at the Fair!

It's that time of year again! Fall always meant changing leaves & warm apple cider where I grew up, but it takes on a whole new meaning in North Carolina.

Fall is Fair Time! Cotton candy, rides, funnel cakes, livestock shows, craft exhibits & so much more. Last night marks the end of the opening week of the Hamlet Lions Club Fair in Hamlet, NC. Extension spent yesterday morning helping our wonderful judges make the tough decisions and place all the animals, crafts, booths & more.

The fair runs through Saturday and opens at 4 pm nightly. To check out the pictures from yesterday, click here!

Keep checking in as Richmond County will have several members competing at the NC State Fair starting this week too!!

Richmond County Goat Show!

Most people will tell you that “office hours” do not include Saturdays, but members of the Richmond County Cooperative Extension Office were hard at work this past Saturday hosting the 2009 Richmond County Goat Show. The Richmond County 4-H Show attracted youth from 7 counties, including Anson, Columbus, Hoke, Moore, Montgomery, Richmond and Union Counties. A total of 41 4-H’ers brought more than 70 animals to the farm of Dale Dewitt in Ellerbe. Click here to see the pictures of everyone!

The Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club really showed their stuff on Saturday by competing strongly in every event. Richmond County 4-H’ers took home all the major awards of the show. The club members competing in the Sandhills Farm Credit 4-H Showmanship Circuit are: DeLani Reep, Abigail Hamilton, Eli Maske, Will Meacham, Jordan Carroll, Trey McInnis, Kristi Reep, Brianna Hamilton, Savannah Chappell, Taylor Chappell, Alana McQueen, Madelyn Chappell, Sarah Maske, Grayson McQueen, Michael Ezzell, Nathan Ezzell and Ryan McInnis. Everyone in the club did a fantastic job and is looking forward to the rest of the show season.

Grayson McQueen was awarded the Senior Showmanship award, while Alana McQueen was the Junior 11-13 Showmanship winner and Jordan Carroll won the Junior 9-10 Showmanship division. The Showmanship classes are designed to gauge the 4-H’ers knowledge, skill with the animal, and hard work. 4-H’ers can be asked questions about their animals and how they are cared for while presenting the animal to the best of their ability for the judge.

Jordan Carroll, a 4-H’er from Richmond County, showed the Grand Champion Doe. Ryan McInnis of Richmond County showed the Reserve Champion Doe. Does are females who will be bred and will continue production on the farm. Does are judged on their frame and structure based on how they would carry the extra weight of being pregnant and the stress of milking.

Wethers, castrated male goats, are judged on the total marketability of the animal. The Grand Champion Market Wether was shown by Madelyn Chappell of Richmond County. Jordan Carroll, also of Richmond County, showed the Reserve Champion Market Wether.

Cloverbuds and future 4-H'ers even got a chance to get in the ring at the show! The Cloverbuds (5 to 8 year old 4-H members) showed their goats in two non-competitive classes and future 4-H members and showmen got to work with an older member or adult and show their animal in the ring. These showmen did a great job and the judge stated that the future of the Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit was bright with these kids as future showmen!

We would like to again thank our Richmond County 4-H Goat Show Sponsors who have already contributed: Richmond County Farm Bureau, Inc., Richmond County Tourism Authority, Iron Horse Auction Co., E.E. Vuncannon, Inc., Wal-Mart, Jordan & Jordan Enterprises, Carolina Farm Credit, Daniel Simmons, Fidelity Bank, Medical Center Pharmacy, Rick & Al’s Carwash, Swink Quality Oil & Gas Co. Carroll Farms, The Brewer Group, Head to Toe, Flukie’s Vehicle Service & Hydraulics, Richmond County Home Builders Association, Gary Welch, Jack & Mary Webb, Anne & Richard Thrower, Dale & Melanie DeWitt, King’s Septic Tank Pumping & Port-A-John, Jerry’s Inc. Witherspoon Heating & Cooling, Maness Tire & Recapping Inc., BB&T, Convenience Corner, EZ Breeders, Danny & Glenda McInnis, Community Home Care & Hospice, Dr. Bruce Akers and Ellerbe Pharmacy. Several individuals and businesses donated funds that were used to purchase pens to be used at the show, including: John McInnis Farm, Danny & Glenda McInnis, Scotland Motors, Inc, Lee Howell & family, and Fidelity Bank. Special thanks to Edwin Richardson of Farm Bureau for awarding plaques and ribbons, Marv Powell, Cary Thompson, Brian Hamilton, Duke Goodwin and Dale DeWitt & crew for setting up the ring and facilities and to Dale & Melanie DeWitt for donating outstanding show facilities and serving as the ring steward and show announcer for the day.

For more information about 4-H Livestock, please contact Michelle Stumbo, 4-H Extension Agent, or Tiffanee Conrad-Acuña, Livestock Extension Agent at 997-8255. United Way of Richmond County also supports Richmond County 4-H Club activities.

Livestock Season Starts with a Shave!

I know, I know, livestock show season with the Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit has not started yet, but Richmond County 4-H goat showmen are already busy working with their show goats for this year! Check out the pictures here!

The Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club recently hosted a fitting and showing clinic at Dale & Melanie DeWitt's farm in northern Richmond County. We were lucky enough to have Brent Jennings, Extension 4-H Youth Livestock Technician, as our guest to help us learn how to show off our animals.

