Randolph County Purdue Extension Holds Annual Meeting

As the meal came to a close, guests were asked to vote for four of the following individuals to serve as members of the Extension Board. The five nominees were, Jerrett Flesher, Lauren Peacock, Beth Randall, Mike Reed, and Katelyn Spencer. Each nominee was given a chance to briefly introduce themself before the vote took place and the ballots were collected. 

Each row of tables was then taken to one of three stations where they would get the chance to experience some of the programs offered by the Extension Office for themself. At one of these stations, Julie Wilson, Chief Executive Director of the Extension as well as a 4-H Youth Educator and Extension Educator, gave each guest an egg to crack and examine to learn about Embryology. This is a very popular activity presented to schoolchildren to show them how chicks develop from eggs.

Another station gave guests a chance to pilot a drone via an app downloaded onto their smartphones. Amy Alka the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator regularly teams with other educators from other extension offices to teach a class which can lead those who take it to becoming a licensed drone pilot. Alka showed a variety of drones and explained many of the possible uses for them.

The third station was led by Health and Human Science Extension Educator Zoe Robinson. Robinson spoke of several of the programs that she oversees during the year. She led guests through a number of simple exercises that can be done while sitting in a chair. These exercises are designed to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility which aids in preventing falls. While geared towards elderly individuals and those who may be undergoing rehabilitation following an injury or perhaps a surgery to replace a joint, these exercises can be a benefit to anyone. 

Once all of the guests had experienced all three stations, they returned to their seats. A special guest spoke via video to introduce this year’s winner of the Friend of Extension Award. Whitney Jester introduced her father Scott Jester as this year’s award winner. Scott Jester has volunteered countless hours to help out with 4-H, and many other activities that the Extension has been involved in over the last several years. It was for this dedication that he was chosen to receive this award. Oswalt then announced the results of the vote. As there was a tie, all five of the nominees were named to the Board.

Throughout the year, The Randolph County Purdue Extension offers a wide variety of services, classes, and activities for Randolph County Residents. Purdue Extension has educators, specialists and volunteers living and working in all 92 counties in Indiana. This is a part of the Cooperative Extension Service, one of the nation’s largest providers of scientific research-based information and education.

In addition to the 4-H related activities, there is the Davis Purdue Agriculture Center Field Day where they assist farmers with management decisions by informing them about the latest findings of their research. They also teach about grain safety. The Extension also offers a Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth in addition to numerous educational opportunities. Anyone interested in any of the programs offered by the Randolph County Purdue Extension should contact them for further information at www.extension.purdur.edu/randolph or by calling (765) 584-2271.