Hearing the news of the loss of Dr. Larry Turner  on Flight 5191 struck a blow to the hearts of all KEAFCS members.  I am sure you have struggled to comprehend, adjust and plan for the future.  Many of you paid tribute by attending his visitation and memorial service.  Others of you remembered him in prayer and reflection.

 Trying to find the words to adequately honor Dr. Turner is difficult.  I thought the measure of the man is reflected in selected portions of his own words as he applied to be our Associate Dean and Associate Director of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.  They included:  

“We must function as a team to challenge the status quo and seek improved methods, systems and approaches to solving clientele problems and improving the quality of life for citizens of Kentucky .  We need to act as catalysts for change in our role of bringing increased knowledge and service to our clientele.

Three words summarize the Extension system for me:  people, programs and partnerships.  The primary goal of Cooperative Extension should be to improve the lives of people.  Extension is one of the cornerstones of the land grant system.  Our programs for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, 4-H Youth Development, and Community Development are necessary now more than ever to serve the people of Kentucky and beyond.

I believe that the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) is one of the premier state CES organizations in the U.S.   We are well recognized for the strength of our programs and for our grass roots support at the local level.  I am keenly aware that the clientele we serve in Kentucky , particularly those in production agriculture and related areas, are in a dynamic time of transition that will require dynamic and visionary leadership.  We need to remain true to the mission of Extension while navigating a changing agricultural, political, university, and social environment.  Fortunately, we have quality people and sound programs upon which to build, and a mission that I believe remains even more vital than ever.  I look forward to the opportunity to provide leadership for the future of Extension in Kentucky to benefit the people of the Commonwealth.”

As KEAFCS members we celebrate Dr. Turner’s leadership, courage and special friendship.  May you always remember the twinkle in his eye that indicated his joy in living.  We will continue to strive for his goal of healthy communities and strong families in Kentucky .

  County Judge Executive Breakfast:  JCEP will again sponsor breakfast at the County Judge Executives Statewide Meeting.  This year’s session will be at General Butler State Park in Carroltown , Kentucky .  Please call your county judge executive and express your appreciation for the local support for total CES and particularly for FCS.  You may also explain that the professional extension organizations are jointly sponsoring breakfast on Friday, September 29.  Lora Frazier Howard and I will represent you at the event.

 NEAFCS:  Kentucky will have another five delegates at NEAFCS.  The five voting delegates will be Lora Frazier Howard, Kim Adams Leger, Debra Cotterill, Jan Dougan, Peggy Powell and Diana Doggett, Alternate.

 Our thanks to Jennifer Bridge for arranging our Kentucky Night Out.  The event will be Thursday, October 5^th at the Aquarium Restaurant on Water Street in Denver .  Return registration to Jennifer by September 15^th.

 Thank each of you who are serving in national and state leadership roles.  Kentucky agents have caring hearts and wonderful leadership skills.  Perform your tasks with skill and grace.

 The NEAFCS Silent Auction Chairs have requested that Kentucky contribute five (5) items to the auction.  If you have an item for the auction please email me.  Items are to be turned in on October 3 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.  

Travel safe, work effectively, learn much and have fun!

I hope each of you have marked November 28^th, 29^th, and 30^th for the State Meeting at the Marriott East in Louisville.  I will have registration information in a later mailing.  You can call and make your hotel reservations at (502)499-6220.  Our rooms will be held until November 6^th.  Be sure to mention our group to get the room rate of $99.00.

The Inservice on the 28^th of November will start at 9:30 am.  Registration is from 9:00 am – 9:30 am.  Dr. Anna Mae Kobbe, visiting professor, School of Human Sciences , University of Kentucky , will be the consultant that will be conducting the program that day.  “Charting Our Course Planning for the Future” - You will need to register for the Inservice on line.  It will be on line by the time you read the newsletter.