We started the day by learning how to lead our animals in the ring. We found out that we need some "wiggle room" in case we need to move around and that we need to leave a few feet between our animal & the one ahead of us. Everyone was a bit shaky on that first time around the ring, but by the 2nd or 3rd time, everyone was acting like old pros! Everyone practiced bracing our goats. Bracing is basically asking the goat to show its muscles for the judge to see.

We talked about what types of questions judges might ask. Examples: How much does your goat weigh? What is it's name? What breed is it? What would you change about it? What are the four stomach compartments called? How much do you feed it? (Hint: one can is not a great answer!)

After lunch we set up the stands, blowers, clippers & brushes to learn how to trim our animals. We all want our goats to look their best on show day and Brent helped everyone trim one of their goats.

We had a lot of fun & everyone is looking forward to our show and the rest of the show season! The Richmond County 4-H Goat Show will be September 12 at the DeWitt Farm. If you need directions, or would like to make a donation towards show expenses, please contact Michelle or Tiffanee at the Extension office at 997-8255!

Where Have I Gone?!?

I just logged in and realized that I never told all of you that we got home safely from camp! We have been very busy since then and I actually took a bit of time to rest up for all the fun things that are going on this fall!

During the couple weeks since Camp, we have held a one night camp for our Cloverbuds, finished up our Summer Fun classes, started our Livestock Show season with a fitting & showmanship clinic, visited with the US Secretaries of Agriculture and Education and even worked in a trip to Robeson County's Cloverbud Day Camp with Carolina the rabbit.

With our busy summer, I just got a chance to upload Tiffanee's pictures from this summer! I am not the only photographer in our office. Tiff took pictures of the Zoo trip, our Cloverbud Natural Resources Tour, Farm Tour and 4-H Camp. Click here to see Tiffanee's pictures!

Happy & Tired Campers!!

Today was another fun filled day of camp! Our Richmond County Campers are doing a great job at all their activities. After a yummy breakfast of french toast and fruit, campers were again off to their group activities. These included canoeing, crafts, pool, archery, tag games, horse, high ropes, teambuilding and the ever popular choice class. Our Trekker and Adventure groups change their schedule for today & tomorrow and do some different things. The Trekkers left this morning for a trip to Pilot Mountain. They will go rapelling and canoeing and will be back for tomorrow's dance. The Adventurers took a trip to Richmond County this morning! Not in the car, but in their GPS class this morning. They learned how to find map cooridinates and then used their new found skills to go geocaching. The Adventure group is currently camping out tonight and we wish them sweet dreams under the stars!

Those of us back at the main camp got a real treat tonight at the Talent Show. Several campers and staff entertained us with their wonderful talents, including dancing, singing, playing the violin, duck calls, double jointesness, karate, storytelling and more! We even had a special visit from Captin Jack & his pirate friend who acted as our MC's for the evening.

We are looking forward to our last full day of camp tomorrow! The Hands and Health groups are going to visit Chinqua-Penn Plantation tomorrow and we will try to tag along for pictures!

Click here to see my pictures from today. Check here to see some of Lauren's pictures from the week so far. Lauren is the agent from Chatham County who sleeps on the bunk below me at camp. Also, don't forget to send any camper emails by 2 pm on Thursday & to check our Shea Ann's blog at http://www.robeson4-h.blogspot.com/ for more updates and pictures!

More Camp Fun:)

Well, it has been another high-flying (or at least climbing) day of adventure at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp!

The older groups got their shot at water sports today. Check out all the pictures from today, including slip & slide, by clicking here. The Earth, Sun and Trekker groups had a ton of fun tonight playing pool volleyball, getting soapy on the slip & slide and playing wet & silly relay games.

But I'm getting ahead of myself...today has been a bunch of fun. After a yummy breakfast, everyone started back to classes. Classes for today included a trip to the beaver pond, archery, canoeing, arts & crafts, pool, high ropes and climbing wall. I myself got to be a part of the belay team at the climbing wall & I have to say that I am so proud of our campers! The climbing wall can be a pretty daunting task, but our campers were very brave & encouraging.

Our campers got to experience one new class today as well. "Choice" class was a big hit & everyone picked the activity they wanted to for a class period. Even the agents & volunteers got in on the action & tie-dyed some very colorful shirts & pillowcases today. We were also busy shucking some very yummy looking corn for dinner on Thursday evening. We even got to have a nature class be talking with some campers about a couple little bud worms that were hiding under the shucks (don't worry parents, we got all of them out before sending the corn to the kitchen!)

Well, I have had a busy day too, and am going to join the campers & head to bed to get ready for another day of camp fun tomorrow! I plan on getting some time in a canoe tomorrow, so I'll see you on the lake!!!

Camp - Day 2

After busy nights spent chatting with new friends & getting all of our beds just right, we had a great first full day of camp. Campers may have been a bit sleepy at breakfast this morning, but activities like canoeing, hiking, rock wall, horseback riding, swimming and crafts got all of us up & going quickly!

For our evening activity tonight, we played water sports. These included time in the pool, fun & games with a water-soaked parachute, water themed relays and the giant homemade slip & slide. Missy, one of our wonderful volunteers this week, put herself into harms way along the slip & slide to get some great pictures of our campers coming down the hill.

