Thursday, December 15, 2011

Help Kids Fight the Winter Blues!


The winters can be long when you have small children. Sometimes surviving those long winter days just requires a little creativity to make them feel shorter.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to keep our children entertained:

1.Have an indoor picnic with your children. Spread out a blanket and pack a basket of your favorite picnic foods. Take this time to chat about what you miss most about the summer.
2. Have a family night playing board games. Offer a grab bag of prizes (purchased from your local dollar store) or let the winner give up their chores for the day.
3. Indulge your children in fun winter craft ideas. Make sure you are stocked on plenty of craft supplies so you don’t have to make a trip out in the cold weather. Do these crafts with your children because they are the types of activities your children will remember for years to come.
4. Share a day of cooking with your children. Cooking with your kids teaches them valuable skills and also gives them precious time with you. Have smaller children help you measure, stir dry ingredients and count out ingredients with you. Allow older children to do things themselves under your supervision.
5. Find out what your local library has to offer. Many offer amazing classes and story hours for children during the winter months. You can also take them to pick out their own books, movies and music to be enjoyed together or alone.
6. Play in the snow with your kids. Help them build snow angels, go sledding, build a snow fort or create a snowman. After a hard morning of playing in the snow, come inside and have a nice cup of hot chocolate complete with marshmallows and whipped cream.
7. Plan a beach day in the middle of winter. What could be more fun than a little beach music, drinks with little umbrellas, a big beach ball and beach chairs?
8. Make your own snow. All you need is soap flakes, water, liquid starch and white powdered tempra. Mix soap flakes with water into a thick paste. Let your child mix this with a hand beater. Add a small amount of liquid starch and tempra. Let your child create designs by painting with this mixture.
9. Exercising is one thing often neglected by members of the family when cold weather comes around. Pop in an exercise video or some music and exercise with your children. Older children can be encouraged to use exercise equipment or join you in your exercise routine. For those who are more creative, let loose and just dance.

2012 4-H Summer Camp!

This coming year Surry County 4-H is going to the Eastern 4-H Center in Columbia, N.C. Mark your calendars today – camp will be the week of June 24 - 29.  To learn more about the Eastern 4-H Center check out their website at http://www.eastern4hcenter.org/. 
Camp is open for youth between the ages of 8 &14. Reserve your spot today with a $75 deposit and a completed 2011 4-H enrollment form. Camp costs = $390.00; included in this price is transportation, lodging, meals, all activities, camp store card, and camp T-shirt. Partial scholarships are available, contact the 4-H office for an application.

All scholarship applications and deposits are due to the 4-H office by January 27, 2012.
For more information contact the 4-H office at 401-8025.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Open Your Heart Christmas Campaign!

The Foothills Food Pantry is beginning to organize their Open Your Heart Christmas Campaign. It is their goal to provide everything necessary to prepare a delicious Christmas meal for approximately 400 families again this year. They hope individuals, families, and the community will choose to participate in this year’s endeavor.
Enrollment for assistance will begin on November 1, and will continue throughout the month. Applications will be taken on Tuesday and Thursday mornings between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. For individuals who work during the day, the food pantry will take applications on Monday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Listed below are non‐perishable food items that will be delivered with each meal.
Sugar          Flour                Salt                      Cranberry Sauce
Yams          Cooking oil        Hard candy            Frosting
Stuffing       Coffee              Tea                      Cake mix

The Extension office in Dobson will be a participating drop off site for this wonderful opportunity. In order to prepare for distribution, all donations need to be received by Thursday, December 1. For more information, call the Foothills Food Pantry at 386-8405.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Gingerbread Workshops!

Thursday, December 1 - Dobson Community Library
Workshop: 3:30-4:30pm

Friday, December 2 - Charles H. Stone Memorial Library, Pilot Mtn.
Workshop 1: 1:00 – 2:30pm
Workshop 2: 5:30-7:00pm

Open to all ages!!

Fee: Bring your favorite candies to share and one box of graham crackers!

Come and create a unique gingerbread house while getting in the holiday spirit! Participants will use graham crackers, colored icing, wafers, cereals, and other yummy candies to build a gingerbread house to take home. Families are encouraged to come and work together to create a delicious delight to be shared during the holidays. There is no charge to this tasty workshop, but pre-registration is required – call the Dobson Community Library at 386-8208 or Charles H. Stone Memorial Library at 368-2370 to reserve your spot today!

Gingerbread Contest!

As part of the Gingerbread Workshops being offered we are holding a Gingerbread Contest!! For more information on this contest and how to enter click on the Gingerbread Contest Entry Form, found under "Upcoming Event & Activity Forms." This contest is open to all youth between 5 &18 and not excluded to Gingerbread Workshop participants. All are encouraged to enter their favorite creation!

We encourage families to come out and view the exhibit and enjoy some holiday crafts with Surry County 4-H.
Participants will be recognized at the Green Clover 4-H Club meeting, held at Charles H. Stone Memorial Library, on Friday, December 16, from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.  Participants may pick up their creations following the December 16 meeting.  All entries must be picked up no later than December 21.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Pilot Mountain Christmas Parade!

Saturday, December 3

Come and join us on the Surry County 4-H float in the Pilot Mountain Christmas Parade! All are invited to come out for a cool night of fun and fellowship. Each family is asked to bring their own blankets and candy and meet in the East Surry High School parking lot by 5:30 p.m. To help determine our float size, we ask that all that are interested call 401-8025 and register by Monday, November 28.

Reminder: 4-H Volunteer Leader Christmas Outing!

4-H Leader Christmas outing is scheduled for Monday, December 5; special instructions will be provided closer to the date. Call 401-8025 to sign up today!