You should hear from a couple of Areas with opportunities to present excellent programs for the State Meeting.  Award winners will have an opportunity to present their award winning programs plus display their award winning entries.  Be looking for information from the Green River Area on this.  Each area is asked to select an excellent program and present that program at the State Meeting.  Be looking for information from Louisville about this.  I encourage each area to participate and share program ideas.  We need to “toot” our own successes more.

Agents will be able to attend one hour sessions.  The one hour sessions will have three to four presentations in each hour.  You will leave the State Meeting with program ideas for about nine programs.

I hope to see many of you at the National Meeting.  I encourage you to attend the States night out that Jennifer Bridge has planned.  I attended last years and had a good time, good fellowship and excellent food.

I will be attending the NEAFCS National meeting and hopefully will come back with new ideas for Member Resources.  While attending the national meeting I’ll be working with the Marketing and Communications Task Force. 

 For now remember to invite your new co-workers to join KEAFCS.  They can join for the 2007 year and attend the state meeting as members by paying their dues during the state meeting registration in November.

Is there something you would like to see included in this newsletter or on the website that isn't?  Please share with me any comments or suggestions (mindy.mcculley@uky.edu)!  This is your newsletter and it is up to you to make it be the best that it can be.  Refer to the Calendar on the website for deadlines, but I will try to send you reminders!   Remember, any forms that need to be added to the website should be sent to me in Word format.

District & Area News

The Ft. Harrod Area has welcomed Tamera Thomas, Franklin County and Luci Hockersmith, Mercer County to our ranks.

Also, on a personal note we hosted a shower for Donna (Clore) Forgacs upon her marriage.

We toured the Maysville and Augusta areas in June researching community development and downtown renovation ideas.

The agents also hosted the FDM assistants on a tour of Louisville which included the Louisville Slugger Museum, Louisville Glass Factory and lunch at the Spaghetti Factory. Some went to Baer's Fabric Store before leaving town.

We welcome Terri Cline as the new FCS Agent in Menifee County

The Licking River Area had a summer meeting in July at the new home of Donna Fryman.   We did some visiting

And mostly program planning and orienting our new agent Terri Cline into the association.

Debra Cotterill, Donna Fryman and Sally Mineer made a presentation at the NET Conference in Burlington Vermont on The River Valley Agritourism Alliance

Donna Fryman also did a second presentation at the NET Conference along with Steve Kelly on the Great Scarecrow Roundup.

Martha Perkins, Carole Rison, Peggy Powell and Debra Cotterill plan to attend the national meeting in Colorado.

The Licking River Area mainly meets with Northeast Area for programming and association meetings.   

We met in March at the Boyd county office.   We held a programming session and held a baby shower for Allison Lucas

In March we meet in Greenup county for a session on Women’s Health.  

In May, the District 1 FCS Agents held an appreciation Day for the para professionals in our district.  This event was held at DH Resorts in Fleming County.

In late may, a reception was held by District 1, FCS agents for Leslie Workman, who left extension to take care of her family.   Leslie is greatly missed by the agents and her county.

June’s meeting was held in Bath County with an emphasis on the new agriculture Center in Bath County.

Some Licking River Area agents went to the Northeast area summer meeting where they visited many sites in Hindman and the surrounding region. Many thanks to Alice Ann Bradley on her arrangements for a great day.

Agents have been extremely busy in this part of the state.

v    Allison Lucas welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Ross Eli on 12/14/05.

v    Martha Perkins sent her daughter off to UK

v    Nellie Buchanan celebrated her oldest daughter getting married

v    Debra’s oldest daughter (Katie) now has a paying job in the winery business in California

Northern Kentucky FCS Agents have had a busy year. In July, we wished Sue White-Sayers, Campbell County , a fond farewell, as she retired after 15 years of service. She and her husband Michael, have quite a bit of traveling planned, including a trip to Hawaii . Best wishes Sue!

