Sioux County Newsletter

12/5 - Speech Workshop

12/9 - Walking Stick Workshop

12/19 - Maker Day at Harrison Bible Church from 9 am to 12 pm

12/19 - Light Up Sweater Workshop at Harrison Bible Church from 1 to 4 pm

12/19 - 4-H Council Meeting at 6 pm

12/26 - Office Closed - Christmas Day observation

Learn how to create your very own walking stick! With some materials that are very easy to find or buy, you can make your very own hiking staff. Did you know that there are multiple benefits to using a walking stick when you go on hikes? Or that there are many ways to use a walking stick more efficiently? We’re going to be learning about these techniques and will teach you how to keep your staff in amazing condition.

For grades 3-8, and the workshop cost is $5. It will be at the Courthouse starting @ 1:30-3:00 p.m on December 9th.

Call the Extension Office (308) 668-2428 or visit and let us know if you’re coming!

Have you ever wanted to gain a better grasp on public speaking? Maybe you want to do it competitively? Maybe you simply want to learn how to speak better in a crowd. No matter why you want to learn, this workshop is for you! The workshop will be held on December 5th starting at 3:30 pm at the Courthouse. The workshop is for youth in grades third through ninth. This workshop will be a great way to start your speech for the 4-H Contest in the spring. Call the Extension Office (308) 668-2428 or visit and let us know if you’re coming!

Youth can potentially compete at the Premier Communications Event if they qualify at a local contest in the PSA or Speech Contest. Some new contests that youth can participate in at the Premier Public Speaking event are the Impromptu Speech and Video Communication. Wait for more details this spring on these contests.

Does your kids miss summer workshops?! We sure do. Join us as we mix, "make", and explore at our first Maker Day! We are offering a December 4-H Maker Day for ALL youth ages 5-18 on Monday, December 19th from 9 am - 12 pm. There will be activities for ages 5-7 years, ages 8 & up, and all ages (5-18). Youth are ONLY allowed to sign up for FOUR Projects. You can see the project options below or download the flyer. Costs of each project vary.

Registration deadline is December 9th. You need to turn in the second page of the flyer to register. Youth have to pick projects ahead of time. They can't decide the day of. If you have any questions, call (308)668-2428. The flyer is attached.

We have some great volunteers that are planning on helping with this event: Jaime Turbiville, Becca Reece, Marilyn Wright, Annette Monserrate.

The 2022-2023 4-H year on 4-H Online is now open! Youth wanting participate in Shooting Sports needs to get enrolled today!! Youth must be enrolled before practicing. Deadline for 4-H Enrollment will be June 15, 2023.

Note - 4HOnline has undergone a new update. The parent company behind the 4-H Online website has elected to add a banner ad for Auction Frogs that will appear when families log into 4-H Online. There is no way for Nebraska 4-H to opt out of the banner ad. This banner ad appears at the bottom of the Member List in the Family Profile. If you click "X" button the ad, the ad should not appear again in that browser.

All volunteers (teens and adults) and staff who work directly with youth are required to complete the volunteer screening. Volunteers are screened in order to ensure a safe, positive and nurturing environment for all youth involved with Nebraska 4-H programs and provide protection for the child, volunteer, educator, 4-H Council, Extension Board, and Nebraska Extension. Initial screening of volunteers will occur when they sign up to volunteer. Re-screening for volunteers will be done every five years by district regardless of when the original screening was completed. Currently, the cost of the screening is $5.00. Sioux County is up this year!

Repeat Screening Rotation

2023 – Panhandle District: Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Cherry, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Grant, Hooker, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux, Thomas

WHEN enrolling as a VOLUNTEER for the 2022-23 year , please select "Program Volunteer - Selected for Required Screening". All new volunteers in these specified counties must also select this volunteer type

If you have any questions or would like to start the process, email mmracek2@unl.edu

Do you like to try new recipes? Join the monthly group to get new recipes each month along with a cooking supply if you send a photo to Melissa Mracek of trying out the new recipe. You can send photos to mmracek2@unl.edu. Below is the first set of recipes based around Italy. If you are interested in getting new recipes each month, reach out to Melissa at mmracek2@unl.edu.

Want some fun activities for your Clover Kids to participate in at home? Check out this Wyoming resource for hands on activities that can be completed each month.

Get into the Holiday Spirit with the Light Up Sweater Workshop! It will be held on December 19th from 1 pm to 4 pm at the Harrison Bible Church. The cost is $10 and youth will need to bring their own sweaters. Register by December 9th by calling the Extension Office at (308) 668-2428 or emailing Melissa Mracek at mmracek2@unl.edu.

The Special Garden Project is a way to offer Nebraska youth the chance to grow unusual and fun projects in their gardens.

The time has come to unveil the 2023 Special Garden Project plant (drumroll please….). The 2023 Special Garden Project will focus on Mrs. Burns’ Lemon Basil. This herb can be used multiple ways. Lemon basil has a unique lemon flavor can be added to any recipe or used as a cut flower in arrangements to add scent and interest.

4-H members enrolled in the Special Garden Project will:

• Receive a ‘packet’ of Mrs. Burns’ Lemon Basil (one packet per youth) in March/April
• Receive a newsletter
• Be able to exhibit this unique herb at County and State Fair

Please let Melissa know by January 10th if you want to order seeds! For more information: https://4h.unl.edu/special-garden-project

We’re so excited to announce Adventure Together, the new Nebraska 4-H Camp series for 2023! Registration information will be coming soon. In the meantime, mark your calendars: Chadron – June 5-9; Cozad – June 16-20; Ashland – June 26-29; Burwell – July 16-20; Louisville – July 27-30.

Also save the date for Wilderness Wonders Camp at Camp Norwesca on May 25th and 26th.

Just FYI - the camp in Chadron will overlap with Fort Robinson 4-H Horse Camp.

Need something to keep kids active while they are on winter break? Have them complete different projects in the Holiday 4-H Activity Guide and share pictures with us of the items they complete.

Sioux County 4-H is listed as a charity Amazon will donate to if customers utilize smile.amazon when making purchases. On your account you will designate the charity you would like to donate to. Smile.amazon behaves the exact same way as Amazon does but it also donates to the charity of your choice without changing your payment.

Email: mmracek2@unl.edu
Website: go.unl.edu/siouxcofair
Location: PO Box 277 Harrison, NE 69346
Phone: (308) 668-2428
Facebook: facebook.com/UNLSiouxCounty