On April 24, 44 4-H’ers descended on Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center in Johnston County for the 2013 State WHEP Contest. Nine counties entered two senior division teams and seven junior division teams.

In addition, 12 individuals and nine Cloverbud 4-H’ers participated in the contest that included wildlife identification and general wildlife knowledge, wildlife foods, aerial photo interpretation and onsite wildlife habitat recommendations.

Alamance County’s top-scoring senior division team will represent North Carolina at the National 4-H WHEP Invitational this July in Indianapolis, Ind. Members of the team are Emma Bailey, Courtney Eckmann, Nathan Troxler and Zachary Weidemann, and their coaches are Christy Bailey, Kim Eckmann and Barbara Weidemann.

“We came hoping to win this year and had already mapped out a route to the national contest. Of course, we are going!” said team member Courtney Eckmann.

Henderson County placed first in the junior division, with Alleghany and Wilson counties placing second and third respectively. Tatum Epperson from the Henderson County junior team received the state contest high score.

The nine counties that fielded teams in the state WHEP Contest are Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Catawba, Henderson, Jones, Lee, Wayne and Wilson counties.

WHEP (Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program) is a 4-H program teaching youth about wildlife and the management of their habitats. WHEP is sponsored nationally by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and International Paper. N.C. Extension Forestry, within N.C. State University’s College of Natural Resources, supports and promotes the WHEP program in North Carolina.

-R. Strnad

Matt Martin, turfgrass associate at Castle Hayne Research Station, received the NCACES Special Specialist Award. Martin was nominated by Daniel Simpson, Pamlico County agriculture agent. NCACES recognizes both specialists and associates that serve in the role of specialist.

In his nomination, Simpson wrote, “Matt has greatly impacted the turfgrass industry in Pamlico County and Eastern North Carolina. He is one of the first specialists that most growers or Extension agents contact with a question. Many growers owe their start and success to working with Matt.”

Dr. Barbara Fair, landscape horticulture specialist at N.C. State University, received the award for Outstanding Individual Program. Fair was nominated by Cyndi Lauderdale, agriculture agent in Wilson County. Fair was recognized for developing Waterwise materials for landscapers, nurserymen and agents to explain how the Green Industry can use water wisely.

Lauderdale wrote, “Dr. Fair is always willing and eager to come to the county when asked. One such event is the Eastern Landscape Conference and Trade Show in Wilson.

… Barb develops new programs for each presentation and caters to the audience. She also teaches classes, performs research and keeps agents up to date on items facing the green industry.”

Others nominated for awards and nominators are:
Lucy Bradley, nominated by Charlotte Glen;
Mike Parker, nominated by William Hanlin; and
Ron Heiniger, nominated by Alton Wood and the NE Ag Expo Team.

-N. Hampton

The 2013 Harnett County mini-grants are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The four mini-grant recipients are:

Jacob’s Mobile Market
Based out of Erwin, Jacob’s Mobile Market works with several local farmers to bring their produce to farmers’ markets. The market is expanding in the next year to include mobile drop-off points throughout western Harnett County. The mobile market accepts Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Vouchers and the Women, Infants, Children Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. The mobile market would like to expand drop-off points to churches, fire departments, neighborhood community centers, senior centers or other interested partner organizations.

Jacob’s Mobile Market is also expanding its growing space and works with  local FFA chapters to train our next generation of farmers. The plan is that 10 percent of the produce grown by this garden will be donated to the Harnett County Food Pantry.

To find out more, or to schedule a stop at an organization you work with, contact Jody Currin through at jodycurrin@aol.com or 910.897.4566.

Think Smart Outreach Center
Think Smart Outreach Center in Erwin is a 21^st-century community learning center, whose mission is to ensure that youth have access to programs that stimulate their development, intellectually, socially, physically, culturally and ethically. Think Smart is starting a new project to involve health education. The center will use grant funds to provide nutrition education classes through Cooperative Extension’s EFNEP program to families of students in Think Smart after-school program. The center is also expanding the physical activity capabilities by providing more activity equipment and Zumba classes.

To find out more about Think Smart and its programs, please contact the main office at 910.814.TSOC or tsoc2005@yahoo.com.