All the campers are snug in their beds and can't wait for the day ahead, but you can see pictures of them by clicking here! Be sure to check out www.robeson4-h.blogspot.com for Shea Ann's posts of camp events! Sweet dreams Campers!!

Safety First...and second...and third...

Recently several Cloverbud 4-H'ers gathered at the Richmond County Extension Office to learn about...Safety! It's something that we don't often think about, but something that is VERY inportant.

We started the day with a visit to the Rockingham Fire Department. Captain Vic McCaskill and the firemen were kind enough to give us a tour of the fire department and the trucks while showing us some of the equipment used to keep us safe in case of a fire. The coolest thing was the heat sensing camera that could find a heat signature on a table AFTER you had moved your hand. It was some very cool stuff that firemen use during fires. We even got a special visit from Sparky the fire dog and a tour of the training facility that firemen use to learn.

When we got back to the office, we got a visit from a REAL doggie! Scooby and his person Cindy came to help us learn how to be safe around strange or not so strange dogs. We learned that dogs need to get to know us a bit before we pet them, and that dogs get to know people by sniffing, since they can't talk. We also learned that it is very important to ask any dogs owner before we pet them and that we should not pet strange dogs that we see wondering around without a person.

After lunch, we had a visit from Big Mac the Clown & his helper Small Fry. They helped us learn about strangers and why they can be dangerous. We learned that strangers do not always look strange (who knew!) and that we should NEVER go anywhere with someone we do not know. We also talked about how to be safe when we are online. We are not to give our personal information (like our last names, phone numbers, or addresses) to anyone online because we don't know who people really are.

Last, but certainly not least, we made All About Me books. These books help us to know information that everyone should know, including where we live, what our parents names are (after all, if you get seperated in the Mall, calling for Mom over the speaker will not do much good) and what we like to do. We got a bit messy and put our fingerprints in the book too. Fingerprints are pretty cool - no one has the same ones you do!

Thanks to everyone who came and helped our Cloverbuds learn how to be safer in a world that can be a bit scary at times! They are better prepared to face that world because of your time with them. To see everything we did that day, click here!

Happy Campers!

Well, it's that time of year again! It's the wonderful time of year when Richmond County 4-Hers get to have fun and experience new things at one of North Carolina's great 4-H Camps! This year 19 youth traveled from Richmond County to Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp in Reidsville, NC for a fun filled week of making new friends & learning new things.

After getting everyone settled into their cabins, the kids got to know everyone in their cabins and headed to the ball field for a cookout. After all the staff, agents and volunteers were introduced and shared an interesting fact about themselves (mine being that that I went to the University of Rio Grande, which rhymes with Ohio because the townspeople did not know how to pronounce it when they named the town) we learned some old time dances and even threw in some new stuff to get everyone on their feet too!

We also had our first campfire tonight too. We sang songs, laughed at skits, watched the fire and generally had a good time.

Be sure to check back often this week for updates! Click here to check out pictures from Sunday & be sure to send any camper emails to michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu!

Happy Congress!!!

I know, I know - Congress was last week & I should be writing about Camp this week. But we were so busy having fun at Congress last week that I did not get a chance to tell you about it. So here goes!

NC 4-H Congress is the highlight of the year for our teen 4-H members. This year Richmond County took four of our wonderful teens, Nathan Ezzell, Grayson McQueen, Courtney Miller and Sarah Tyler to experience Congress. We stayed in the NCSU dorms, ate in the campus dining hall, and generally had a great time.

On Monday we arrived and got started in meetings. We got all of our stuff moved into the dorms and did our best to make them feel like home for the rest of the week. For the evening activity, we traveled to the State Fair Grounds and watched the County Flag ceremony and Fashion Review.

Tuesday was a big day! We started the day with State Finals for Presentations. Richmond County had two presenters, Sarah Tyler and Kristi Reep. Both did an awesome job and Sarah brought home Bronze for her presentation on Fire Safety and Kristi took the Gold for her presentation on Granny's Button Jar. They both did a great job! Congrats ladies!

Tuesday was also a big day for NC 4-H. It was the homecoming celebration for the NC 4-H Centennial! 100 4-H supporters were the first inductees into the NC 4-H Hall of Fame. Mrs. Helen Goodman and her late husband Victor Goodman, Sr. were both inducted into the Hall of Fame for their years of tireless efforts on behalf of Richmond County youth! We were so proud to have two of our outstanding supporters recognized on the state level! Congratulations!!!

After the induction ceremony, which was sponsored by the NC Grange, we headed over to join around 1500 guests at the Fair Grounds for dinner. Among several speakers, Mr. Larry Wooten, President of NC Farm Bureau, spoke about how 4-H and Farm Bureau can work together. Tuesday finished with the Rockin' Clover Bash dance and campaign speaches by state officer canidates. NC 4-H officers represent our members at a wide variety of functions and havning the best person for the job is important.

On Wednesday we all ventured out to our Hands to Service sites. This year, NC 4-H'ers offered over $20,000 worth of volunteer service throughout Wake County. Richmond County joined Chatham and Yadkin Counties at the Total Life Center (TLC), which was a Senior day program. The 4-H'ers helped the TLC participants do some crafts and "chair dances" which involved moving & shaking while staying seated. We ended our fun at TLC with a remdition of the Electric Slide that, if not technically outstand, was rather funny. After some free time at the mall, we all loaded up & headed to Johnston County for the first showing of 4-H Centennial, The Musical. All the 4-H'ers in the production did an outstanding job!

