eParenting -- Free Parenting Information Sent to Your Email

MSU Extension offers parenting education via free email subscription

Teton County, MT, January 6, 2017– Montana State University Extension has partnered with University of Wisconsin-Extension to deliver “eParenting® High-Tech Kids,” which provides ideas on using digital media to stay close to children and strengthen family relationships.

Beginning mid-January and running through mid-June, weekly emails will describe short, practical and positive tips on parenting and using digital media with children. The short emails will contain links to more resources for parents.  A parent who participated in Montana last year said, “"It helped me realize that I am not the only parent having these issues with my children and it offers strategies that can get you back on track with teaching and helping your child develop into an adult.”  Another parent added that the messages “reminded me to take a minute to simply reflect on being purposeful in my parenting whether technology was involved or not."

In Teton County many schools participated in eParenting last year by sending messages directly to families.  Several schools plan to start the eParenting emails soon.  People not automatically receiving eParenting messages through their schools can subscribe for the free information by visiting, http://msuextension.org/eParenting/subscription.html.   Grandparents and other adults are welcome to register, because we know having more caring and informed adults in the life of a child is a benefit.  You do not need to live in Montana to sign up, either, so feel free to share this opportunity with friends and relatives in other locations.    

To learn more about eParenting, watch the video at: http://fyi.uwex.edu/eparenting/.

MSU Extension is a statewide educational outreach network that applies unbiased, research-based university resources to address community needs. Visit msuextension.org for more information.  

Strong People

Teton County, MT, January 5, 2017– As the morning alarm went off and I got my exercise clothes on, I was thinking about the day, not just the one ahead, but the same date thirteen years ago.  It was cold, like it has been the first week of January this year. I grabbed my tennis shoes and went to wake up my youngest daughter so she could get ready for her morning sports practice.  Thirteen years ago we weren’t taking anyone to sports practice on January 5.  We were headed to Chester for a medical appointment.  As I recall, I got a workout that day, too!  It lasted a little longer than my jog on the elliptical did this morning, but by that evening we were able to call friends and family to let them know that a healthy baby girl had arrived to join our family.

Not all workouts have such an immediate and tangible result as childbirth, but my two daughters have provided some of the motivation I need to continue exercising regularly.  One of my favorite exercise programs is the Strong People strength training program I have been teaching through MSU Extension in Teton County since 2008.  We currently have a class running from noon-1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Choteau City Hall.  The free class is open to the public and will run from January 5 to February 9.  If you are interested, please call our office at 466-2492 or stop by Choteau City Hall on Tuesday or Thursday at noon to see the class and pick up a registration packet.  

The strength training exercises we use are ones that Dr. Miriam Nelson of Tufts University has been researching for years.  She has found strength training to nearly provide people with a “reverse aging” opportunity.  The exercises are simple and uncomplicated, but they are not easy.  Each participant can progress at his or her own rate by starting with no weights and working up to 20-pound free weights on each of the exercises.  Additional repetitions can be added or they can be done more slowly to make the strength exercises more challenging.  Participants mention immediate benefits from the exercises, including increased stamina and energy.  Past participants have had goals to travel with the younger generation of family members on a trip and the need to be able to walk and hike.  Several participants have remarked how much easier flights of stairs are or how easy it is to get out of chairs.  One even mentioned it improved his golf game markedly.  

For me, a big part of my motivation to exercise is my family.  I want to have the energy and strength to be a full and active participant in their lives now, and for many years to come. Perhaps you have some of your own motivations and reasons why you want to exercise.   I think exercising regularly can be the formula for staying as young as possible.  Not that I mind getting old.  I think that should be the goal, but it should also be the goal to be healthy and fit while we age.  People have often looked for the fountain of youth, but I’m pretty sure the fountain of youth requires sweat pouring out daily!  For me, I plan to keep exercising to combat the effects of now having two teenage daughters!  Whatever your motivation or inspiration, I invite you to join us for the Strong People class.

How Solid Are Your Finances?