Lillington Star Free Will Baptist Church
Lillington Star Free Will Baptist Church is a faith community serving the Lillington/Shawtown area with a commitment to community outreach and engagement. Lillington Star will use mini-grant funds to offer opportunities for physical activity to the congregation and local residents. The church is purchasing a gaming system with fun physical education games for youth and adults to use to have fun while being active. The church is also purchasing equipment for a small gym-like space that will be free and open to the community and signs for a small walking trail on its property.

For more information on this project, contact Crystal Baker through email crystalbaker1978@yahoo.com or at 910.658.1136.

The Mustard Seed Community Garden at Campbell University
The Mustard Seed Community Garden began in 2012 as a partnership between several groups at Campbell University when word spread that the Harnett County Food Pantry was going to close because it had run out of food. Located on Highway 421 beside campus intramural fields, the garden feeds 200 families a week during harvest time through the Dunn Recruiters for Christ food bank. Campbell’s Campus Ministry applied for grant funds to increase the size and growing capacity of the garden in order to increase donations to the Harnett County Food Pantry and other groups.

For more information on the Mustard Seed Community Garden, please contact Kristina Wolfe via email at klwolfe0415@email.campbell.edu or at 910.616.0929.

Voices into Action thanks all who participated in the review committees and those who applied for grants. Information on 2014 Harnett County Mini-grants will be available this fall. To learn more about Voices into Action, visit the website at: www.voicesintoaction.org.

-K. Rosenbaum

Morris F. White III is the new Vance Cooperative Extension director. White’s appointment as Vance extension director was announced by Sheri Schwab, associate director and director of county operations for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at North Carolina State University, and Jerry Ayscue, Vance County Manager.

White succeeds Mary Helen Jones, who retired in August 2012. White’s appointment is effective today, May 1.

White has served as 4-H youth development extension agent in Emporia and Greensville County, Va. since 2007, while since 2010, he has also served as extension unit coordinator. Prior to joining Virginia Cooperative Extension, White taught history in public schools in Warrenton, N.C. and Crewe, Va. He also worked for the National Park Service as a park guide in Jamestown and Petersburg, Va.

The new Vance County director holds a master’s degree in career and technical education from Virginia Tech University and a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Virginia Union University.

White brings leadership and programming expertise to the Vance County Extension center, said Jim Cowden, director of Cooperative Extension’s North Central District, which includes Vance County.

“Morris has served as a facilitator for strategic planning and community leadership throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Cowden said. “He managed the Turning the Tide on Poverty community project and has collaborated with public and private organizations that share Extension’s mission and objectives.”

Cowden added that White hired, trained and evaluated staff as unit coordinator in Emporia and Greensville County, Va.

– Dave Caldwell

Furr’s appointment as Cabarrus Extension director was announced by Sheri Schwab, associate director and director of county operations for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at North Carolina State University, and Mike Downs, Cabarrus County Manager.

Furr joined Cooperative Extension as a 4-H agent in 1995, working with 4-H youth in Stanly, Rowan and Mecklenburg counties. He also served as a school age child care systems manager from 1991 until 1995.

The new Cabarrus director holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a master’s degree in liberal studies with specialization in public administration and non-formal youth development from North Carolina State University.

Furr served as board chair for the Mecklenburg County Partnership for Children in 2011 and 2012. He was a regional winner of the 2009 4-H Innovator Award given by the National Association of 4-H Agents. He also won two other awards given by the association, the 2006 4-H Club Program Support award and 2004 Distinguished Service Award.

“Robbie is an outstanding leader who has demonstrated effective leadership skills,” said Clinton McRae, director of Cooperative Extension’s South Central District, which includes Cabarrus County. “Robbie is fortunate to be able to join an experienced staff that has created great educational programs. Additionally, Robbie is joining a great Cabarrus County administrative team.”

– Dave Caldwell

Military youth,children of reserve, guard or active duty members of the U.S. military service, attended the game for free and ran out on the field with Wolfpack team members for the singing of the national anthem. In addition, game day fans had a chance to see Airmen parachute into the Doak Stadium.