Thursday began with leadership workshops and ended with our Farewell Dance and is always a busy day at Congress. Teens spend most of the morning learning all kinds of things to bring back to the County, including Ambassador basics, teaching & learning styles and ethics. After a yummy lunch, all the 4-H'ers headed into officer elections. Races were really tight this year with 11 outstanding canadates and two runnoff elections. The final officers are: La'Miesha Wittington as President, as Michael Drake as Vice President, as John Norwood as Secretary and Ann Margaret Deitrich as Reporter.

After elections, it time to get ready for the Farewell Banquet and Dance! We all made alot of new friends and reconnected with old ones, and it was really hard to say goodbye to everyone, but we made sure we looked good doing it.

At the Banquet, Ms. Courtney Miller was installed as the South Central District Reporter. We are all very proud of her for taking on this big responsibility and are looking forward to seeing the scrapbook for this year. Before the dancing started, everyone headed to Dorton Arena for the candle-lighting ceremony. For anyone who has not seen it, the 4-H'er make a giant clover & pass flames from the state officers to members, just as 4-H'er's pass excitement for what they do on to others. After much fun was had at the dance, we all headed back to the dorms to pack & get ready to head home on Friday.

All in all, I think we had a great week at Congress! I could not have asked for better representatives of the Richmond County 4-H program and I am looking forward to seeing what these young people accomplish in the days, weeks and years to come. On a side note - the agent had a great year with only 2 wrong turns in Raleigh! Check out the rest of the Congress pictures!

Happy 4th of July & Merry Christmas Too!!

I know, I know, Christmas and the 4th of July are not celebrated in the same month. USUALLY! Recently, Richmond County Cloverbud 4-H'ers celebrated each in big style at the Extension Office during Cloverbud Holiday Craft day.

We started the day by painting flag designs on tee shirts. It was actually really simple! We used masking tape and star stickers to get our designs just right. While they were drying, we also painted tops and star pinsheels to help us celebrate in style. We even learned a bit about how we are to treat the flag and why it looks the way it does! Thanks to Miss Diane and her daughter Danielle for coming in to help us!

After a yummy lunch, which included baked pineapple that many of us tried for the first time, we jumped in the calendar! We did several crafts to keep until Christmas to help us celebrate then too. We made fun picture frames, and started to make Christmas tree boxes, but someone decided that we all wanted crowns instead. Speaking of pictures - check out all the pictures by clicking here! Thanks to Courtney, Sarah & Hannah for helping today as well!!

Fun at the Zoo!

WOW! It has been guite a busy summer for Richmond County 4-H Summer Fun members! Just yesterday we loaded up and traveled to the NC Zoo in Asheboro. 24 of us invaded the Zoo in search of animals (and plants) great and small! And we sure found them. The Zoo houses more than 1,000 animals and 40,000 plants along five miles of paths and we tried our best to find them all! The Zoo is divided into two sections, or continents. We started the day in Africa (and it only took us two hours to get there) and made our way to the North America Exhibit.

In the Africa section we saw everything from gorillas (one of my personal favorites), rhinos, chimpanzees, elephants, zebra, ostriches, sleepy lions, and patas monkeys. Ms. Wanda and Mr. Dave helped us learn about the animals while we waited out a bit of a storm watching the chimpanzees and we want to send them a huge THANK YOU!!

After lunch we jumped the Atlantic & headed to North America. One of our first stops was the bee exhibit that is supported by our very own Richmond County Beekeepers and Richmond County Farm Bureau. There was a hive set up inside with holes that allowed the bees to leave and visit their very own garden. Ms. Courtney Miller, teen helper and the day's photographer, got a couple good shots of the bees entering and exiting the building.

After we took a group shot with the REALLY big bee, we continued to see the animals of the Sonora Desert exhibit, which included road-runners and all kinds of tortoises. After leaving the desert, we saw a grizzly bear, elk, bison and black bear. The Zoo tries to be very environmentally friendly and they had an exhibit set up to help us see the power of movement and the sun.

We then traveled from the praire to the stream to meet several playful (and constantly moving - sorry Courtney) otters, snakes, fish and even a barred owl.

I think one of everyone's favorites was Wilhelm, the Zoo's polar bear. Wilhelm was playing in his pool and Courtney managed to get a couple really good shots of him. He is a special story because he was rescued from a circus where he was not fed the right things and often had to endure temps of 100+ degrees with no air conditioning. However, since coming to the Zoo, Wilhelm has all sorts of things to keep him cool and was having a great time yesterday!

Before taking a quick stop by the gift shop, we also got to meet puffins, sea lions, harbor seals, and a eagle who is new to the Zoo. Everyone did a really great job of playing the quiet game to help him get used to people.

We had a great time, and the rain even missed us for most of the day! Check here for all the great pictures & special thanks to our teen helpers Courtney Miller, Sarah Tyler, Logan Northcutt, and Jasmine Northcutt! We couldn't do Summer Fun without you all!!!

Cloverbuds Shoot For The Stars!

