First Quarter 2022 Impact Report

FIRST QUARTER 2022

CLARK, CRAWFORD, AND EDGAR COUNTIES A snapshot of January, February, and March 2022

Proud to serve you A note from County Director, Stacy Woodyard As part of the Land Grant system, Illinois Extension is the outreach effort of the University of Illinois. Focusing on five areas we feel are meaningful to Illinois residents, our leaders work to meet the needs in our communities.

Extension programs include hands-on workshops, online webinars, self-paced tutorials, and more in the areas of community, economy, environment, food, and health.

As part of the nationwide Cooperative Extension System, U of I Extension is able to make use of the researchbased know-how of land-grant universities from across the country.

Illinois Extension web pages have more than 5 million

CONNECT WITH US uie-cce@illinois.edu Clark: 217-826-5422 Crawford: 618-546-1549 Edgar: 217-465-8585 @uiextensioncce @uimastersCCE @ClarkCountyIL4H @CrawfordCountyIL4H @EdgarCounty4H go.illinois.edu/WhatsCooking

views each month from people in over 200 countries.

Photo above: All of the employees from Clark, Crawford, and Edgar counties participated in a staff retreat in March. This group is always working toward the same goals, but they don't often have the time to relax with one another. Thanks to The Silo for a delicious lunch and to Shewey's Paint Your Own Pottery Studio for a chance to explore our inner artist.

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL, CONSUMER, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

University of Illinois | U.S. Department of Agriculture | Local Extension Councils Cooperating University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

MASTER GARDENERS

Master Gardeners Eager for Spring

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DIRECT CONTACTS THIS QUARTER

4 EVENTS THIS QUARTER

Master Gardeners who meet during the day participated in multiple Illinois Extension horticulture trainings to enhance their knowledge this quarter. During their regular meetings, they planned for Soil Testing Week and the re-design and upkeep of the 4-H Fairgrounds flowerbeds and pollinator garden at the Edgar County Extension Office. Preparations for the annual April in Paris garden workshop were made, and four members signed up to host an "Ask a Master Gardener" table at Ewing's Garden Barn in Marshall.

Evening Master Gardeners also participated in horticulture training. During meetings, they discussed new garden programs for children, the Chrisman Community Garden, ways to increase membership, toured the large selection of horticulture books in the Illinois Extension library, and planned a visit to botanical gardens in the area.

SNAP-ED

SNAP-Ed

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education

1,189

DIRECT CONTACTS THIS QUARTER

103 EVENTS THIS QUARTER

Serving families and individuals who qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, community worker Hope Dennis reaches all three counties in our unit.

Making healthy choices is not always easy when families are struggling financially. This quarter, Dennis visited food pantries in Oblong, Robinson, Palestine, and Paris to provide education on how to save money while making healthy food choices through the Healthy Cents program. She also provided healthy recipes and more for participants at Eat. Move. Save. educational booths.

She also worked in elementary schools in Chrisman, Kansas, Shiloh, Paris, Martinsville, Casey, Oblong, Robinson, Hustonville, and Palestine. Using the OrganWise Guys® the obesity-prevention program, Dennis uses fun organ characters to teach children about making healthier

Both groups purchased books on bats in memory of master gardener Mike Sekerak and plan to donate them to local libraries.

choices.

NUTRITION & WELLNESS

Other topics of in-person events and webinars have included: Making freezer meals A pickling lesson and demonstration Altering comfort food recipes to be healthier Food waste

Taking Food Safety Seriously

788

DIRECT CONTACTS THIS QUARTER

22 EVENTS THIS QUARTER

Reading food labels Understanding dates on food packages Diabetes education

Classes focus on Cottage Food Law A new Cottage Food Operation Law took place in January 2022, creating many opportunities for food safety education. As a food safety expert and contributor to the law amendment, Mary Liz Wright participated in six different events on this topic reaching over 600 people.

Because we live in a digital age, Wright has continued to create cooking videos.

Her YouTube Channel, What's Cooking with Mary Liz Wright, receives thousands of visits monthly. Recent videos have been for direct audiences of schools, employees, and youth.

Other nutrition and wellness programming included five events for employees of local businesses, three events reaching senior populations, two events offering certificates for food staff, and two events for youth populations. Wright was also a guest on WMMC radio station, leading a discussion on why new year resolutions don't work.

FOOD SAFETY

It is estimated that foodborne illness represents an annual burden to society of approximately $36 billion, with an average cost burden of $3,630 per illness.

Vulnerabilities threaten food safety from the supply source through the distribution chain. Practices that enhance safe growing, handling and preservation, serving, and storage all comprise the most effective strategy to reduce the social and economic impact of foodborne illness.

COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Linking Chambers of Commerce Chambers of Commerce are known for providing networking opportunities for their members, but Tiffany Macke wanted to bring together chamber employees so they could connect and share ideas with each other.