Solid Finances:  2016-2017 Series Please join the Solid Finances webinar series this year.  We have made a few changes to improve the series. This year North Dakota State University Extension Service joins South Dakota State University Extension, University of Idaho Extension and Montana State University Extension in sponsoring the series. This new multi-state format will bring new expertise to the series to better serve you. The 2016-2017 Solid Finances schedule will consist of 18 sessions, with the first session on October 5th.  The first 14 sessions will focus on issues important to residents of all states. The final four sessions will focus on issues specific to participants from Montana and Idaho.  Solid Finances will feature 7 different presenters sharing their expertise and answering your questions. Lyle Hansen (UI Extension) will open the series on October 5th by addressing Credit Scores. Joel Schumacher (MSU Extension) will lead the next two sessions on Car Loans and Creating a Debt Repayment Plan.  Luke Erickson (UI Extension) and Carrie Johnson (NDSU Extension) will address Kids and Money in November.  Health and Finances will be the focus of three sessions in late November and early December. Retirement and Financial Awareness will be the focus of sessions in January and February.  For a complete schedule please visit:www.msuextension.org/solidfinances/schedule.html If you would like to participate in the 2016-2017 series, you will need to register: If you are using the same email address with which you registered last year; please register here   If you are registering with a different email address; please register here There is no cost to participate in the Solid Finances program, howeverregistration is required. We record all of the sessions in the webinar series.  Recordings of past sessions are available for viewing at: www.msuextension.org/solidfinances/pastrecordings.html. Here are few participants’ comments about last year’s program: The presenters were very knowledgeable on the topic and quick to answer questions typed it during the webinar. I know what I am supposed to do but actually doing it….well that is where the webinars help keep me inline and on track to follow through. Really appreciate the course instructors' wealth of knowledge & experience on the subject matter being presented. I love the resources that are shared each session. The webinars got me motivated to quit procrastinating. I hope you will participate in this year’s Solid Finances series. Please contact me if you have any questions about Solid Finances. Joel Schumacher 406-994-6637 This program is made possible by a grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation.

Unwrapping the Gift of 4-H

On December 23, youth from Teton County shared in the gift we call 4-H at a project day event.  Older 4-H members had been invited through the county 4-H newsletter to teach classes for the project day planned for the afternoon of Wednesday, December 23, a time when all schools in the county were closed for holiday break.  4-H members who provided leadership included Daniel Asselstine, Delaynie Beadle, Michaela Gunderson, Ben Roeder, Watson Snyder and Annie Townsend.  Each of the older 4-H members either planned and taught or assisted an extension agent teaching a class.  The learning was also supported by 4-H alum, Katie Townsend, and MSU Extension Teton County Administrative assistants, Jamie Smith and Rhea Brutosky.

After 20 youth had sewn tote bags, sewn owl-shaped rice bags, baked and decorated cupcakes, learned about synthetic vs. natural fibers, made felted wool canning jar cozies, sheared sheep, learned jitterbug and two-step moves, made survival bands, painted chalkboard coasters and decorated gift bags, the group of 4-H members talked about the way people give their gifts to others.  One of the 4-H members learned her cake decorating skills from a volunteer 4-H leader and brought the gift forward to share with others.  Another 4-H member learned her sewing skills from her mother and with the help of evaluators/judges at sewing contests and was sharing that skill not only at 4-H project day, but also by helping younger 4-H members individually and through her club.  Another 4-H member gained dance skills from his parents and neighbors and then continued self-study using internet resources.  We talked about how important it is when someone shares the gift of their time and talent with you to wrap up that gift and present it to others.  4-H is one way to keep gifts giving well into the future.

 

To complete the project day, Extension Agents Brent Roeder and Jane Wolery discussed with youth that the 4-H members already contained the necessary gifts to excel on a local, state and national level.  However, 4-H members need to know what is available and how to unwrap a larger goal into smaller pieces.  Several 4-H members had personal experiences they shared related to opportunities, such as Rec Lab, interstate and international exchanges and National 4-H Congress.  The group discussed about 30 different 4-H opportunities and events just waiting be unwrapped by Teton County 4-H members.  

We invite you to think about the gifts you can give to others in 2016.

Here is a small sampling of opportunities available through 4-H (listed in no particular order).  To learn more, contact your local MSU Extension agent in your county.

