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Open your home to international visitors

Illinois 4-H is participating in the 4-H summer exchange with Japan. The hosting period will be from July 22 to Aug. 18.

We are currently recruiting host families for Japanese youth (ages 12 to 16 years) or adult chaperones. The youth are currently participating in language acquisition programs – LEX and Labo with similar emphasis on family involvement, much like our 4-H program. However, many youth are learning English and come with limited language skills, which provides opportunities for host families to be very creative in communicating with the child.

To be a host family, you must have a child the same gender and within three years of age as the host student. Host families do not need to plan special activities; these youth want to experience American culture, make new friends and improve their English by staying with your family. Interested families may apply online at https://www.states4hexchange.org/account/login. For information, contact Miriam Rosenbohm, inbound coordinator, at rosenbohm07@comcast.net.

This year, the IL IFYE Association will sponsor Poppy (a 24-year-old female from Wales) and Matthias (a 26- year-old male from Austria) arriving in Illinois around June 19 and departing around Sept. 5. We are looking for three homes for each of them. If you are interested in hosting, please contact Susan Herren at sherren@peaknet.net or call 618-234-2045.

Poppy is currently going to school to get a degree in agriculture. She has been a member in the Young Farmers Club for five years. Some of the activities she has done in her club include singing, dancing, drama, pantomime, stock judging and public speaking. Her hobbies include bike riding, running, reading and playing the guitar. She has three older sisters. She is currently working on the family farm that has beef, dairy and arable farming. The family owns 250 acres and rents another 145 acres. The family also diversified into an adventure park, where she helps during the summer. She is particularly interested in dairy farming, but is looking forward to widening her agricultural experience in any way and wants to see as much of the country as possible.

Matthias is currently going to nursing school. He is taking a semester off to participate in this program. He has worked as a shop assistant, paramedic and nursing auxiliary. He has been a volunteer for 13 years at the local fire department. He is from a small village of 600 and was instrumental in rebuilding a Young Farmers Club in his town. Some of the activities he has done with the club include constructing the yearly maypole by hand, skiing and participating in the "old timer" meeting. His hobbies include football, tennis, fight sport (kung fu), swimming, weights, jogging, skiing, cinema and Red Cross – ambulance and paramedic service. He loves to be in nature and enjoys hiking. He has two sisters, one older and one younger. He is a Roman Catholic. He helps on his uncle's farm (in the same town). He is fluent in German and wants to perfect his English. He is very open to new activities.

Forms and additional information are available at the Gallatin County Extension office, located in the Farm Bureau building in Ridgway. Contact Kassy Scates at 618-272-3022 or kscates@illinois.edu.

University of Illinois Extension is committed to a policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities and employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, religious creed, ancestry or national origin, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or physical/mental disability.

If you need a reasonable accommodation or special dietary or disability accommodations to participate in any of our programs, please contact the University of Illinois Extension office at 618-272-3022.

<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Upcoming Events</span></strong>

3/23 Benton Sheep & Goat Clinic registration due

3/25 Benton Sheep & Goat Clinic

3/25 Alton Citizen Scientist training

4/1 Hamilton County food packaging event

4/1 Carbondale Citizen Scientist training

4/1 Day out with the St. Louis Cardinals forms due

4/14 Unit 24 Livestock Skillathon and Clinic registration due

4/22 Unit 24 Livestock Skillathon and Clinic

4/29 National 4-H Day of Service

5/6 Speaking For Illinois 4-H in Effingham

5/20 Day Out with the St. Louis Cardinals

6/18-21 Southern Illinois 4-H Camp (session 1)

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