We had yet another adventure with our Cloverbud 4-H'ers recently! We visited the Planetarium in Wadesboro and had a great time. Ms. Phillips was our guide as we visited the stars, planets, animals and exhibits that are housed at the facility. The planetarium is operated by the Wadesboro Rotary and Anson County Public Schools.

We got to learn about constellations that we can see in the night sky and the story behind them. We also got to learn about the planets and their moons (did you know that some planets have more than one!)

After learning about the stars, we had the chance to make our very own constellations with glue and glitter. Ms. Phillips also let us meet several of the animals who live at the Planetarium, including a hamster & a gecko.

On the way home, we even stopped at a local farm stand for homemade ice cream! We had a great time & are looking forward to visiting again! Check here for more pictures!

DAD!! The 4-H Kind!

There are many definitions for the letters DAD. In North Carolina 4-H, they tend to mean District Activity Day! In the South Central District, this event draws youth for the 15 county to compete on a wide range of topics.

Several members of Richmond County 4-H recently showed their presentation skills by competing at District Activity Day. The event was held at East Montgomery High School in Montgomery County, North Carolina. Three Richmond County youth showcased their talents along with over 140 other members of the South Central District.

Kristi Reep (pictured receiving her award from SC District Director Dr. Donald Cobb) competed in the 9-10 Fashion & Fabric Care category. Her presentation was titled “Granny’s Button Jar” and she demonstrated how to sew on a button. She was awarded a Gold medal and was asked to compete at State 4-H Congress in Raleigh.

Sarah Tyler competed in the 14-18 Safety category. Her presentation was titled “Fire Safety” and she spoke on fire prevention & what to do in case you are ever faced with a fire. She was awarded a Silver medal and was asked to compete at State 4-H Congress in Raleigh.

Last, but certainly not least, Alana McQueen showcased her ability in the talent show. Alana clogged to “Charlie Brown.” Alana was awarded a Blue ribbon for her efforts.

Special thanks to all the family and friends who came out to support these outstanding young people! They would not be able to achieve so much without your support. Thanks also to Courtney Miller and Mary Bowles, who volunteered their time to serve as room hosts! We are looking forward to seeing the great things these Richmond County youth do in the future! Click here to see more pictures from DAD!

Technology, Painting & Goat Care - we've been busy!!

It's been a busy couple days & I think it'll stay busy for a while at this point!

Yesterday we had 19 9-13 year olds in the office learning about Internet Safety & Painting Techniques. We traveled to Richmond Community College to discuss Internet safety and how to be safe when we are online. Dr. Carlotta Knotts helped us to find some websites that were safe to go to and we learned that we should never give out information about ourselves over the Internet. Before heading back to the Extension Office, we talked about cyber bullies & how to react when someone says something to or about you online.

After some team building activities, we got out the paints, brushes & newspaper & started painting everything! Well, almost everything:) We started out practicing on paper. Diane Lucas & her daughter Danielle helped us learn all kinds of cool designs! We had to learn to paint really small things, because next we moved to faces! I painted Coleman's face - cool huh?!? Check out the pictures to see what Coleman painted on my face:)

After we were all decorated, we moved on to painting jars. We painted jars to hold everything from dog treats to hair ties to cotton balls! We had to be sure to place our creations in the oven for a few minutes to make sure that the paint stayed on. We got to take our creations home to share & now we know how to create more cool jars if we need them!

This morning we got here early to a bit of a different sight! There was a pen set up behind the building & two goats in it! We learned all about how to take care of them and show them from several members of the 4-H Livestock Club. We got to lead them around the "show ring" and learned how to stay on the right side while showing (don't block the judge's view:) and how to make sure they stay healthy. We finished the class with a game of review darts and everyone has this afternoon free.

We are excited to continue our Summer Fun classes Friday with Sewing Basics! Stay tuned for news as several of our members will travel to Montgomery County tomorrow for District Activity Day!

Summer Fun Starts with a Twirl!

Yesterday was a very important day on the 4-H Calendar. It was the first day of 4-H Summer Fun! What better way to start the 4-H Summer than with 15 Cloverbuds (5 to 8 year old members) learning to dance & doing crafts!


We started the morning by getting warmed up with the help of Ms. Sharon Nichols, who just opened a new Dance Studio in the old Kay building in downtown Rockingham. Ms. Sharon helped us learn everything from the bunny hop to the waltz & as you can tell from the pictures, we had A LOT of fun doing it!

After thanking Ms Sharon & eating a yummy sack lunch, we started doing crafts and team building with a bit of coloring! We made sun catcher key chains and colored several 4-H pictures. They all turned out really cool. We finished the day by learning about communication using Team Chutes, which are actually just parachute panels that we put together to form obstacles to overcome. We learned that it is easier to listen to one team leader than for everyone to try to do things their way. After we figured that out, the obstacles became pretty easy!

As I type, a group of 9 to 13 year old 4-H'ers is at Richmond Community College learning about Internet safety and cyber-bullying with the help of Dr. Carlotta Knotts. I sure hope they learn that this is a safe site to visit:) This afternoon we will be painting everything from jars to faces as we learn about working with different types of "canvases" with Ms. Diane Lucas. Stay tuned for more updates of what our 4-H'ers are learning and doing during Summer Fun!

All Kinds of 4-H Fun!

