Online registration and detailed conference information can be found at www.communications.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=743 . Please note important information concerning parking on campus during construction of the new parking garage south of the Union. --Bill Hargrove bhargrov@ksu.edu

EPSILON SIGMA PHI NOMINATION DEADLINE NEXT WEEK!
State Fair is over, so breathe a sigh of relief and take a moment to nominate one of your colleagues for an Epsilon Sigma Phi award. You still have time as the nominations are due September 24, 2007. The nomination forms are available at www.oznet.ksu.edu/esp-AlphaRho/awards/awards.htm  website. Please send your nominations to Danny Rogers, drogers@ksu.edu , ESP Awards Committee Chair. An electronic submission is preferred. Thank you for taking time to recognize the good work of your extension colleagues.

Award Categories:

Meritorious Service Award
Distinguished Service Award
Team Award
Horizon Member Award
State Early Career Award
State Mid Career Award
International Service Award
Retiree Service Award
State Friend of Extension Award

--Danny Rogers

DO YOU NEED A NEW NAME BADGE?
All participants attending the upcoming Annual Conference, October 15-18, 2007, will be requested to wear their K-State Research and Extension name badges.

If you have never received a name badge, if you still have one of the old variety, or if you wish to purchase a new badge, e-mail Sue Robinson, srobinso@oznet.ksu.edu .

Be sure to specify the kind of backing you want - magnet, clip or pin - and specify how you want your name on the badge. There is not room for titles, but department, area, county, district, or research center will be shown if you desire. The alternative I like is just your name below the K-State Research and Extension brand.

Each new employee, at the instructor level or above, receives his/her first name badge free of charge. Counties, districts, areas and departments are encouraged to order name badges for other employees and will be invoiced in the amount of $6 for each name badge.

If a new name badge is needed, please order immediately so we can get it sent to you prior to the conference. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

REMINDER: ESP OPPORTUNITIES......
The Alpha Rho Chapter of ESP has Endowment Fund grants available for members to apply for to support innovative programming opportunities. The applications for this year are due September 28 to Trudy Rice.

They can be accessed on the ESP website at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/esp-AlphaRho ; then go to the Endowment section.

Also, we need volunteers to provide items for the ESP Endowment Fund silent auction at our banquet during Annual Conference. Many of you have made offerings already and we are very appreciative of that. Anyone else who would like to provide an item should contact Trudy Rice at trice@oznet.ksu.edu . There is also an opportunity to be a "shopper" at the auction. --Trudy Rice

EXTENSION TO BE INVOLVED WITH KANSAS LEADERSHIP FORUM
Extension agents and volunteers with an interest in leadership are invited to be part of the Kansas Leadership Forum (KLF) annual conference, which will be September 25-26, 2007 at the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene. Dickinson County agent Marcia Weaver is on the planning committee this year.

The program includes a breakout session by Reno County Director Barbara Lilyhorn, who will facilitate a session on behalf of K-State Research and Extension’s Leadership Development Program Focus Team. Featured speakers include former Green Beret Mark Johnson and Ed O’Malley, President and CEO of the new Kansas Leadership Center in Wichita. There will also be a session about leadership in Greensburg. This will be an excellent opportunity to share and learn about leadership concepts.

The registration deadline has been extended, so we encourage you to sign up. Extension agents qualify for the member discount, since K-State Research and Extension is an Institutional member of KLF. For more information or to register, go to www.kansasleadershipforum.com . --Ron Wilson rwilson@ksu.edu

To register, visit www.kansasprideprogram.ksu.edu  and print your registration. Registrations must be postmarked by September 20. We look forward to seeing you there! --Dan Kahl dkahl@oznet.ksu.edu

MARIE'S PICK OF THE WEEK
While continuing to review the Project Accomplishments database for items that are especially effective at helping us understand how our work can be highlighted to share outcomes, impacts, and success stories, this week I’ve picked outcomes reported by Jake Weber and Shannon Blocker.

During practice events for the 4-H horticulture judging teams in Cherokee and Montgomery Counties, 4-Hers learned to identify certain ornamental and food-producing horticulture plants. Practices consist of visually identifying fifty specimens (leaves, shoots, fruits, and seeds).

Students in school and after school programs expressed their interest and appreciation after participating in a hands-on soils lesson and having a chance to get muddy! Several students reported they can apply learned material to their home lawns and gardens after the activity. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu

BENEFIT FOR 4-H FAMILY
On September 30, 2007, a benefit hog roast and evening of western entertainment will be held at the Westmoreland Grade School for Bruce Fouts and family, who are 4-H members in Pottawatomie County. In July, Bruce was seriously injured by a horse while practicing for the 4-H horse show with his children. He is now recuperating in Westmoreland. An evening of food and fun will be held on Sunday, September 30, with the proceeds to go to the Fouts family.

