Help Needed For Wildfire

With the recent wildfires across Texas, the Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program is implementing a plan to collect needed items of firefighters in an effort to assist them during this most critical time.

Later today, we will send an email with more information, but we did want to give you a heads-up of what we are planning.

Items needed include:

• Water
• Gatorade
• Chapstick
• High Protein Snacks (peanut butter and crackers, protein bars, trail mix, etc).

We are going to ask that 4-Hers bring these items to the County Extension Office. From there, we will make a plan for drop-off points for needed areas. With as widespread as these fires are, there will probably be a location close to your office where these items could be dropped off. We will need your help to get them to the appropriate locations, but more information will be coming on this.

An official email will be sent later today, but we did want you to have a heads-up.

Once it is sent, we will also post on Facebook, Twitter, etc., but the most help will be from you. Please forward the information to 4-Hers, club managers, and adult leaders in your county.

2011 4-H Billboards Across Texas

For the second year, Lamar Advertising has partnered with the Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program to spread the word about 4-H across Texas with the donation of up to 100 billboards on Texas highways and roads. In 2010, the billboard campaign reached an estimated 52 million viewers through 74 billboards across Texas. This promotional campaign, but far, was the biggest and most visible promotion of 4-H in Texas. So visible, that five other states are following in Texas 4-H footsteps!

While the billboard and installation is free, a minimum cost is required to cover the expense of printing each of the billboards.

We are asking for the support of sponsorships from 4-H families, alumni, businesses, 4-H clubs, County 4-H Councils, Adults Leader Associations, and/or Friends of 4-H to help “cover the state” with billboards during National 4-H Week! Billboards will start being installed the 2nd/3rd week in September and remain up through National 4-H Week (October 2-8, 2011) and the month of October - some even longer.

Sponsorship is $150.00 per billboard and will be limited to the first 100 sponsorships. All sponsors will be official donors to the 2011 National 4-H Week Campaign and be listed on the Texas 4-H website for recognition.

If you would like to sponsor a billboard, complete the bottom portion of the form and for credit card payments either fax (979-845-6495) or e-mail (t-lepley@tamu.edu) to the Texas 4-H and Youth Program Office by September 15, 2011(extended deadline). Sponsorships by checks should be mailed to the 4-H Foundation at the address below by the 15th.

Payment can be made by check or by credit card and is a tax deductible contribution to the Texas 4-H Youth Development Foundation.

These 100 billboards are providing more than $100,000 in marketing exposure for the 4-H Program. We hope that you will join with us in being a valuable sponsor to this endeavor.