Real Events Page 15 MENDOCINO COAST PROPERTY Volume 24 • Number 7 • Issue 605 • Mendocino Coast’s Own Real Estate Publication • October 1, 2010 to October 14, 2010 THE 4-H PLEDGE I pledge My Head to clearer thinking My Heart to greater loyalty My Hands to larger service My Heart to better living for my club, my community, my country, and my world. Heads, Heart, Hands and Health of Coastal Youth Page 2 Real Estate Magazine October 1, 2010 to October 14, 2010 Mendocino Spartans 4-H Club Heads, Heart, Hands, and Health of Coastal Youth Story and Photos by Denice Breaux THE 4-H PLEDGE: I pledge This year the band project expects to enroll kids whose My Head to clearer thinking schools no longer offer band as an elective, and it is pre- My Heart to greater loyalty dicted that, especially in urban areas, 4-H clubs will fill My Hands to larger service My Heart to better living for my the voids left by cuts in so many essential yet eliminated club, my community, my country, and my world. school programs. After the president’s call to order and the reciting of the Pledge of Development Program is still administered by the University of California Allegiance, these good words of the 4-H Club pledge kick off the Mendocino Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The state 4-H office coordi- Spartans community meeting at Preston Hall in Mendocino. Packed into nates state level 4-H Youth Development Program activities and programs one efficient hour once a month, officers make announcements, projects and secures funding for statewide and multi-county events and activities. are briefly reported on, and occasionally members offer an informative Every county must have a chartered county council or other volunteer man- prepared presentation. After any reminders from the adults, the young agement organization that conducts countywide 4-H Youth Development president adjourns the meeting and the kids put the room back in order Program events and activities for educational purposes. before enjoying a healthy snack and some outdoors fun and games. Locally, the Mendocino Spartan club, currently with twenty-six members, 4-H Clubs began in Ohio around 1900 when college educators were began in the early 1950s, with the charter in place by 1954. Every 4-H club reaching beyond the campus to teach. They has a community leader, and Sharilyn Word, also recognized the need to provide some whose family has been involved with 4-H agricultural instruction for farm children as since her twenty-three-year-old daughter well as instilling an appreciation for life in the was a fourth grader, has been the Spartans country. The learn-by-doing program remains leader since 2000. Even with a relatively small project-based, and though the list of projects club, community leader is a job best shared has grown and evolved in the last century, with at least one other adult, and since 2007 the ultimate goal remains the same—to help Lyn Anton and Natalie Shoptaw have been youth develop their full potential as contrib- shouldering some of the responsibilities. All uting, productive and self-directed members three women have kids in the club, and all of society. three also lead projects. Once a month the In our own state, the University of California three meet as a leadership council “taking as early as 1912 had encouraged the forma- care of so many behind-the-scenes details tion of boys’ and girls’ agricultural clubs in that the kids never even see,” says Sharilyn, Elected officers, 2009-2010: left to right: rural areas while collaborating with school “things that have to be done. There’s a lot of Jonas Reaves, secretary; Cheyenne Reaves,president; red tape involved because the UC (University districts to organize them. Today the 4-H Youth Seamus Begley, vice president; Jillian Anton, treasurer Real Estate Magazine is a FREE Publication. ON OUR COVER: Cheyenne Reeves, left, helps some younger Spartans evaluate a centerpiece during an exercise The price of a subscription covers the cost of devised to teach the kids to follow directions and record observations. Drawing of chicken on this page: Seamus Shoptaw’s business card drawing; an egg marketing business called Happy Hens complements his 4-H poultry project. FIRST CLASS MAIL plus a small handling fee. He was eleven when he drew it and is now thirteen. Yes, I would like to receive REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE for: REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE o o 711 North Main Street, Fort Bragg CA 95437-5401 10 weeks (5 issues) $8.00 6 months (13 issues) $18.00 (707) 964-1318 • (707) 964-9448 o 12 months (26 issues) $30.00 o Outside the Continental USA: Please Inquire FAX (707) 964-9448 www.realestatemendocino.com e-mail: [email protected] Publisher Studio Z Mendocino Please send check or money order to: Managing Editor Lisa Norman [email protected] REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE, Mendocino Coast Ad Layout Joe [email