The hog roast will begin serving at 4:30 p.m. with western music and cowboy poetry to follow. Connie Hoch and Ann Domsch will be “clowning around” to entertain families also. No reservations are required. A free will offering will be conducted. --Glenn Brunkow gbrunkow@oznet.ksu.edu Ron Wilson rwilson@ksu.edu

4-H CURRICULUM UPDATE
Recently, many of you responded to a Kansas 4-H Curriculum Survey. One of the questions was: Should the Kansas 4-H program offer/recommend specific curriculum for each project? Over 80% responded "Yes."

In response to this question, the Curriculum Taskforce has produced a "Kansas 4-H Project Curriculum Guide." This is a listing of the most current material that we know is available for a specific project. The Guide is posted on the Kansas 4-H Website under "What's Hot."

The Project Selection Guide, as printed in the August 4-H Journal, provides other resources, award opportunities and sponsors, plus state level activities associated with various projects.

The Curriculum Taskforce also voted to become an Action Team. Guidelines for Action Teams and applications are on the web. We are accepting applications until November 1st. We are looking for 5 agents, 5 adult volunteers and 5 teens. Help decide the future of Kansas 4-H, by signing up today! --Jim Adams jadams@oznet.ksu.edu

STATE 4-H DOG CONFERENCE
November 3-4, 2007 - Rock Springs 4-H Center

New this year, is a Design a T-Shirt Contest! Designs are due October 1st to the State 4-H Office. Registration will be online by October 12. Watch for details on the web soon. --Jim Adams jadams@oznet.ksu.edu

A reception with the speaker list will be available to registrants at the $250 gift level and includes the banquet and Roast. The banquet and Roast alone will be available to $100 gift level registrants. All proceeds of the benefit will support the Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh Endowment Fund of the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) Program.

Invitations will be mailed October 1 to all KARL donors. If you are not a current KARL donor, contact the KARL Office at 785-532-6300 or e-mail administrative specialist Sara Wege, saraw@ksu.edu to pre-register for the invitation roster.  Rooms are available at a rate of $89.00, and can be reserved until the cutoff date of November 2, 2007, at which time the rooms will be released into general inventory. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel directly at 316-651-0333, calling Marriott's Reservation Center at 1-800-228-9290, or by logging on to www.marriott.com/ictwe , entering the date of the stay, and the seven-letter group code of KARKARA.

The details about the roast and how to get on the invitation list are featured on the program website, http://www.karlprogram.com/ . --Jack Lindquist karl@ksu.edu

PUT "YOUR" PROJECT BACK INTO 4-H
Many 4-Hers are saying, "But we don't have any project meetings."  Therefore, the Seven County Teaching Block, (Geary, Marshall, Morris, Riley, Pottawatomie, and Wabaunsee), is sponsoring a project leaders training for potential project leaders, current project leaders and teen leaders so we can put the project back into 4-H. 

This educational opportunity will be held on Tuesday, November 13, at Pottorf Hall in Manhattan beginning at 6:30. The training will last two hours. The training will provide an overview of what is a project meeting and then break-out groups will focus on specific projects including, Entomology, Food and Nutrition, Geology, Photography and Visual Arts and Crafts. 

A fee of $7 will be charged to pay for a light supper and materials.  If you would like a brochure or news release to promote this educational opportunity, please contact Susie at the Marshall County Extension Office or go to the Riley County Extension Website.  Participants are asked to pre register to the Marshall County Extension Office by November 5.  We appreciate your assistance in promoting this educational opportunity.  --Susie Latta slatta@oznet.ksu.edu

IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER: WINDOW IS ABOUT TO CLOSE
Until December 31, 2007, owners of a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA can make charitable gifts from the account without incurring confiscatory taxes on the withdrawal. Through year end, direct transfers to charitable organizations are excluded from gross income, eliminating income tax and maximizing support to virtually any program or project at K-State.

Confiscatory taxes? You decide: IRA accounts may face a 45% estate tax, 35% federal income tax, and 45% generation skipping tax. A direct transfer from a qualified account avoids these taxes.

Participants, age 70 1/2, can transfer up to $100,000 to the Kansas State University Foundation, to create a scholarship for area students or support your local education program, for example. Distributions from the fund must be received by the KSU Foundation before December 31 to qualify. To date, over $1 million has been transferred to the KSU Foundation from this great opportunity.

For more information, contact a member of the Foundation's Gift Planning Department at 800-432-1578. As always, please consult your legal, tax or financial adviser before making any financial decisions. --Gordon Dowell gordond@found.ksu.edu