Yesterday was an exciting day in the world of Richmond County 4-H! Many People are coming together to work for the good of 4-H and Richmond County Youth!

June 1st was the first day of Summer Fun Registration! We registered about 40 youth yesterday for classes that are held during the summer. Classes can be taken on subjects ranging from sewing to livestock to science to CSI to holiday crafts to healthy lifestyles. We are taking a few more trips than we have in the past, including a visit to the North Carolina Zoo, the Rotary Planetarium in Wadesboro, Richmond Community College, and the Sandhills Research Station. Registration will be held at the Extension Office from 9-5 and on an individual basis after Thursday. For more information, including required forms, schedules and class closings, please see the Richmond County Cooperative Extension website at richmond.ces.ncsu.edu.

Also, Mr. Brad Dixon, Assistant Director of Development for 4-H Camps and Conference Centers, Ms. Sharon Rowland, Executive Director, NC Cooperative Extension Foundation & Director of Development for the Central Region and Jim Clark, NC 4-H Historian, visited several businesses and individuals in the county to share the vision for the 4-H Museum Complex at Millstone 4-H Camp in Richmond County. Brad gave a wonderful presentation to the Richmond County Board of Commissioners with support of myself, our County Extension Director Clinton McRae, Millstone Camp Director Gene Shutt and his wife Dorothy, who is a public school teacher, Summer Camp Director William Terry and Head Male Cabin Counselor Will Speight. If anyone would like more information on the project, please check out http://www.nc4h.org/donors/museum.html or call Brad or Sharon at (919) 513-7989.

We are excited about both of these very big projects! Stay tuned for more information on events involving the Museum Project and be sure to come in & register for 4-H Summer Fun!

4-H Operation: Military Kid Camp Gets Funded at Millstone 4-H Camp!

Many of you have probably seen the front page of the Richmond Daily Journal with the article about Millstone 4-H Camp needing some help. Some of you may have even offered your skills as a carpenter, painter or just generally felt concern for the camp located in Richmond County. One Richmond County citizen, however, turned his concern into action, and dollars!

After reading on Friday that Millstone 4-H Camp had lost the $30,000 in support that allowed them to offer a week of Operation: Military Kid Camp at no cost to 100 youth (Guard, Reserve and Active Duty) whose parent(s) have recently, are currently, or are scheduled to serve our country overseas, this concerned citizen got on the phone. On Monday, a generous donation was made to make this camping experience available to 100 Military Youth at Millstone 4-H Camp! As this citizen told me Monday, “Kids ought to get to go to camp.”
Youth at Operation: Military Kid Camp in 2008 participate in Flag Raising Ceremonies to start their day at Millstone 4-H Camp. The Camp will be offered in 2009 thanks to a generous donation from a concerned citizen in Richmond County!

While at camp, youth participate in canoeing, archery, shooting sports, climbing, swimming, arts & crafts, cookouts, campfires, nature exploration, teambuilding, high ropes, and much more. All these activities help youth improve their leadership and communication skills while making new friends. Camp OMK will focus on building coping skills and creating positive outlets for the intense emotions these children now live with daily. Campers build camaraderie as they meet other youth who are going through similar situations, but equally important is the opportunity to enjoy a carefree camping experience with their peers. While at camp, these children will have fun, laugh, learn and just enjoy being kids.

There are actually two OMK Camping opportunities at Millstone 4-H Camp this summer. Thanks for a generous donation from a citizen concerned about this group of young people, youth ages 8-13 will camp July 12th-17th and can accept up to 100 campers. Registration deadline for Camp OMK is Wednesday, June 17, 2009. Cloverbud or Young Heroes Camp, for youth 5 to 8 years old, can experience a shorter version of camp August 2nd-5th and can accept up to 40 campers. The registration deadline for Cloverbud or Young Heroes Camp is Wednesday, July 22, 2009.

If you are interested in more information about either of these 4-H Operation: Military Kid Camps please check the web at www.millstone4hcamp.org for forms or call Gene Shutt or William Terry at 652-5905 with questions.

It's Time to Think Livestock!

Last Saturday Richmond County's Livestock Agent, Tiffanee Conrad-Acuna, and I had quite an adventure! We went to help out with an awesome training at the Robeson County Regional Fairgrounds for about 50 youth & parents/leaders who are interested in showing livestock this year. Charlie Brown, Tiff's retired show goat & horse companion, helped us with the goat section & everyone seemed to get a kick out of our heifer improv as Tiffanee & I helped Robeson County's Livestock Agent Michelle Shooter with the heifer class!

For all the info & pictures, check out the Robeson County 4-H Blog at www.robeson4-h.blogspot.com! We were sorry that no one from Richmond County could attend this year, but are looking forward to seeing how these young showmen grow and care for their animals over the next few months!

Richmond County Goat Showmen after the 2008 Richmond County Show!

If anyone happens to see this & wants more information about showing livestock this fall, please call Tiffanee or Michelle at the Extension Office at 997-8255! We have several youth who show goats in the Sandhills Farm Credit Circuit and some who show chickens and rabbits at local shows. We can even help you find an animal if you don't already have one!

Time for The Teens!