N.C. 4-H Youth Development’s Operation: Military Kids (OMK) organized the military youth who participated in the “Run with the Pack” during the opening ceremonies. Fifteen military youth ages 5-14 were selected to run out with the Wolfpack baseball players as the line-up was announced.  This was NC OMK and N.C. State Athletics’ fourth year providing military youth a chance to “Run with the Pack.” The baseball event is sponsored by N.C. State’s Army ROTC program.

Two parents, whose children participated in the event, thanked 4-H and N.C. State Athletics for including their children in the baseball game activities.

“Thank you for making this happen! I’m currently deployed so I wasn’t able to attend but my son and wife had a great time,”said Wayne Schutts, 2^nd Platoon, 2^nd Squad Alpha Team leader, North Carolina Army National Guard.

(Photo courtesy of N.C. State Athletics)

Military youth prepare to take the field at the baseball game.

“I know that my children had such an amazing time! They will remember this for the rest of their lives. Thanks,” said Ada Jacobs, United States Air Force wife and mother.

North Carolina is home to more than 123,000 active duty, reserve and guard troops, whose families include more than 109,000 military youth through age 18.

4-H in North Carolina serves the state’s military youth through a number of initiatives, including summer camping programs, 4-H programs and activities, a Mobile Technology Lab where youth create messages for their deployed parents; Speak Out for Military Kids, a program that trains youth to understand and advocate for military youth issues and inform citizens on building community networks to support military families.

For more information on 4-H military youth programs, contact J. Scott Enroughty at 919.515.8500 or scott_enroughty@ncsu.edu  Visit the websites at www.nc4h.org/military  or  www.operationmilitarykids.org.

Dr. Mike Walden, William Neal Reynolds professor and North Carolina Cooperative Extension economist in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, says that agriculture and agribusiness accounted for almost one-fifth of the state’s income and employees in 2011.

During that year (the latest for which figures are available), more than 17 percent, or $77 billion, of the $440 billion gross state product was contributed by food, fiber, and forestry industries.

These industries accounted for 642,000 of the state’s 3.8 million employees.

More information is available in Walden’s new fact sheet:
http://www.ag-econ.ncsu.edu/faculty/walden/agribusiness-2013.pdf

J. Scott Enroughty, OMK-North Carolina project coordinator, 919.515.8500 or scott_enroughty@ncsu.edu

April is the Month of the Military Child, a time to recognize the sacrifices made by military families and their children. To support children whose parents are serving in the military, North Carolina 4-H is a partner in Operation: Military Kids.

Operation: Military Kids is a national effort to support children of deployed soldiers from all branches of the military including the Guard and Reserve. OMK is sponsored by Army Child, Youth and School Services, in collaboration with National 4-H Headquarters, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, American Legion, Military Child Education Coalition, National Child Care Aware Association and other state and local organizations to help military children meet others like themselves.

Children whose parents have been deployed live with uncertainty and concern for their parents on a daily basis. Many families learn to be flexible, but long deployments can be difficult for military children. In the 10 years since the war began in Iraq, many children have seen their parents leave more than once.

“Military children look the same to teachers, friends and the community after a parent deploys, but their lives have changed dramatically,” said Dr. Harriett C. Edwards, North Carolina Cooperative Extension State 4-H Military Liaison.   “We want to help them connect with other youth in similar situations and to use the Operation: Military Kids initiative as a way to link up with other youth in the community.”

Activities for military kids are ongoing throughout the year and throughout North Carolina. The following April events across the state are offered for Month of the Military Child.

April 6 – N.C. State University and OMK-NC’s Military Appreciation Day Baseball game, N.C. State University’s Doak Field, Raleigh, 1-6 p.m. military equipment will be on display. Service members can get in free with an ID; spouses or family member with a service member can attend for $3. Those 17 and under are free. For more information, contact Scott Enroughty 919.515.8500 or scott_enroughty@ncsu.edu.

April 13 – Month of the Military Child Celebration Day, Special Operations & Airborne Museum, Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

April 20 – Month of the Military Child Expo, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

April 20 – Third Annual “Celebration of the Military Child,” Pinehurst Arboretum, Pinehurst, 12 noon – 3 p.m.

