Dear 4-H'ers, leaders and parents,

CRAFT DAY March 14
Craft Day will be held Saturday, March 14 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the lower level community room of the Courthouse. The following crafts will be offered and you need to call the office at 377-4277 by Monday, March 9 to register for your two(2)choices. Wear old clothes as you will be painting.

Photo Clip and Bean Bag Ball
You will make a photo or message clip out of a big clothes pin, decorate it with paint or scrap booking material. You will also be making a bean bag ball out of balloons and lentils or beans. We will try to set up a bean bag toss so you can try out your new bean bag.

Bunny or Puppy
You will use a 2x4 and paint a cute bunny or
puppy face on it. You can make ears out of
fluffy material if kept indoors or use screen
if you want it for a yard decoration. You can
add carrots or bones and a ribbon if you like.

Cookie Sheet Magnet Board
For this project you will use a metal cookie sheet and decorate it for a bulletin board in your room or stall at the fair. You can add a decorated can to hold pencils and make your own magnets also.

Flower Pot Projects
For this craft you will use clay flower pots
and make a pin cushion out of one and the
other three go on a board and you can use

them as a desk caddy to store pens and
pencils, paper clips, hair items,
earrings, etc. You will be painting
and decorating the pots& board.


So call now and let us know what TWO projects you would like to do for craft day, March 14. We could also use junior leaders and leaders to lend a helping hand. Call and let us know if you can help, 377-4277. Remember to register by March 9.

FRUIT SALE Starts Feb 13, ends March 6
The Dawson County 4-H Fruit Sale will begin on Friday, Feb 13 after school. Your leader or your parents will be getting your material to you or you can stop by the office and get your own. Leaders or parents: please pick up your kids' or club's material for the fruit sale at the office from Feb 9-13. If you cannot pick up your fruit information please call. It is GATE weekend the 13 & 14 and Sherry will not be in the office then. Forms will be on the counter. PLEASE DO NOT SELL EARLY! ANYONE WHO SELLS EARLY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR TOP PRIZES!

If you are new to 4-H this year, the Dawson County 4-H has conducted a fruit sale each year as a money making project and we ask each of the kids to sell as many boxes as they can. The money generated from this helps pay for camps, Congress, craft day, day camp, and pays dues for 4-H'ers and leaders. This past year it also paid for all the 4-H literature you needed for your projects.
We are selling the beef sticks and the string cheese sticks again. The beef sticks are like a jerky stick. Each member should try to sell 5 boxes of fruit, beef or cheese--this is your fair share! Let's try our best and make some money for yourself and 4-H.
All receipts and order forms will be dated with the current year. Please use current year material. If you need extra forms, they are available at the Office. Stop by and pick more up or call and we will mail them. I hope to email the receipt to you also so you have one to work with. It will also be available on the web, so your customers can look at it while you talk to them -- www.dawsoncountymontana.org. Click on the 4-H page and the receipt is on the bottom of the page.

One credit is counted as a 18 or 20 pound box and sells for $20 or $18. Two credits are counted for the $25 boxes. One credit each is counted for the string cheese and beef sticks. Prize money is paid out after all money is turned in. For each small box of fruit sold the 4-H'er gets $1, and for each $25 box sold you receive $2. You get $1 for apple & pear boxes, string cheese and beef sticks.

Number of credits to be sold in order to receive prizes or trips:
Sell 3 credits, get a free day camp. (Cloverbuds eligible for this)
Sell 25 credits, get free 4-H camp-Ekalaka (regular 4-H'ers only)
Sell 30 credits, get $10 plus one free camp
Sell 20 credits and go to Congress free (or you will need to pay $25 towards your expenses to go) 14 & older by 10/1/08
Sell 35 credits and get a free Jr Hi Camp
Sell 10 credits, get free horse clinic($20 value, 15 boxes if $30)

The top eight sellers over 20 credits will be awarded these prizes:
1st - $40 5th - $20
2nd - $35 6th - $15
3rd - $30 7th - $10
4th - $25 8th - $5

DO NOT TURN IN HALF BOXES SOLD TO THE EXTENSION OFFICE. You can sell half boxes but you have to find people to take the other half. Please write plainly and double check your figures on the order forms. Boxes are missed by not carrying them to the bottom line.

FAMILY PRIZE - $40 to the family selling the most fruit. (A family is classified as 2 or more 4-H'ers) The top individual can’t claim family prize. This prize was designed to go to a separate family.

CLUB PRIZE -$50 to the club averaging the most boxes per member. The fruit rep also sponsors a pizza party for the top club.

ADDED PRIZE - $25 cash prizes will be awarded to the top sellers from the fruit company. One prize for each 4,000 pounds of fruit sold. Last year we awarded this to the top 6 sellers.

ANYONE WHO SELLS EARLY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR TOP PRIZES!

Turn your orders into your leaders or the ofice by MARCH 6. Leaders please turn your orders into the Extension Office by MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 9. The fruit man is calling me THAT AFTERNOON! The contest ends when the order goes into the company. (If you get a late order, call me, the fruit man is good about letting us order late.)

It is Dawson County policy that there will be no charge for delivery of fruit. You are responsible to deliver the fruit you sell and please do it in a timely fashion. All fruit should be delivered within 4-5 days. The 4-H Council will put an ad in the paper and it is expected to come out in the Sat/Sun paper, Feb 14/15. We will try to do some radio ads also. Would you be interested in helping do the radio ads? Call us at 377-4277 and let us know.
The fruit is expected to be delivered to MDU on Friday, March 27.

Turn in all money by April 10 or you will be charged a late fee.

Enclosed is a state & county calendar for you to keep posted on the fridge to keep up with 4-H events.
Here is some state info and there are some county funds available for people interested. Call the office for more details.

MT 4-H Horse and Livestock Leaders Forum, Feb 27-Mar 1
Office has more information.



State Rec Lab March 20-22, Forsyth
Office has more information




Sherry Corneliusen Bruce Smith
4-H Assistant County Agent
The Montana State University Extension Service is an ADA/EO/AA Veteran’s Preference Employer and educational outreach provider.