Well, it took me a few days to recover from the late, fun night enough to write this, but the South Central District 4-H'ers met recently at Teen Retreat in Moore County. The county was again a wonderful host to around 100 youth and adults from the 15 county district as they met to conduct business and have fun. This year's District Officers; Nick Clegg President from Moore County, Kelli Hateley Vice President from Stanley County, Allen Monk Reporter from Bladen County, and Ashley Willams Secretary from Cumberland County, lead the meeting.


Richmond County 4-H'ers Nathan Ezzell, Grayson McQueen, Courtney Miller, Logan Northcutt and Sarah Tyler then spread out and attended workshops on scrapbooking, Introduction to the Ambassador program, Botanical Prints, Vermicomposting, and Breaking the Ice: an Introduction to Ice breakers. The workshops were fun, educational and gave the 4-H'ers a chance to meet people from across the district.

After the workshops, everyone loaded up for the short trip to Moore County First Health's fitness center for some swimming and recreation. After everyone dried off, it was time for our district Service Learning project of writing letters for the Operation military Kid program. This programs give Hero packs to children of deployed military parents. Inside each Hero pack is a letter to the military parent and child to thank them for their service and for sharing their lives with the country.

Once all the letters had been written & dinner eaten, it was time for Officer Campaigns. Richmond County was well represented this year with two of our Outstanding 4-H'ers running for district office. Nathan Ezzell ran for Vice President with a campaign slogan of "Come Roll With Me" and Courtney Miller ran for Reporter amongst the flashes of cameras, mostly her own. After a tough night of campaigning and answering questions about their background, opinions and activities, everyone waltzed into the main room for the Dance.

Everyone was up early on Sunday morning & ready to complete the county skits, chants and generally show good 4-H Spirit! After the votes were tallied, the new district officers were announced. Dixie Acorn from Hoke County will be President, Luke Hill from Bladen County will be Vice President, Courtney Miller from Richmond County will be Reporter and Ryan Fairley from Scotland County will be Secretary. After what had to be a very difficult discussion about the great attitudes showed throughout the weekend, Bladen County was awarded the District Spirit Stick for 2009.

Thanks for everyone who went or supported those attending! Don't forget that we will be conducting our Summer Fun Volunteer Training at the next County Council meeting on April 28th. Come hungry, we'll have pizza! Check here for pictures of the weekend!

Here They Come Again!

For the second time this year, something special is growing in my office, and in 23 classrooms in Richmond County! No - it's not mold - it's baby chickens! Teachers and students at Mineral Springs, Washington Street and West Rockingham Elementary Schools are getting their chance to participate in the 4-H Embryology Project!



The growing embryos are on about Day 14/15 of their development. By this point, the embryos are taking up more and more of the egg and have absorbed nearly all of the albumen (or white/clear stuff in the egg). They have feathers over their body & now begin to "look" like a baby chick.

Students have been taking very good care of the eggs, which includes turning the eggs everyday, making sure there is water in the incubator, recording temperature and humidity, and making sure that the incubators is out of direct drafts. We are visiting the classrooms to practice safe handwashing with the 1st graders and chat with the 2nd graders about general agriculture before the babies arrive.

You can check out pictures of the candled eggs be clicking here! We'll be sure to add some more pictures when the babies arrive, which should be about this time next week.

Happy Hatching!

They're Here!!!

The day has finally arrived! When I got to the office yesterday, I heard the faint sound of chirping coming from the incubator. Several hours later, our first two chicks hatched! Overnight, many followed suit and we now have more than 20 here at the 4-H office! I was able to visit several classrooms yesterday and many had chicks starting to hatch as well.

As fun as today is, the 4-H Embryology project is about more than just hatching chicks! Through this project, 24 Richmond County 1st and 2nd grade classrooms have cared for eggs for the past 21 days. After the teachers attend a training with Miss Michelle, they are ready to receive equipment and eggs. During the course of the project, students learn about life cycles, agriculture, biosecurity, record keeping and more! Students have written stories, made books and completed timelines to help them learn more about the chicks and why we treat them like we do.

Farm Bureau partners with us to help ensure success of 4-H Embryology! Special thanks to them for assisting with this program.

And - since they are so fun to look at - here are pictures of some of our chicks!

Auction Nears!

A benefit auction and plate sale for the 4-H program in Richmond County will be held on March 6th at Browder Park in Rockingham, North Carolina. Proceeds will be used locally to support leadership and youth development through programs ranging from school enrichment programs, to summer camps, to Summer Fun classes, to leadership trainings, to club activities.

As you can see, we have collected a wide variety of items! There will be something for everyone at the Auction, from fishing poles & cowboy hats to prom dresses & punch bowls! We also have a large number of gift certificates to auction, including dinners at your favorite local restaurants, nights away from the house at some of the best places to rest your head in Richmond County, and even $100 off a used car!

BBQ or chicken plates from Jordan’s Catering will be available for sale at $7 from 11 am to 7 pm. Five or more plates can be delivered if preordered by Feb 27th. Please call or stop by the office to purchase tickets or order a delivery. A limited number of plates will be available for purchase on the 6th, so get your tickets early! FirstHealth of Richmond County will be sponsoring drinks for those that plan to eat onsite.

If you would like to mail a donation, please make the check payable to Richmond County 4-H and mail to PO Box 1358, Rockingham, NC 28380. If you would like to donate any items, you can bring them to the Cooperative Extension Office at 123 Caroline Street, or call 997-8255 for an item pickup. All donations are tax deductible.

