Snowshoe Challenge!

Sunday, December 302:00 - 4:00pm

We are inviting Challenge Seekers and their families to join us for a fun afternoon of snowshoeing, cookies and cocoa, as we gather together to raise funds in fellowship.
We will meet at the Wright’s home on CR 550 and ask everyone to
bring a plate of their favorite cookies or bars. 
Drinks will be provided.

Snowshoes are available to borrow.

Our Challenge Seekers 4-H Club is committed to raising funds to purchase a Shelter Box in partnership with Rotary, International.  Shelter Box is a program that provides survival and relief supplies to natural disaster areas and to displaced persons worldwide. Each box is $1,000.00 and our youth are eager toparticipate in this community service project.


Here's the form for signing up donors

Christmas is coming!

Looking for a gift idea for a Challenge Seeker?  

GEAR:

o Internal or external frame pack

o Sleeping bag – mummy bag rated at least to 25 degrees or colder

o  sleeping pad – preferably a closed cell pad we can use for all seasons

o  lightweight BP-free plastic bowl, cup, spork (can find in camping sections)

o Flashlight w/extra batteries or headlamp (great stocking stuffer!)

o 1 water bottle (stainless steel are best)

CLOTHING:

o Warm hat and gloves

o Hiking boots or lightweight trail shoes

o  (3 pr.) Wool or synthetic socks (smart wool socks work great and don’t itch)

o  Rain gear – pants and jacket, breatheable

o  (1 pr.) long underwear shirt & pants (polypro or smart wool)

o Down filled vest, fleece vest, fleece pull over, wool sweater.

o Sweater

o (2 pr.) Pants synthetic

FUN EXTRAS

o camping towel cloth

o compass, whistle

o hiking poles

o snowshoes

o GPS

o  Pocket knife

o  Subscription to Backpacker Magazine, etc.

o  Digital camera

lightweight eating utensils and bowls

Pet Treats at the Mall:  We are still hoping to sell our pet treats – all the proceeds go to our club.  We need your help!  One adult and 2-3 kids are needed to fill the following time slots on December 8^th at the Westwood Mall. Anyone interested?  Please email Kathy.

11:00-2:00

2:00-4:00

4:00-6:00  The Frosts

SNACKS!  Can someone supply healthy snacks for our meetings this month?  If so, please contact Kathy or Kim.\

Snowshoe-a-thon!

We were unable to make our bike-a-thon happen this summer to raise funds for our Shelter Box donation.  We have changed it to a snowshoe –a-thon down the North Country Trail.  Pledge forms will be handed out at the November meetings.  Please encourage your kids to get pledges.  Checks can be made out to the U.P. Challenge Seekers.

Schedule Change:  Starting in January, we are going to be meeting with the older kids the second Tuesday of the month, and the younger kids the fourth Tuesday.

Oooo, time to be scary!

Hi Challenge Seeker families,

We had a great turnout at the Wright's for our Haunted Bog Walk Planning Meeting on Oct. 13.  I would guess we had around 25 kids here - working, planning, creating, laughing...oh, yes, and eating all the great snacks they brought to share.  Thanks to all who donated supplies, time and treats to make the night a success.  

Be thinking about the best night to volunteer of the three nights we have to cover our scare station (October 25, 26, 27).  I recommend only one night for kids in the younger group - it is a long time to be scaring people in the dark, cold October bog.  We need a couple adults to head up Friday night.  Kim and I have other obligations that night.  Anyone interested?  Email me, please.  Next Monday I will send out requests for signing up kids.

Meeting Tuesday - 7-9.  Climbing Wall at NMU PEIF.  Parents, please walk in kids to sign paperwork and pay the registration fee, if you haven't already ($25.00 - includes a free t-shirt and the cost of the climbing wall rental).  Kids - wear stretchy pants and closed toe shoes.  Reminder - we have only rented the climbing wall.  We are not allowed to use the other facilities there.

Saturday - Haunted Hayride and Pizza Party

We will meet at Aubree's at 7:30 and go to Scare grounds from there.  Please RSVP by Tuesday to Kathy.  Also,Parents are needed to join us for pizza and then to drive kids to the event and back.  Please let Kathy know if you are available to go.

-Kathy and Kim

Updated October Events

From Kathy and Kim:

Hi all!

We have a very busy, busy October planned.  Should be lots of fun!  Here's the line up (NOTE: Some things have changed from previous announcements!)

Haunted Bog Walk Work Bee

Saturday, October 13  7-9pm  

Wright's House (251 County Road 550, right after Tourist Park)

Join us for a fun evening of creating props and costumes for our station at the Haunted Bog Walk for Moosewood.  Refreshments available.

Climbing Wall 

October 16  7-8 for younger kids, 8-9 for older kids

NMU Climbing Wall in the PEIF

Parents:  Please stop in and fill out enrollment forms and pay participation fee of $25.00 (includes a t-shirt and climbing wall fee)

Wear closed toe shoes and long, stretchy pants.  This IS OUR OCTOBER MEETING.

Aubree's Pizza/Haunted Scaregrounds (Hayride) Event

October 20

7:30 Pizza at Aubree's, from there travel to Fair Grounds for Haunted Hayride.

