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Kassy Scates: New Gallatin 4-H kayak club being formed

It was great to meet a lot of new faces last Monday at the Gallatin County Schools Open House! We saw a lot of familiar faces as well. For anyone who would like more information, check out the Gallatin County IL 4-H Facebook group. We'd love to hear from you!

<b>Kayak club coming!</b>

Gallatin, Pope-Hardin, Hamilton, Saline and White counties 4-H members ages 10 and up are welcome to join the first flatwater Kayak Club in Illinois!

Participants will learn basic safety and skills while they travel to various small lakes and ponds in the area. We will stick to waters with minimal boat traffic for safety purposes. Participants will need to provide their own watercraft, paddle and lifejacket as well as transport for those items.

Our first meeting on Sept. 1 is a safety meeting. We will all take an online water safety course and check the fit of everyone's life jackets. All participants MUST take this course to take part.

<b>Barrel racing clinic</b>

We have an awesome opportunity for 4-H members enrolled in the Horse and Pony Project! On Saturday, Sept. 10, beginning at 10 a.m. we are hosting a Barrel Racing Clinic at the Southeastern Illinois Horse Club arena in Ridgway. Members bring your horse for an opportunity to learn how to improve your barrel runs! Youth are encouraged to bring a horse - but it is not necessary. Cloverbuds may not exhibit live animals - but they are welcome to come and watch.

The Gallatin County Saddle Club leader Raegan Smith and the Smith Family will be instructing. She and her sisters have qualified multiple times for the IBRA Nationals. Helmets are mandatory when mounted. If you do not have a helmet please reach out to your leader or EPC to see if there is one available to borrow.

The clinic will cover tack and equipment, pattern, turns, leads and more. After the clinic we will have some fun and games classes such as Egg N Spoon, Ride A Buck, Simon Says, Relay Races & Teamwork games. Email me at kscates@illinois.edu for more information.

<b>Upcoming Events</b>

8/31: Conservation Fair

9/1: New 4-H Year begins

9/1: Kayak Club Safety Meeting 6 p.m., Gallatin Co. Farm Bureau

9/10: Barrel Racing Clinic, Ridgway

9/17: Kayak meeting

9/24: Kayak meeting

9/30: Farm-to-table event, Shawneetown

10/1-2: Camp Whitetail, at Dixon Springs Agricultural Center

10/2-8: National 4-H Week

10/10: Kayak meeting

10/14-16: Junior Leadership Conference

<i> To learn more about 4-H in Illinois and Gallatin County email Kassy at kscates@illinois.edu. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, email Kassy.</i>