1.  Ambassador program
2.   State officer
3.   Interstate Exchange
4.   State 4-H Congress
5.   Camp Counselor
6.   Rec Lab
7.  Winter Teen Camp
8.   State Leadership Forum
9.  State Award
10. National 4-H Congress
11. National 4-H Conference
12. Citizenship Washington Focus CWF
13. Leadership Washington Focus LWF
14. Make It with Wool MIWW
15. IFYE Program
16. Japanese Exchange
17. Natural Resources Camp
18. Nile Merit Heifer
19. Ag Youth Loan programs
20. Livestock judging and evaluation
21. Fall Ambassador training
22. Communications Contest
23. Alberta Leaders Forum
24. Citizenship Seminar
25. Horse and Livestock Leaders Forum
26. State Horse Show
27. Western Heritage Shoot
28. County Textile Show
29. Range Camp
30. Western National Round Up

Portion Control and a Light Fruit Dessert

The last post with the pumpkin dip had me thinking of a recipe I tried at an Extension Dining with Diabetes class I recently attended. The Fresh Fruit Tarts below use wonton wrappers as a low-calorie (and portion controlled) alternative to pie crust.  I suspect the pumpkin dip would be delicious in a wonton cup.

Fresh Fruit Tarts

Serving Information
Serves 12 (1 serving = 1 tart)

Ingredients
12 wonton skins
2 Tbsp. sugar-free jelly or fruit spread
1½ c. diced fresh fruit*
1 c. non-fat yogurt, any flavor Cooking spray

*Select fruit combinations based on what is in season. Any of the following could be used: bananas, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, kiwi, raspberries, peaches, orange sections etc.

Equipment
Measuring cups and spoons
Small saucepan
Muffin tin (mini-muffin tins may work best)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375º F and spray muffin tins with cooking spray.
2. Press wonton skins into muffin tins allowing the corners to stand up over the edges.
3. Bake wontons until lightly brown, approximately 4 -6 minutes. Watch carefully, as wonton skins bake very quickly.
4. Remove from oven; carefully take each wonton out of muffin tin and allow time for cooling.
5. Warm jelly or fruit spread and lightly coat bottom of each wonton.
6. Fill each wonton with fruit and a rounded dollop of yogurt on top.
7. Garnish with small piece of fruit or a dab of jelly/spread and serve immediately.

Contact your local Extension Office (associated with your state's land-grant university) to obtain more resources about Dining with Diabetes or other special foods needs.

And the survey says?

By now, most Teton County residents with postal service have received a needs assessment and customer service survey from MSU Extension.  It is hard to believe, but I have been serving the county through Extension since 1998.  In that time, there have been three partner agents in Teton County with responsibilities in agriculture, 4-H and youth development and community development.  I’ve been spending some time this year reflecting on the educational programming we’ve offered during that time.  My assignment has been to serve in the areas of family consumer science, 4-H and youth development and community development. 

Part of what prompted me do a county-wide needs assessment was a class I took from Cynthia Crawford of the University of Missouri last May about evaluating Extension programming.  I have wondered, “Are we responsive to needs? What Extension impact stories are there in our county? Am I offering programming that meets state needs and not local needs?  What are the emerging trends in the county?  How can I improve my job performance?  How can we serve you better?”

Over the years, we’ve used a variety of methods to direct our programming, including class evaluations.  Using class evaluations only gather opinions from  people who are already engaged in Extension offerings, but do not capture those who are not attending Extension classes.  Of course, we’ve also used other informal methods of assessing needs.  Sometimes a person will come up to me at a community event or walk into my office or email me and say, “You know what Extension should really do?” These unsolicited suggestions have often resulted in the most popular offerings.  Some have been so popular that they’ve moved beyond our county to be offered at state and regional events, spreading the impact.  Just because we are asking for your input now through the survey, remember, we are happy to receive suggestions at any time.  We may not be able to address them immediately, but we do appreciate the suggestions.

Wow ... 1998 was a long time ago!

When I look at the photo that accompanied my column the first year here, it is obvious there have been many changes.  The changes are not only reflected in my photo, but in the face of the way we operate.  When I started in Extension, communication was mostly done in person, by phone or mail.  Yet, this year, we’ve been assisting clients through video chat, when that serves the purpose. There was a time when the majority of consumers didn’t use email routinely or own a cell phone.  We feel we’ve been adapting all along to these changes, but sometimes it is good to check to make sure we are on track with the people we serve.   There is a section of the survey that asks questions regarding how you would most like to engage with services we offer.