We toured the Midwest Culinary Institute located at Cincinnati State . State of the art commercial cooking facilities and classrooms were visited and lunch was enjoyed at the student run restaurant. The afternoon was spent at the Hebrew Union College viewing the “Mapping Our Tears” exhibit. Testimonies from local people who are Holocaust survivors were viewed in a 1930’s attic setting.

Over the summer, we spent “Just a Day” to get to know each other better and enjoyed a personal trainer presentation. We visited Midway, where we learned about locally grown produce production and use at Happy Jack Pumpkin and Produce Farm, and Holly Hill Inn. A walking tour of Midway College , Kentucky ’s only women’s college (during the daytime), gave us insight into this historic liberal arts institution.

District 3 FCS Agents held a retreat where both Louisville and Northern Kentucky Area Association members got better acquainted by laughing at our stress. Everyone had an opportunity to share an amusing Extension experience, including our guest Dr. Vail. Elaine Clift Collins, former FCS Agent, is now with the Shelby Development Foundation. She shared Shelbyville preservation and restoration activities with us which we were able to view when we took a walking tour of Shelbyville. At the Northern Kentucky Paraprofessional Recognition Day, Agents and their FCS, FDM, and EFNEP Assistants, enjoyed a tour of the KitchenAid facility in Greenville Ohio and a stop at the factory store where everyone made their own apple dumpling.

Annie Kingston hosted the Pennyrile Area in May. The group toured the new bed and breakfast in Grand Rivers, The Rose of The Lake followed by a tour of a new tourism destination, the Baggett Playhouse Theatre. The Theatre is an excellence choice for an Extension Homemakers Cultural Arts Trip.

Annie Kingston, Livingston County, received a $2000 grant for the College of Agriculture and Human Environmental Sciences Alumni Association to continue a District 7 Master Food Volunteer Program. Nancy Kelley and Christine Rivera are working with Annie to offer the next series of classes and build this program which will alternate between the Pennyrile and Purchase Area. Pennyrile FCS agents have teaching assignments each month, making this a team work event!

Laura Holt, Muhlenberg County, and Laura Wilson, Lyon County each received Kentucky Beef Council Grants to promote the use of beef in family meals.

Isobel Crutchfield, retired Christian County “home economics” agent died August 21. Isobel had continued to serve as a resource to Pennyrile agents, being one of those people who truly knew everything.

Wilderness Trail Area agents are glad to welcome back Michelle Smith, Jackson County FCS, and Hazel Jackson, Rockcastle County FCS.  The two have been on sabbatical with Michelle earning her teaching certificate in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education and Hazel completing an oral history project on quilting in southeastern Kentucky .  Congratulations to both ladies!  As a group, the WTA FCS agents have visited the Flag Fork Herb Farm in Lexington and were very fortunate to here a presentation on the uses of herbs in cooking.  Agents have also toured the Kentucky Craft School in Hindman seeing exquisite workmanship in woodworking, jewelry making and more.  WTA FCS Agents are gearing up to host the 9th annual Holiday Cooking School in November. 

AG/HES Alumni

The Northeast Area Ag & HES alumni had a dinner and meeting recently at the McConnell House in Wurtland , Kentucky .  Dr. Ann Vail, director School of Human Environmental Science and assistant director Family & Consumer Sciences Extension, was the guest speaker.  Representative Tanya Pullin (pictured left) and Rita Spence (right), county agent for Family and Consumer Sciences, present Dr. Vail with a Kentucky colonelship.  

Congratulations to Stephanie Crum, Martin County FCS Agent who gave birth on 8/18/06 to Benjamin.  Benjamin weighed 7lbs. 4 oz.  he joins brother Brandon who is three.

FCS Agents from the former Northeast Area traveled to the SECO former coal camp.  The coal camp now hosts a winery, Bed and Breakfast, and restaurants that provide fine tourist destinations to this area.  Ann Bradley, FCS Agent from Letcher County hosted the northeast/district one agents for the visit. 

Agents bid farewell to Pike County FCS Agent, Leslie Workman who is pursuing her career as a full-time mother, wife, homemaker.  Best wishes to Leslie and her family.    

