2010 Erie County OSU Extension highlights:

Strengthening Families and Communities

Unemployment and financial belt-tightening continue to be the order of the day for Ohio residents. Erie County on a Budget, the financial education class offered to county residents at the local Job Store, has been expanded to help cash assistance clients meet their hourly work requirements for Job and Family Services.  The class focuses on basic budgeting techniques, what to do if you are “in over your head,” where to find assistance at the county level, and how to get more “bang for your buck” at the grocery store. A special segment of the class ties sustainability and the environment into financial literacy, in essence a green² approach.  When you spend less money on material goods, not only does that support your budget, but it also helps support the environment. One participant with a young child was so moved by the amount of money she could save by switching to cloth diapers, as well as being able to help reduce waste at the landfill, that she decided to give old-fashioned “diapering” a try.

County-wide nutrition education helped over 4,000 Erie County residents make improvements to their health. An emphasis on eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and heart friendly fats and oils showed particpants they can still make appealing food choices while reducing their risk for degenerative disease. One Elder College particpant revealed that he lost 15 pounds and had significant reductions in his blood lipid profile after following information learned during a two-part nutrition presentation.

Health and wealth are related. Poor health costs everyone more money; including the individual who gets sick, his employer, and/or the government. In an effort to get people motivated to lose weight, programs highlighting the financial repercussions fo being overweight have shown promise. Obese people spend 42% more than people of normal weight on medical costs, a difference of about $1,500.  

Preparing Youth for Success

Research shows that youth who volunteer just one hour a week are 50% less likely to abuse drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or engage in destructive behavior. Teen leaders involved in 4-H as Camp Counselors, Junior Fair Board members, or CARTEENS instructors provided over 3,766 volunteer hours in 2010. Using the Ohio minimum wage rate of $7.30 an hour, their contribution of volunteer hours translated to $27,4972 of service to Erie County!

Camp is an important learning laboratory where children develop life skills, such as responsibility, decision making, getting along with others, cooperation, leadership, and increased self-esteem. Over 118 youth ages 8 to 13 attended 4-H Camp on Kelleys Island. Approximately 61% of campers were not members of an Erie County 4-H club. Therefore, over 70 youth who otherwise would not have had a 4-H experience became 4-H members and experienced the benefits of the program through their particpation in camp.

Ohio teen drivers were involved in more traffic crashes than any other age group in 2008. Eighty-one teen drivers, 43 teen passengers, and 7 teen pedestrians were killed in fatal car crashes in Ohio. CARTEENS is a traffic safety program for first time juvenile traffice offenders; its goal is to help teens become better, safer drivers. Older youth served as CARTEENS instructors and helped develop and facilitate the program.

Enhancing Agriculture and the Environment

Many times women are responsible for farm financial recordkeeping, grain marketing, human resource management activities, etc. with little or no training in these areas. Annie's Project works to provide risk management knowledge and resources for women involved in agriculture. By helping women improve their risk management skills, Annie's Project helps to strengthen the farm economy. The Erie County workshop received $1085 in sponsorships, $865 in fees and several in-kind donations. Thirteen women particpated in the workshop. At the completion of the program on particpant commented, "I believe attending Annie's Project is the wisest investment of money I could have made. The amount of information learned from all the speakers was unbelievable. I feel like I can be a real asset to the farm operation now that I have a better understanding of the business."

With the age of farmers steadily increasing and the uncertainty surrounding federal estate tax requirements, farm estate planning is vital for the longevity of individual family farms. Estate planning is cumbersome and many times overwhelming for farm families. Transition Workshop is designed to help farm businesses learn how to begin the process. By establishing open communication within the family and a strong estate plan, famrs are more likely to remain a viable business for the next generation.