Alternatively, download a printable version of the December 2024 Cascade County 4-H Clover Connection

Thank You!

Thank you to the following people and businesses that donated to the Cascade County 4-H program over the last month! 

Skyline Vet Services 

William Kessler 

Rob and Deb Hanney 

Travis and Katelin Stanley 

Pat Volkmar 

Hastings Ranch

Office Closures

The MSU Extension Cascade County office will be closed on December 25, January 1, and January 20. 

Montana 4-H Recreation (Rec) Lab 

What is Rec Lab? It sounds like a funny name for a 4-H event. Rec Lab stands for Recreation Lab and means that everything is hands-on and fun! This event is a 4-H member favorite: It provides an opportunity for youth and adults to enhance their leadership, communication, and team-building skills in an action-packed and interactive setting. Rec Lab programming provides participants with tips and tricks for being a better club, camp, and community leader. This event is ideal for younger senior members to attend as a first-time state event. It allows them to form relationships with 4-H peers from across the state, broaden their skills, and widen their network.  This year, Rec Lab will be held in White Sulfur, MT Registration will open in ZSuite early next year. Specific dates and times to be announced.   

Citizenship Seminar 2025
Citizens in Action Event

Get ready to connect with 4-Hers from across the state at the 2025 Montana 4-H Citizenship Seminar! This unique experience offers an inside look at democratic government and the chance to engage with program highlights that make it unforgettable. While everyone may feel a mix of excitement and curiosity, you'll find yourself growing alongside peers and adults alike. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet elected officials and leave a memorable impression as a proud representative of 4-H!  

Montana Citizenship Seminar is designed to inspire 4-H youth as they learn about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Youth delegates gain hands-on experience with the legislative process by participating in a mock legislature, creating and debating bills, working with other youth from across the state, meeting with elected officials, touring the capitol, and participating in a service-learning project. 

When: The seminar will begin on Sunday, January 19 at 3:00 p.m. and ends on Tuesday, January 21 sometime in the early afternoon.  

Where: Helena, Montana – Seminar activities will take place at the Delta Colonial Hotel, the Bill Hamilton 4-H Building at the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds, and the Montana Capitol complex.  

Eligibility: 4-H members must be 13 years of age by October 1, 2024. Citizenship Seminar youth and adult participants will also attend the Legislative Breakfast on Tuesday, January 21st , and the practice dinner on Monday, January 20th.   

Scholarships 

The Montana 4-H Foundation supports 4-H initiatives that focus on healthy living, citizenship, leadership, science, engineering, and technology, to name a few. The mission of the Montana 4-H Foundation is to "help 4-H youth by raising private funds, managing financial resources, and partnering with the MSU Extension Service to fund educationalopportunities for Montana 4-H youth, volunteer leaders, and staff."  See the below link for the Montana 4-H Foundation scholarships and deadlines. 

Scholarships - MONTANA 4-H FOUNDATION 

Cascade County Foundation is reviewing the scholarships and will pass along local-level scholarship information soon.  

Cascade County Upcoming Contests:  

If you are interested in helping with the Communication Contest in the new year, contact Jenn at the office.   

Communications Contest/Foods Festival – Coming soon, more information on the Public Speaking and Food Festival Contest  

Project Day 

Registration is now open on ZSuite for the December 14th Project Day. Project Days are held at the MSU Extension Cascade County office on the second Saturday of the month of November-May from 9:00 am-12:00 pm. Project Days are a great time for youth to attend workshops in the project areas they are enrolled as well as try something new! Project Day workshops are open to all youth apart from the Cloverbud workshop which is only available to Cloverbuds. Cloverbuds are not allowed to participate in other workshops.  

If you are interested in sharing a skill or have knowledge of someone who might want to host in the upcoming project months, please let Jenn know if you are interested in leading a workshop!

Meeting Announcements

Shooting Sports Leaders 

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Shooting Sports Leaders will be Thursday, December 5 at 6:00 pm at the Extension Office. The committee is searching for volunteers to help with the live tournament in February in Great Falls. If you are interested in helping, please email Jenn at [email protected].  

Horse Leaders 

The Cascade County 4-H Horse Leaders do not meet in December. The next meeting will be Tuesday, January 7th at 5:30 pm at the Extension Office and via WebEx.  

Livestock Leaders 

The Cascade County 4-H Livestock Leaders do not meet in December. The next meeting will be Tuesday, January 28th at 6:00 pm at the Extension Office and via WebEx.  

Leaders Council 

The Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council will meet on January 14th at 6:00 pm at the Extension Office and via WebEx.  

Montana 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational 

2025 State Shoot 
We look forward to the 2025 – 30th Annual Montana State 4-H Shooting & Archery Sports Competition!  2025 Competition Dates: To be Determined 

Market Beef Intent 

The Market Beef Intent to Enter form is at the extension office and on ZSuite this year. Intents are due January 6th, 2025 You may also get a copy by emailing Jody at [email protected].   Beef Tags are at the office for those who have not picked them up already. 

Club Meeting Attendance Requirement  

All 4-H members enrolled in livestock projects must attend 60% (or club bylaw minimum) of their club meetings to be eligible to show and sell at the Cascade County 4-H Livestock Show and Sale. Absences may be marked as excused at club Organizational Leader's discretion or if members are attending another 4-H event. Unexcused absences may be made up by attending a 4-H livestock education event. 

Breeding Project Declaration 

New this year, breeding projects must be declared by the species intent date. Cattle (beef and dairy) projects must be declared by April 1, 2025.  

 

Project Books

These have been placed in your clubs' box at the office. Please, if you have not stopped up and got them for your club do so.  A reminder as well for self-determined projects you must have completed all levels of the project before entering.    If you have finished all levels and want to move on to a self-determined project, please contact the office for a guideline book.   

Parade of Lights

Congrats to Sara Graft and the team who helped her coordinate the Parade of Lights float! It was a great start to December representing 4-H in our community. Thank you to all who showed up to walk, brought candy, animals, and themselves to help.   

International Exchange

If your family is interested in hosting an international student, please follow the link to the state website app.  https://www.states4hexchange.org/account/loginication. 

Happy Holidays 

From all of us at the Extension office, we wish you Happy Holidays and thank you for what you do to better our  4-H community in Cascade County.

December 

5 – Shooting Sports Leaders Meeting
14 – Project Day 
15 – Returning Member Enrollment Due 
25 – MSU Extension Cascade County Office Closed 

January 

1 – MSU Extension Cascade County Office Closed 
2 -  Shooting Sports meeting
6 – Beef intent to enter forms due 
7 -  Horse Leaders Meetings 
11 - Project Day 
14 – Leaders Council Meeting 
20 – MSU Extension Cascade County Office Closed 
28 - Livestock Leaders Meeting 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status.