A large section of the survey is dedicated to asking you what you think are the most pressing needs that Extension can address in Teton County.  This section will take a little more effort as that section is a blank slate for you to fill.  Even though we sent a paper copy to every postal customer in the county, we do have an identical electronic survey available.  Just look for the survey link on our website at www.msuextension.org/teton.  The advantage, to us, for the electronic surveys is that they have an automated tabulation feature.  If you live out of county, but we are your Extension connection, you are invited to give your feedback.  Feel free to complete either the paper or e-surveys by May 1. 

We look forward to your input, evaluation and suggestions.

True Gifts

You have put up with my grumbling and griping about the stresses of the holiday season, and possibly gleaned a few tips amidst the grouching to deal with your particular stressors.  I hope you’ve been able to incorporate ideas that resonated with you and you have thrown the rest out of the sleigh!  I actually put a few of my own tips into practice, reducing my holiday stress.  After the Christmas witch I was last year, I promised to turn over one of my big stressors – gift giving – to my husband.  And, for the most part, he was in the captain’s seat this year.  He made most of the choices.  I co-piloted by budgeting, bill-paying and gift wrapping.  The gift wrapping wasn’t even so bad this year, since I learned how to gift wrap for a 4-H lesson a few years ago.  If you want, you can see the Wrap Artist, just keep in mind it was for the purposes of showing how to do a 4-H demonstration. Just the same, it surprising how learning a few great tips can take the stress out of a situation.  

 

As we head into the New Year, my mind is still on gifts, but not the ones that can be boxed, wrapped and tied up with string.  It is the gifts we all bring that are unwrapping around our community daily.  One of the great gifts for my family was the Phil Aaberg concert.  We sit with our faces aglow from being in the midst of such artistry.  To watch him share his great gift with the world is powerfully uplifting. 

 While Phil Aaberg is accustomed to playing in many venues, nine years ago, I saw him share his big talent in a very small room to uplift residents and relatives at the Peace Hospice Residential Facility in Great Falls.  By December that year, my Dad had been in hospice care three and a half months.  My mother moved right in with him, not leaving his side until hours after his spirit had left his body.  Witnessing their dedication and love during Dad’s final days on earth was a gift I will always cherish.  As their time together was coming to an end, there was not much my mother was looking forward to that season, but she did look forward to when Phil was coming and invited me to be there.  Phil sat down in the parlor area, with an intimate and appreciative audience of about 20 people and lit up some of the darkness.  What a gift!

Because of Opportunities for All Scholarship, Inc., Phil Aaberg was able to be in Choteau, lighting up the holiday season for 300 people.  Because of generous donations from a variety of people and businesses, the concert was offered as a free-will donation, making it available to anyone, no matter their financial circumstances.  Those in attendance gave their gifts by sharing $3200 to be used to support people, mostly youth, pursue a potential talent.  Wouldn’t it be a shame if years ago, when Phil Aaberg was a young boy, his talent was left uncultivated, just for the lack of money?  Opportunities for All Scholarship committee recognizes that all of us can cultivate a skill that turns into a passion that turns into a talent that can be shared with others.  But, cultivating a skill takes time and assistance, and lessons and practice.  Our county and communities are better because of the volunteers who give their gifts by serving on the Opportunities for All Scholarship board.

In 2008, Dr. Doug Steele, Dan Clark and Paul Lachapelle with MSU Extension and the Local Government Center, brought their gifts of vision and leadership by connecting Teton County with the Horizons poverty reduction program.  Through the several phases of the community development work (from study circles to Leadership Plenty classes), participants in Teton County brought their gifts and insights and energy.  Participants spent quite a bit of effort to define poverty, which is not only about economics.  It can also be about communities being underfunded in an area of development.  OFAS was one of the projects that was born out of the Horizons program.  Another gift that was already developing was Neighbors Helping Neighbors and they got a boost from the Horizons program, too.  This boost allowed them to amplify their efforts connecting people to the resources they need.  In time, as the Jaycees disbanded, the Caring Tree project found a home with Neighbors Helping Neighbors.

Since we are speaking of gifts, the Caring Tree volunteers and donors give a huge gift to those in need during the season.  Having been involved with that program as a volunteer for many years, I know that some families only need help temporarily.  One family, who received gifts from the Caring Tree for a few years during some challenging times and asked for very practical items like winter coats for their kids, is now taking tags from the tree and filling them.  Whether paying it back or paying it forward, your kindness to others is a huge gift.

