Judy Egolf, left, and Lauren Klusman, proper, accepted the All Star awards on behalf of Sue Martin and Barry Ostrom. Images by Deb Patterson.
By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — Maple Leaf Duck, Creighton Brothers, Barry Ostrom, Sue Martin and Carolyn Frank all have one factor in widespread. They had been all acknowledged because the 2021 Kosciusko County Extension All Stars on the 2022 Annual Extension Assembly Monday, March 7.
The keynote speaker for the night was Stephanie Overbey, Kosciusko County Neighborhood Basis CEO. Moreover, the night included a evaluation by the county extension educators.
Beth Lamb and Amy Irwin, extension board members, introduced the award noting the companies and people are valued as leaders inside Kosciusko Extension.
Maple Leaf Duck has offered geese for 4-H’ers, opened their take a look at kitchen and served as a tour host for the 2019 Nationwide Affiliation of County Agriculture Brokers. They’ve joined extension for 23 years in educating and selling animal agriculture in Ag Day and Style of Ag. Throughout COVID, Maple Leaf offered movies for fourth graders all through the county.
Stephanie Overbey, CEO of the Kosciusko County Neighborhood Basis, was the keynote speaker on the annual Kosciusko Purdue Extension Annual Assembly Monday, March 7.
Lamb said if the 4-H Poultry Barn’s breakfast was loved, or a 4-H’er acquired a 4-H Basis Scholarship, Creighton Brothers had been accountable. Throughout Ag Day they supply child chicks for fourth graders to carry. The corporate is a constitution participant and sponsor of Ag Day and Style of Ag.
Ostrom was president of the Kosciusko County 4-H Council when COVID hit. Ostrom led, guided and directed the 4-H Council by way of the detailed strategy of a restricted, in-person basic challenge and 4-H Livestock judging occasion, whereas different counties collapsed throughout the barrage of protocols. He continues to serve extension because the co-treasurer of the 4-H council.
Martin began with the Elkhart County Extension Homemakers within the early Nineteen Eighties and held varied native, county and district positions. Following the dying of her husband, she allowed her extension homemakers membership to lapse. She met Louise Nichols in 2014 on the Kosciusko County Honest who invited her to go to the Knitting Collectively Membership. Martin joined the membership and served as its membership president, grew to become county vp, incoming president and now county president. She has served Kosciusko and Elkhart counties in several capacities for about 25 years.
Frank has been a 4-H volunteer for 19 years. She was a 10-year 4-H member with the canine challenge as her main challenge. She watched her mother decide canine exhibits and mentioned the exhibits on the best way residence, leaving an enormous impression. Consequently, Frank began judging canine exhibits whereas nonetheless in 4-H and hasn’t stopped. She led the Kosciusko 4-H canine challenge in 2021 to permit 4-H’ers to take part. With out her time and dedication there wouldn’t have been a canine challenge.
Basis Overview
Overbey introduced a 15-minute overview of the neighborhood basis. She touched on the mission, historical past, management, grant making, endowments and particular initiatives. Concerning the particular initiatives, she famous a crossover between the muse and extension. She offered statistics, which included the muse’s $75.5 million in belongings and their annual grant making complete of $6.3 million. The grant breakdown included faith-based, scholarship, academic, human providers, well being, arts and tradition, recreation, civic and environmental.
Whereas there are 4 pillars within the particular initiatives, Overbey touched on baby care and housing. Concerning baby care, she famous affordability is among the many issues and there are baby care scholarships out there. Concerning housing, a examine has offered a market evaluation.
Ahead Kosciusko County was additionally famous, offering a complete plan. The 11 collaborating communities are actually ready to be eligible for state and federal funding.
Throughout her presentation, Overbey confirmed a few of the agriculture-related funds out there, presenting data on simply one of many endowments the place investments on 5 items totalling $45,956 has resulted in 47 grants totaling $42,325 with out touching the principal.
Educator’s Replace
Jackie Franks, county extension director and well being and human providers educator, highlighted her participation within the Jail Chemical Dependancy Program with 39 inmates participating within the areas of Be Coronary heart Sensible, ServSafe Meals Handler, ServSafe Supervisor, INWork: Expertise for tomorrow’s workforce and diet classes. She additionally touched on the Be Coronary heart Sensible, Eating with Diabetes, diet courses, Get WalkIN’, a digital scavenger hunt and extra. Through the 12 months there have been 122 academic periods, 145 studying hours and a couple of,724 individuals.
Andrew Ferrell, 4-H youth growth educator, highlighted his 10-month time with extension. His objective is to alter the mindset that 4-H is concerning the truthful and livestock. Ferrell and Tammy Boggs, 4-H employees member and STEM program assistant, have begun to work towards this objective by offering applications or youth outdoors the normal view of 4-H. He touched on programming centered on robotics, coding, plant science, electrical energy, vitality options, images and 3-D printing in space faculties, Warsaw library, Baker Youth Membership and YMCA. The three,000 academic contacts by way of 85 applications have elevated the normal 4-H enrollment by 8%. There are 17 golf equipment throughout the county, 541 4-H members, 120 mini 4-H’ers and 237 grownup volunteers.
Emily Luc, assistant agriculture and pure sources educator, is a grant logistics coordinator for the grant between the state division of agriculture, state rural well being affiliation and Purdue College Extension. She talked about psychological well being in rural farming and ranching, public promotion of stress discount and psychological well being wellness with farmers, farm households and agribusiness individuals and the implementation of coaching to coach name heart personnel on psychological well being in rural communities and farm households.
Data on Annie’s Mission and Ladies in Ag/Younger Women in Ag, grasp gardeners and Munch & Study applications had been additionally introduced by Luc.
Judy Egolf introduced details about the Extension Homemakers program.
