4-H Volunteer Forum Oct. 1-4

AMES, Iowa -- 4-H volunteers from Iowa have a close to home opportunity to receive training and network with other 4-H volunteers in Lincoln, Neb., this fall. Volunteers from 12 states will converge on Lincoln in October to learn more about their importance to the organization.
Registration begins this month for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension’s North Central Region 4-H Volunteer Forum Oct. 1-4 at the downtown Holiday Inn. The theme is “Giving Them Our Best.” About 300 adult 4-H volunteers from 12 states are expected.
“The forum will focus on what it takes to be a good 4-H volunteer,” said Chris Gleason, Iowa State University Extension 4-H program coordinator.

The volunteer forum rotates each year among Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
The event will feature 70 educational workshops, many of which will focus on 4-H’s three areas of emphasis -- science, engineering and technology; healthy lifestyles; and life skills. Three keynote speakers are scheduled, said Doug Swanson, extension educator of professional development in the Nebraska state 4-H office.

The registration fee is $200 for the full forum or $110 per day. Early-bird registration is from June 1 to Aug. 15. Late registration will be open until Sept. 15 with an additional $50 fee.
Registration information and the workshop schedule are available at http://4h.unl.edu/volunteers/forum.htm.

“Iowa has more than 9,000 volunteers who are crucial to the Iowa 4-H program,” Gleason said. “Iowa volunteers who attend the regional forums say they return re-energized and with new skills and ideas to help them have a successful club year.”

-30-Contacts :Chris Gleason, ISU Extension 4-H program coordinator, 515-294-1557, cgleason@iastate.edu
Laura Sternweis, Extension Communications and External Relations, (515) 294-0775, lsternwe@iastate.edu Doug Swanson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, (402) 472-1762, dswanson8@unl.edu