Four chambers from Casey, Marshall, Olney, and Robinson brought their ideas and questions about grants, funding, marketing, and other topics.

Community & Economic 812 Development DIRECT Time to refresh and reboot

CONTACTS THIS QUARTER

Macke plans to host a quarterly networking webinar for this audience.

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EVENTS THIS QUARTER

All communities have festivals, and all communities are looking for ways to refresh their events and attract newer audiences and more volunteers. As an Illinois Extension community and economic development team member, Tiffany Macke hosted a virtual roundtable for community planning groups to connect and share new ideas.

Ten participants from five communities learned best practice models and ideas from Dan Crews, the programming and publicity director of Doudna Fine Arts Center at Eastern Illinois University. All three counties in our unit were represented.

Plans are in the works for Illinois Extension to host an annual networking and educational session.

CED continues connecting, communicating, and collaborating Sometimes all community leaders need is someone to organize a meeting that brings together the right people. Tiffany Macke facilitated discussions between Casey Chamber of Commerce and the Big Things in Small Town organization resulting in plans for the two to look for opportunities to collaborate moving forward.

The East Central Development Corporation, an economic development group in the region that has been dormant for several years, received assistance from Macke too.

She facilitated virtual focus groups and an in-person meeting in March.

ECONOMIC VITALITY Rural and urban communities alike must be built on a solid foundation with plans for growth, plans for emergency preparedness and response, and shared responsibility for continually seeking ways to promote economic vitality.

4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

A social and emotional learning curriculum called Connect teaches youth to manage emotions, set and achieve goals, feel and show empathy for others, and make responsible decisions. Welcome to the Real World is a 3-session program where middle and high school students practice making tough choices such as career selection, car buying, choosing a home, and bill paying. Preschoolers even had a science lesson about how blubber helps arctic animals stay warm.

Reaching students where they are

691

DIRECT CONTACTS THIS QUARTER

32 EVENTS THIS QUARTER

Online programs Other youth programming included an online statewide LEGO® building challenge to highlight National LEGO® Day in January. During the week leading up to that day, youth received daily challenges via social media and

School-based 4-H programs provide a chance for youth

were encouraged to post photos of their

to participate in enrichment activities that supplement

creations. Over 50 youth participated in

the school curriculum. Our 4-H educator can reach a

this program, which ended with Sloop

large number of children in a particular community by

leading the group on a virtual tour of a

working with school audiences.

LEGO® factory and a sharing session of favorite creations.

During the first quarter of 2022, Susan Sloop offered 12 in-school or after-school programs reaching 251 students. The Spark after-school program covers multiple STEM topics, including paper circuits, light-up holiday cards, marshmallow catapults, magic wand construction, straw rockets, wind energy, and science bugs that light up. The Mars Basecamp lessons teach skills such as mechanical engineering, physics, computer science, and agriculture to ages 8-14.

HEALTHY AND SAFE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTS

While healthy behaviors are an important part of the equation to improve health status and quality of life, lasting impact depends on creating an environment where choices are not only possible but also encouraged, Classrooms, school cafeterias, food pantries, workplaces, and other public places play a pivotal role in providing supportive spaces for people to thrive both physically and emotionally.

4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

4-H

4-H is the place where you belong and are part of a life-changing group of friends.

4-H prepares youth to speak confidently by leading club meetings, giving talks and demonstrations, and conversing with judges during shows.

4-H in Clark and Edgar counties provided the opportunity for 6 youth to display their public speaking skills at the county level, and are proud to be sending one member to the State Public Speaking Contest.

Learning to prepare safe and nutritious meals is everyone should learn, and it can be fun. Based popular shows seen on Food Network, the Food was offered in Clark and Edgar counties with 25 participating as teams.

a life skill on the Challenge youth

The top teams took home new kitchen small appliances to encourage cooking at home.

Three Crawford County 4-H'ers and one parent took advantage of a first aid and CPR certification class. This 3hour program was offered to members ages 13+ on a school holiday.

This class was also offered in Clark County for 4-H'ers and 4-H volunteers. Eight members participated, and 3 adult volunteers participated.

Nearly 40 youth attended an hour-long physics demonstration by the University of Illinois Physics Van. Using fun and interactive methods, the college students engaged the young audience, teaching them simultaneously.

Highlights included a homemade hoverboard with an audience member on top and a huge bubble explosion. In all, there were fifteen different demonstrations on states of matter, air, Newton's Laws, and electricity.

THRIVING YOUTH Thriving youth are at the core of healthy, robust communities. Our mentorship-based youth development model applies a holistic development framework, focusing on social competence, academic success, career development, and community connection. The 4-H club experience creates opportunities and environments for all youth to thrive today and into the future.