April 20 – University of North Carolina and OMK-NC’s Inaugural Military Appreciation Night Baseball, UNC’s Boshamer Stadium, Chapel Hill, 6 – 11 p.m.

April 27 – Military Family Day Event, The Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education, Raleigh, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.,   sponsored by Fleet Feet Sports and Poe Center for Health Education

April 30 – Operation: Military Kids North Carolina 6^th Annual Visual Arts Contest, artwork due in state N.C. OMK office. Artwork in various media will be judged and displayed at various events across the state. For information on the contest, visit the N.C. OMK website — www.nc4h.org/military/.
For questions, contact Scott Enroughty 919.515.8500 or scott_enroughty@ncsu.edu.

The North Carolina National Guard Family Programs have created sample certificates that can be presented to military youth during Month of the Military Child celebrations.  Sample certificates can be found at www.nc.ngb.army.mil/SS/FP/Pages/MOMC.aspx.

Operation: Military Kids North Carolina is funded by the 4-H/Army Youth Development Project (Award #2007-48661-03868), a partnership of Army Child, Youth and School Services and National 4-H Headquarters/USDA.

For more information about Operation: Military Kids in North Carolina see www.operationmilitarykids.org.

Two N.C. State University faculty members, partners in a project to identify the root causes of youth obesity, recently heard First Lady Michelle Obama speak at a Let’s Move Faith and Communities event at the White House on March 7.

Dr. Sarah Bowen, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, and Dr. Annie Hardison-Moody, coordinator of the Faithful Families Eating Smart and Moving More program in the department of 4-H Youth Development and Family & Consumer Sciences, were invited for their work with the Voices into Action: The Families, Food, and Health Project and Faithful Families.

The visit to the White House was postponed a day due to anticipated snow in Washington that never materialized, Hardison-Moody said. But on March 6 — the original day of the White House luncheon — the agency Save the Children stepped in to host a lunch for the 75 people representing faith and community organization of Let’s Move! Save the Children is working with Let’s Move! on an initiative called the Campaign for Healthy Kids.

At Save the Children, participants had the chance to share information about their projects and learn about what other organizations are doing to help solve the problem of youth obesity in America.  Hardison-Moody said that she and Bowen plan to contact some of the organizations they learned about at the meeting.

At the White House, participants heard from representatives of the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. The highlight was when First Lady Michelle Obama addressed the group, Hardison-Moody said.

“She talked about how she approaches the issue of obesity as a mom, how we must treat every child as if he or she were our own, to see that every child has access to healthy food,” Hardison-Moody said. “It was so inspiring; it was from her heart.”

(Photo courtesy of Annie Hardison-Moody)

First Lady Michelle Obama spoke of her passion for Let's Move at the luncheon.

Michelle Obama told the group that she knows it is not easy to change the way people live and eat. But she said that faith communities can offer messages about food and healthy eating out of care for one another, not judgment, Hardison-Moody said.

Bowen is coordinator of Voices into Action, a research project funded through a $3 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant. The project partners with communities in western Harnett and Lee counties and southeast Raleigh in Wake County to promote access to healthy foods and places to be active.

Voices into Action has nearly completed its first phase, interviewing families and conducting community workshops to learn about obstacles to and resources needed for buying and preparing healthy and affordable food. The next step will be implementing community-driven changes that improve access to healthy food and physical activity.

By partnering with the Faithful Families program, a project developed by N.C. Cooperative Extension and the N.C. Division of Public Health, Voices into Action is connected with communities that are already making positive changes.

Faithful Families congregations agree to implement a policy change and an environmental change to promote healthy lifestyles. Many congregations go further, serving healthy snacks and water at events, starting a church vegetable garden, hosting walking and exercise groups and offering nutrition workshops for members through N.C. Cooperative Extension.

Learn more about the White House visit through blog posts at Voices into Action and Faithful Families:
Voices into Action: voicesintoaction.org/voices-into-action-at-the-white-house
Faithful Families: www.ncfamilieseatingbetter.org/faithfulfamilies/blog

–Written by Natalie Hampton, nhampton@ncsu.edu or 919.513.3128