 Linda Stephens, our FCS Agent in Russell County , retired at the end of June with 33 years of service in Extension.    We wish Linda good health and happiness in her retirement.  She plans to do a lot of volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, her favorite charity.

 Debbie Shepherd returned to work in the Casey County Office the first of August.  Debbie has been on a sabbatical, working on her Master’s in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education at Eastern Kentucky University .  Debbie is the only full time extension agent in the Casey County Office and has really been busy.  Casey County Extension Service is in the process of building a new educational wing, which will be completed soon.    Debbie is very excited about being back in Extension and in Casey County .

 Audrey Wolff, our FCS Agent in Green County , married Josh Myers on June 10.  Josh is a loan officer at the Campbellsville National Bank.

 Becky Nash is on Sabbatical leave working with and learning from the Ky. Dairy Development Council, until December.  She also received a $500 ESP Scholarship to help with expenses during this sabbatical leave.

  Clinton County moved into a new office building in July.  The new office is located conveniently on Hwy. 127.  The building has offices, a reception area, kitchen, meeting room and basement.  The Extension Service had been housed in the basement of the courthouse until now, so everyone is very excited about the new building.  Open House will be held September 18.

 Kathy Brannon, McCreary County FCS , spent a week of professional development at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown , N.C. The school is modeled after the Danish system of folk education and offers many wonderful opportunities.  Kathy was accompanied by retired 4-H Agent Jana Brown and both studied pine needle basketry while there.  Special thanks to Epsilon Sigma Phi for scholarship funds to help with this trip.

District 6 Agents met with Dr. Ann Vail and our District Director, Anna Smith at the Holly Hill Inn in Midway in June.  This meeting gave us the opportunity to dialogue with our administrators and get a clear picture of their vision for our future.

District 6 is also completing a six month Get Moving District 6 challenge at the end of September.  This challenge has included agents from all disciplines as well as administrators and support staff.  Each month winners are named based on number of minutes exercised and percentage of weight lost.  Ashlee Rczyczyki, FCS agent in Daviess County has been the most prolific monthly winner, winning 4 out of the 5 months currently reported in minutes of exercise!  Tracy Thornton, FCS agent in Butler County, has won two of the monthly weight loss challenges!

Pride of Kentucky Cookbook

Special Offer for KEAFCS Members

Kathy Jump  

The Pride of Kentucky cookbook project has enabled our association to build a financial base for our KEAFCS educational endowment fund that will make it possible for us to expand FCS educational programming across the state and enhance the professional development of agents.   The cookbook has taken center stage as a valuable resource for consumers as a result of our expansive educational programming and partnerships with agriculture groups and producers.  In addition, the book has been an avenue to increased national, state, and regional publicity for Kentucky agriculture products, the Cooperative Extension Service, and our profession.

 KEAFCS members have been dedicated to making this project a success and we are now nearing the end of the project.  As a reward for your dedication and hard work, we are offering members another opportunity to purchase books at a special discount price of $14.00 (tax included) per book.  This low price is being offered to KEAFCS members to purchase books for your personal use only.  This offer will run from now until November 17, 2006. 

 To order, complete the attached form and return it to me at the address shown.  The order must be postmarked on or before November 17.  Payment must be included with the order.  Make checks to KEAFCS (Pride of Kentucky).  Your order will be packaged and available to be picked up during the KEAFCS Annual Meeting in Louisville on November 28-30. 

 I also want to remind you that we still have books available for you to sell individually or at special events you may have this fall and winter.  Homemaker annual meetings, holiday programs and showcase events provide great opportunities for sales.  If you are having such an event, complete the Special Sales Form found on the KEAFCS website and we will make arrangements to get you books to sell at the special event price of $20. 

 We can all take pride in the success of the Pride of Kentucky project.  I hope you will take advantage of the special price reward and also continue programming about Kentucky agricultural commodities.