Thank you for helping us make the best better for Richmond County youth!

They Just Keep Growing!!!

After nearly 21 days of turning and monitoring, our eggs are almost ready to become chicks! The "due date" is next Tuesday, March 3rd. Students and teachers in 24 classrooms are getting ready to see if their hard work has paid off with live chicks hatching in their classes.

If you look closely at the pictures, you can see the blood vessels and the embryo taking up even more of the egg.

When the chicks hatch, they will use what is called a "pipping tooth" to break the shell from the inside. They do this all on their own & don't need any help from us humans! We are looking forward to seeing the chicks for the first time early next week, and will be sure to post pictures here for all of you to see!

HAPPY HATCHING!!!

NC 4-H turns 100 years old in 2009! A program that began as corn clubs for boys and canning clubs for girls has grown into one of the largest youth development programs in the state, nation and world. Not many organizations can say that. Whatever role you have had in the 4-H program, we want to take time this year to celebrate that role! Click here to see pictures of the fun!

4-H Achievement Night was held on Feb 9th at the Richmond County Cooperative Extension Office. County Council officers Nathan Ezzell, Ryan McInnis, Courtney Miller and Grayson McQueen presided over the evening. 4-H'ers received awards for all of their hard work throughout the 2008 year and were encouraged to participate even more this year! We are very proud of all of our 4-H members in Richmond County and look forward to what they will do next.

Not only were our 4-H members honored for their hard work and success, but our wonderful 4-H volunteers were awarded for all that they do to make 4-H a wonderful program. 4-H doesn't work without the help of many, many people and we could never do enough to thank them for all they do.

In honor of the North Carolina 4-H Centennial Celebration, everyone enjoyed birthday cake and party games. Anyone not attending will get their certificate in the mail in the coming weeks. For more information about 4-H, please contact Michelle at 997-8255 or michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu. You can support the Richmond County 4-H program by supporting the United Way of Richmond County and during the upcoming 4-H Auction & Plate Sale on March 6th at Browder Park in Rockingham, NC. The Plate Sale will go from 11 am to 7 pm with the Auction starting at 7 pm.

2008 County Fair Educational Booths……....4-H Livestock Club
Project Record Books.....................................9-10 Year Olds - Jordan Carroll
11-12 Year Olds - Trey McInnis
13-15 Year Olds - Nathan Ezzell
2008 District Activity Day Presenters………Courtney Miller, Katie Miller and Kristi Reep
2008 Talent Show .........................................Maggi Chambers –(Singing), Chloe Eaton – (singing), Gabrielle Eaton – (Storytelling) and Alana McQueen - (Clogging)
2008 4-H Fashion Show……….......................Delani Reep & Kristi Reep
2008 4-H Congress Delegates…………............Nathan Ezzell & Courtney Miller
During last year’s Congress, Michael Ezzell was inducted into the NC 4-H Honor Club. This is a very elite group and induction is truly an Honor. Great job!
2008 4-H Livestock Showmenship Circuit……Abby Allen, Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Savannah Chappell, Taylor Chappell, Christin Deese, Elizabeth Deese, Michael Ezzell, Nathan Ezzell, Abigail Hamilton, Brianna Hamilton, Sarah Maske, Ryan McInnis, Trey McInnis, Grayson McQueen, and DeLani Reep
2008 4-H Shooting Sports State Competition
2008 Junior Black Powder 2nd Place Winner.……………....Tyler Dove
2008 Senior Shotgun 2nd Place Winner…………………....…Mark Allen
2008 Senior Sporter Rifle 3rd Place Winner…………....……Austin Wiggins
Team Sporter Rifle 1st Place…………..……………………..........Richmond Rangers: including Aaron Wiggins, Austin Wiggins, Michael Smith and Mark Allen
Two Richmond County 4-H members even went to the National 4-H Shooting Sports Tournament in Nebraska. Tyler Wilson placed 6th and Aaron Wiggins placed 9th in small-bore silhouette.
2008 Junior Camp……………….......................Hailey Bass, Gary Boyette, Hannah Craven, Jackson Carter, Olivia Farrah, Andrew Greene, Brandon Greene, Aidan Kegebein, Andi Luther, Ronald Maynard, Victoria Jade McCaskill, Bradley McPherson, Katie Miller, Alyssa Rush, Mikala Smith, Luke Souder, Myers Souder, Andrew Tamura, Rusty Wadsworth & Hannah Webb
2008 Summer Fun Volunteers…………………..Nathan Ezzell, Ryan Hudson, Ryan McInnis, Grayson McQueen, Courtney Miller, Tabitha Reeves, & Logan Northcutt
4-H Leaders
These people have completed all required volunteer trainings and have submitted all required forms to be a 4-H volunteer! Several others in the county are well on their way to completing all the forms and the initial training and we look forward to honoring them next year. We would not have much of a 4-H program without the hard work of many people and we are honored to have these people in the program!
Jan Allen, Mark Allen, Jerry Andrews, Chris DeWitt, Randy Ezzell, Tracy Ezzell, Rosa Gales, Reva Horne, Mamie LeGrand, Valeria Lunceford, Leon McRae, Anne Miller, Albert Purvis, Joe Purvis, Hattie Reep, Naomi Reese

GREAT JOB EVERYONE! WE"RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE IN 2009!