2008 Erie County OSU Extension highlights:

Strengthening Families and Communities

The federally funded Family Nutrition Program (FNP) received $42,360 for the 2008–09 year. The funding assures that this successful program will continue for a 17th year. In 2007–08, over 1,000 food-stamp eligible participants attended 110 programs with 78% indicating they plan to make recommended changes by improving nutrition, food shopping, meal management, or food safety practices. More than 7,800 Family Nutrition Program newsletters were distributed to Salvation Army, Metro Housing, the Vermilion Food Pantry, WIC, and former program participants.

Nutrition education for general population Erie County residents flourished in 2008. 171 programs were offered throughout the county, and 3,697 participants took part in a variety of program options. Classes were conducted at sites such as Erie Metro Parks; various Erie County school districts, Milan and Berlin Heights Libraries; Fruedenberg; churches; Firelands Regional Medical Center; Erie County employees; civic groups; local businesses; and Job & Family Services.

Ohio State University Extension provided nutrition, food safety, and child development education programs to 127 day-care providers and/or foster parents at their training sessions coordinated by Erie County Job and Family Services and Child Care Resource Center. These training sessions are a necessary component for certification. The classes will help improve dietary quality and food safety for children attending day care.

Over 500 Erie County residents attended programs in 2007–08 dealing with the importance of the diet in relation to heart disease. Nutritional interventions dealing with appropriate food choices to reduce cholesterol, lose weight, and increase exercise were emphasized as lifestyle choices to help reduce someone’s risk for heart attack and stroke.

Bankruptcy filings have declined since the tougher Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act was enacted in 2005. However, new filings are rising at a steady rate, which shows there is still a huge need for financial education both nationally and statewide. OSU Extension offers New $tart for Financial Success. New $tart  is a Department of Justice pre-discharge financial education program for bankruptcy filers. Eighteen classes were offered in 2008 at the Erie County Extension office with a total of 56 people receiving financial education assistance.

Preparing Youth for Success

In partnership with the Erie County Juvenile Court, the local post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Firelands Regional Medical Center, the Erie County 4-H CARTEENS program entered its second year. CARTEENS is a traffic safety program for first-time juvenile traffic offenders. Older youth served as CARTEENS instructors and help develop and facilitate the program.

The Erie County 4-H Youth Development program involved a total of 1,349 youth in various programs. These youth participated in 4-H in a variety of ways—539 in community clubs, 361 in school enrichment groups, and 891 took part in special interest and camp programs.

Approximately 150 adult volunteers were active in the 4-H program. Additionally, 62 youth served as active volunteers. Twenty-seven older youth got a chance to develop and polish their leadership skills as camp counselors. Each teen supervised a cabin of campers, planned, conducted and evaluated activities and tackled issues like home sickness and conflict management. Ninety-five youth ages 8–12 attended Erie County 4-H camp in 2008!

Sixty-four youngsters, ages 5–8 years took part in the Cloverbud program. They were involved in cooperative social learning activities that helped develop decision making and social skills, while at the same time helping to develop fine and gross motor skills. Eleven volunteers gave leadership to the program.

Twenty-four students participated in a Junior Master Gardener Program sponsored by OSU Extension and the Sandusky City Schools. Students were involved in an eight-week course covering topics on vegetable and flower gardening. This was funded through the Safe Schools Healthy Students Initiative.

Enhancing Agriculture and the Environment

The 2008 Master Gardener Class of Erie County, with 11 members, completed three months of horticultural training. The 2000 through 2008 classes completed more than 3,000 hours of volunteer work and staffed exhibits at the Erie County Fair and the Kalahari Home and Garden Show. Several Master Gardeners completed advanced training classes offered through the Erie County Extension Office.

Sixteen women attended and completed the Annie’s Project program. Annie’s Project was designed to empower farm women to be better business partners through a series of education sessions covering the business of farming, and through networking.

Over 100 farmers certified as Private Applicators were able to be recertified to apply restricted-use pesticides. Three different training sessions provided opportunities for producers to sharpen their pesticide management skills in 13 categories, plus core subjects. A New Applicator Training Session was also offered with 25 new applicators attending.

Master Gardeners staffed a Horticulture Hotline in 2008. Over 250 home, lawn, and garden questions were answered with several fact sheets being delivered.

The North Central Tree Fruit IPM Program is coordinated through Erie County. Commercial fruit growers from Erie, Lorain, Sandusky, Ottawa, Richland, and Huron counties are enrolled in the program. Twenty growers enrolled over 35 blocks of apples and peaches in the program in 2008. On average, growers saved two sprays even with heavy insect and disease pressure. The estimated savings of cost of materials and application time and equipment equaled $45,000.