Direct impact on more than 1,000 county residents in 2013
Greene County Extension will celebrate ISU Extension and Outreach Week on Tuesday, March 25, with a public open house from 11 am to 2 pm at the Greene County Extension office.
During the event, visitors can enjoy free hamburgers grilled by the Greene County Cattlemen, along with other refreshments, while also learning more about programs available through Extension related to family finance, 4-H and youth, agriculture and natural resources, mentoring, and gardening and landscaping. Door prizes will be raffled off, as well.
“The open house is a time that we hope to be able to showcase the public value that we bring to Greene County,” said Michael Cooley, county Extension coordinator for Greene County Extension. “Whether it’s positive youth development through our 4-H program, assisting families with their budgets and spending habits, or building new community leaders, we’re here for the long haul to anticipate issues and act in catalytic ways to improve the quality of life in Greene County.”
According to Cooley, staff and Extension council members will be around throughout the open house time to help serve food and share how Greene County Extension works for the people of Greene County.
“In 2013, our programming again directly impacted over 1,000 adults and youth in Greene County,” said Cooley. Significant program accomplishments for Greene County Extension in 2013 included farm estate planning, Greene Leadership, Babysitting Basics, community involvement night, Teen Maze, community professional development night, pesticide and manure applicator training, Master Gardeners, Annie’s Project, Ogden Ag Marketing, Expanding Entrepreneurs, crop fair, farm leasing meeting, child care provider trainings, and, of course, the 4-H program.
One of the flagships of Extension in Greene County is its 4-H program. Over 185 youth in grades 4-12 are involved in 4-H in Greene County. Additionally, the Clover Kids program for youth in grades K-3, has an annual participation of nearly 30 youngsters in that age category. 4-H members of all ages showcase their project accomplishments each year at the Greene County Fair. Youth are supported by several businesses and organizations, including the Greene County 4-H Foundation, which contributes around $3,500 annually in the form of scholarships to help dozens of Greene County 4-H members participate in camps, trips, and conferences.
Greene County Extension also provided short educational programs at numerous community events in 2013, including Greene County ToddlerFest, Greene County Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom Day, and Spring Into Greene. The organization recently completed its third year partnering with the Greene County Community Foundation to bring Greene County college students back home through its summer internship program. Additionally, Greene County Extension provides administrative assistance to several community organizations, including the Greene County Community Foundation, Greene County Cattlemen, Greene County Pork Producers, and the Greene Lamb Producers.
Extension and Outreach is part of an educational network supported by Iowa State University, local county government and the United States Department of Agriculture. Every county extension district in Iowa has an elected extension council that decides how local tax dollars are spent to support ISU Extension and Outreach educational programs at the county level. ISU Extension and Outreach delivers through four program areas aligned with Iowa State University colleges: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Community and Economic Development, Human Sciences, and 4-H Youth Development.
The current Extension Council serving Greene County Extension consists of chairperson Loel Larson, vice-chairperson Tom Heater, secretary Wendy Mount, treasurer Marilyn Parker, and treasurer pro-tem Katie Leusink. Other council members are David Higgins, Shari Minnehan, and Pam Olerich.
For more information about Greene County Extension and Outreach, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/
