Lawrence County Purdue Extension Office Releases Quarterly Report

(LAWRENCE CO.) – The Lawrence County Purdue Extension Office released their quarterly report which covers April-June. The report shows 4,152 people participated in programs offered by the Extension Office.

They conducted a total of 158 Education program sessions during this period.

During this unexpected and trying time the Lawrence County Extension staff remained busy mostly through telecommute, organizing. and hosting events using ZOOM and WebEx technology.

This quarter has not produced the highest participation numbers during the pandemic but many still have benefited from the programs in the areas of 4-H, Health & Human Services, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Nutrition Education Program, and Community Wellness.

The Community Wellness Coordinator with Ascension St. Vincent Dunn Wendy McQueen worked to supply Lawrence County with Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program vouchers.

Low-income seniors and qualified disabled people will get $20 in vouchers to use at the farmer’s market. For more information, you can contact Wendy McQueen at wendymcqueen@acension.org or 812-276-1088.

The Community Wellness Coordinator also wrote a grant fund by the Lawrence County Community Foundation to partially fund the LIFE Blessings program. The $4,000 grant funds will go to pay for snacks to be sent home with students at Burris and Hatfield schools in Mitchell.

Because of the actions of Community Wellness Coordinator Lawrence County was nominated for and received a $2,500 Glick Community Relief Fund to be used at the Cambridge Square Bedford Senior Nutrition. These funds will go toward purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables, farmers market vouchers for residents who participate in nutrition classes, building and maintaining 3 on-site gardens, and the purchase of food for an emergency pantry.

Where Does Your Money Go? Program Sarah Richer will bring this program in a virtual format that will allow adults to attend on-line classes to gain money ‘cents’. The program is designed to help consumers better understand how they spend their money. This free online virtual course is available to anyone age 18 or older. The six modules of the class include video, interactive activities, self-assessments, and fillable spending tracking forms. This self-paced program takes about four to six weeks to complete.

Here is a breakdown of Events & Programs sponsored by the Purdue Lawrence County Extension Office:

  • Lawrence County Third Grade Ag Day – 568 Participants
  • Women in AG Lunch & Learn – 31 Participants
  • Local Government, State, Local Impacts from Corona – 2 Sessions -376 participants
  • Lawn & Garden Update – 27 participants
  • Virtual 4-H Photography SPARK Club – 4 sessions – 44 participants
  • Rabbit Club Breed ID and Animal Science – 11 participants
  • 4-H Thoughtful Thursdays – 4 Sessions – 72 participants
  • Get WalkIN Email program – 9 Sessions – 72 participants
  • In Work, INnovate, INvest, INspire, skills for Tomorrow’s workplace – 2 participants
  • Eat Smart Move More NEP Lessons – 6 sessions – 6 participants
  • ” Creating Healthier Lives” Campaign Social Media Reach – 77 Sessions – 2,943 participants.
  • Virtual 4-H Club, Committee and Board Meetings – 51

Total of 158 Sessions with 4,152 who took part. There was a total of 356 consultations and 38 community and coalition meetings.

To find out more about the programs and services offered by the Lawrence County Extension call 812-275-4626 or go to https://extension.purdue.edu/Lawrence