protected] REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE, 711 North Main Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437 Property is published biweekly by Studio Z Mendocino. Graphic Production Zida [email protected] Neither the publisher, nor brokers will be responsible or lia- Advertising Lisa Norman Name __________________________________________________________________ ble for typographical errors, misinformation, misprints, etc. DISTRIBUTION Properties are subject to prior sale. Publisher reserves the Mendocino Chuck Hathaway right to accept or reject all editorial and advertising matter. Cloverdale, Anderson Valley Chuck Hathaway Address ________________________________________________________________ Willits, Ukiah Patti Fereira Copyright ©2010. All rights reserved. No part of this publication Westport to Fort Bragg Chuck Hathaway City State Zip ____________________________________________________________ may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher, Little River to Gualala Chuck Hathaway Studio Z Mendocino. (Please allow 3 weeks for first delivery) (Printed on Recycled Paper) Real Estate Magazine October 1, 2010 to October 14, 2010 Page 3 of California) is involved, therefore the state is involved.” many members show their animals at fair, it is by no means a requirement. Even with all its required i-dotting and t-crossing, the system has much Animals are judged against a standard and each other, and their owners flexibility built into it with its ever growing array of projects offered. are awarded for general showmanship skills reflecting many hours of The scope of projects reaches far beyond raising livestock or canning dedication. But livestock are not the only things entered in fairs—the preserves, and projects offered recently in the Spartan club include exhibition halls are full of “still” work: art, baked goods, Lego sculptures woodworking, goats, gluten-free cooking, avian science, Geo-caching, and sundry other 4-H creations. The Redwood Empire Fair in Ukiah, the sewing, cavies, knot-tying, and band. This year the band project expects Mendocino County Fair and Apple Show in Boonville, the Cloverdale to enroll kids whose schools no longer offer band as an elective, and it is Citrus Fair, and the Lake County Fair provide opportunities for local predicted that, especially in urban areas, 4-H clubs will fill the voids left members to demonstrate their accomplishments and gain recognition. by cuts in so many essential yet eliminated school programs. While many 4-Hers make a small but Each year, club members enroll in at least one project. Defined as planned viable business of their projects— work in an area of interest, a project is guided by a 4-H adult volunteer keeping track of feed bought, eggs leader and aimed at planned objectives that can be attained and measured, sold, livestock taken to market—this then summarized by some form of record keeping. Although a minimum aspect, though not required, is a valu- of six hours per project is required each year, some groups meet once able undertaking. Yet another way for a month while others meet less frequently. Members of the community members to learn, teach, and shine is at large are encouraged to share their talents and expertise by leading by giving presentations in which they projects in just about any area imaginable. demonstrate an idea with a prepared speech in which a topic is discussed My own family joined the Mendocino Spartans just a year ago, and we with visual aides. Presenters also may are already quite involved on several levels. I’ve always wanted goats, use extemporaneous speaking, skits or and since my thirteen-year-old son loves all animals, we figured joining interpretive readings to convey their 4-H would be the perfect way not only to learn about goats but also to point; they develop poise and self- purchase some fine animals from local breeders. We made some very confidence, come to accept construc- good connections with other 4-H A sample of the yummy cookies tive criticism, and learn to think ahead that the Spartans baked at home “goat” families and now have and develop critical thinking skills. our own little starter herd of two to deliver to folks at The Woods for Valentine’s Day. Some mem- Nigerian dwarfs. A presentation is given five sepa- rate times, each time before a dif- bers also read poems written on At each monthly goat project ferent audience, in order to earn a hand-made cards. meeting, with members from both proficiency pin, explains community leader Sharilyn Word. “So giv- the Spartans and Fort Bragg 4-H ing a talk several times proves proficiency in public speaking,” she Club, my son Rowin learned a says. “Other proficiency pins are earned in certain projects where a great deal of essential, vital and test of knowledge is demonstrated or questions must be answered. fairly advanced information about Pins and stripes are also earned by being a member in good stand- these sweet caprine critters.