Fee:  $5.00 for pizza, $ tba for the hay ride.

Families are welcome to join us!  Dress warm!  

Stations at Moosewood's Haunted Bog Walk

October 25-26-27, 6:30-9:30/10:00pm

Moosewood Bog

This is Moosewood's best fundraiser.  We are fortunate to have Moosewood as our meeting place free of charge.  In return, we would like to help them with this fundraiser.  (Plus, it is a blast).  We have a great, spooky station from which we scare people as they walk by in groups throughout the night.  Email Kathy if you can participate.  We welcome dramatic parents to help us scare as well.

Gear list for McKeever Cabin trip

Hi all-
Kathy asked me to post this list for the trip this weekend to McKeever Cabin.  My hope is to work out a regular file spot to have gear lists, etc.

Here is the link.

Ooooooooo....scary 4H!

We've added some dates to the calendar!

Haunted Hay Ride/Scare Grounds at the Fairgrounds - October 20.  7:30 dinner at Aubree's, then on to the fair grounds.  $5.00 for pizza and fairgrounds ticket price tba.  RSVP to Kim or Kathy by Oct. 16th. The picture to the right is from the 4H UPRiders last year...I think)

October 25,26, 27 - Kids and a few adults are needed to help us man our station at Moosewood's Haunted Bog Walk.  Please plan to stay from 6:30-10:00.  Let Kathy or Kim know which night you would like to do!  This is a very fun event and helps our partner Moosewood Nature Center raise necessary funds.  Kathy and Kim can not be there every night for 3 and a half hours.  Theatrical parents - here is your chance to volunteer and shine!

Reminder:  October 13 meeting at Climbing wall.  Dress in stretchy pants, closed toe shoes and bring a water bottle.  Also bring your enrollment forms and $25 enrollment fee if you haven't already.  Climbing wall fee is included in your enrollment fee.

Sign Up for the Fall Trip

Hi Challenge Seekers-

This Thursday, September 20, is the deadline to let Kathy know (coffeeandredwine at gmail dot com) whether you want to participate in the Fall trip to McKeever Cabin in the Hiawatha National Forest September 28-29.  

We are going for one night and taking both groups.  We will sleep in tents and hike and explore the forest together.  We thought this first trip would be a nice, short introduction to how we work together out on the trail.  We hope the veteran 4H’ers can share their skills with our new members, as well as have the opportunity for an advanced hike/activity on Saturday. We leave at 9 Saturday from Jack’s IGA in Harvey and return there by 6 Sunday.  

Please email Kathy by Thursday, Sept. 20 to sign up.  

Gear lists will be sent to those who sign up, all food is included.      $25.00 trip fee. 

Fall Schedule: It's gonna be a GREAT year!

From Kim and Kathy:

Hi 4H Families,

We are excited to start a new year!  We are looking forward to seeing our old friends and making new ones – there has been lots of interest in our group lately.  We can’t wait to get everyone together for new adventures this year.

This year, Kim and I decided it was best to meet with the groups on separate nights.  We will meet with the younger group (9-12) on the second Tuesday of each month, and the older group (12-16) on the last Tuesday of the month.  Both groups will meet from 6-7:30.  We will start in September. In order to be eligible for the overnight trips, members need to have attended at least one meeting in the three months prior to the trip.  (For the fall trip, they will have had to attend the September 2012 meeting.) See the schedule below.

Our fall trip will be to McKeever Cabin in the Hiawatha National Forest September 28-29.  We are going for one night and taking both groups.  We will sleep in tents and hike and explore the forest together.  We thought this first trip would be a nice, short introduction to how we work together out on the trail.  We hope the veteran 4H’ers can share their skills with our new members, as well as have the opportunity for an advanced hike/activity on Saturday. We leave at 9 Saturday from Jack’s IGA in Harvey and return there by 6 Sunday.  Please email Kathy by Thursday, Sept. 20 to sign up.  Gear lists will be sent to those who sign up, all food is included. $25.00 trip fee. 

Bike-A-Thon turned Hike-A-Thon!  For the last couple of years, our groups have been trying to raise funds for a shelter box purchase.  Shelter Boxes are emergency supply kits that go to disaster areas.  Kim and I have struggled to find time to do a Bike-A-Thon, however, and have decided to incorporate it into our fall trip with a Hike-A-Thon.  We will be talking to the kids about it at our first meeting.  Stay tuned!

Fall 2012 Schedule

 All Meetings are at Moosewood Nature Center unless otherwise specified.

Septemeber 11 – 6:00-7:30   Younger Group (9-12)

September 25 6:00-7:30 Older Group (12-16)

September 29-30  Fall Trip to McKeever Cabin – Hiawatha National Forest

October 16 –NMU Climbing Wall (We will NOT meet at Moosewood)

7-8   Younger Kids

8-9    Older kids

November 13 - 6:00-7:30   Younger Group (9-12)

November 27- 6:00-7:30 Older Group (12-16)

December 11 – Holiday Party for both Groups 6:00-7:30

Sample of what we can do!

Here in the articles we can put pictures of trips, or announcements of what is upcoming.

Or even pictures from loooong ago of a few of our members!