The true gifts you bring are golden.  

With my Extension work, I’m able to repeatedly see the true gifts we all bring to our communities.  From  4-H leaders sharing their knowledge and resources with 4-H youth to the 4-H youth serving their community through food drives and other service projects, I see the gifts.  From the participant in Extension classes sharing their own life lessons at the right time and place for another’s benefit to the fair judges who inspire a youth to push to a higher level of quality, I see the gifts. 

It doesn’t take much, when you take a minute to look around, to see the true gifts being shared in our world.  In 2015, I encourage you to look for ways to share your special gifts with those around you, because it has been my experience that one good gift always leads to another. Put your good out there and trust it will get delivered to the right recipient at the right time. From MSU Extension in Teton County, thank you to those who have been such a special present to our communities.

__________________________________________________________________

Opportunities for All -- From Choteau School newsletter March 2013:

Opportunities for All Scholarships is a 501(c)3 organization that was created as part of the Horizons program brought to Choteau by the Extension Service in 2008. During the initial Horizons meetings, areas of need in our community were discussed and solutions sought.

One of the concerns was the difficulty for low-income families and individuals to participate in enrichment activities such as music lessons, 4-H club membership, swimming lessons, online classes, fitness programs, and so forth because of budget limitations and the lack of discretionary funds.

OFAS was formed to help make enrichment activities available to all. The organization offers a $250 individual scholarship to anyone who lives in Teton County and meets the financial guidelines, which are the same as those used for families to be eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school. Applicants are asked to complete a one-page application and provide proof of financial eligibility. Individuals may apply once every 12 months. Awards are limited to two per family in a 12-month period.

Since its inception, OFAS has provided awards for a variety of enrichment activities, including music lessons, swimming lessons, preschool scholarships, fitness programs and Close Up scholarships.

If a scholarship could help you, please do not hesitate to apply. Applications are available at the high school office, the Choteau/Teton Public Library and the Choteau Acantha newspaper office. If you would like to support the scholarship program, donations may be left at the Acantha or mailed to Opportunities for All Scholarships, P.O. Box 1134, Choteau, MT 59422.

Opportunities

What Will Your Power of Ten Be?

As we celebrate 100 years of MSU Extension in Montana, I’ve thought about the Power of Ten.  In the case of MSU Extension, I think about the power of ten decades of service.  Our office has offered a Power of Ten challenge.  If you take just ten minutes, ten hours or ten days to contribute in some way to your community, it can carry forward.  Generally, the work carries forward in ways you cannot predict at the outset.  I’ve been thinking lately about the positive impact we can have, big or small.  Before I moved to Teton County, Jessica Schlepp, a 4-H member, had an idea for a service project.  She thought that the county 4-H membership could go door-to-door to collect food that could be given to the local food bank and redistributed to those in need.  She called it Trick or Treat for the Food Pantry.  I asked her mother recently when Jessica started the project.  A quick look in her 4-H record book revealed that the project started in 1991.  What Jessica probably didn’t know at the time was how long the effort would continue, or the additional benefits.

                Through the years, the food drive project has been handed down to 4-H members to organize.  Each year, 4-H members volunteer to organize the event.  This year, as it turns out, we have the Power of Ten.  Ten 4-H youth are planning the food drive this year.  It requires leadership, teamwork, planning, communication skills, promoting and organizational skills.  Honing these skills are additional benefits to a charitable effort.   I’ve been involved with the food drives for sixteen years.  In that time, sixteen different teams of 4-H members have worked to plan the event.  We have had two meetings this year and consulting schedules for school, sports, church, food pantry, and facilities has provided ample opportunity for problem solving.  While they sort out the logistics, their goal of gathering as much food for the needy as possible is always in mind.  The 4-H members will be out in force in Choteau on Wednesday, October 15 from 3:30-7:00 p.m. gathering food.  If you’d like to contribute but won’t be home, you can leave non-perishable items in a bag or box by your front door and we will pick up the food.  4-H members in other communities in Teton County also plan food drives at different times of year, providing needed food for the food pantry. 

                Looking at the records, 4-H youth have gathered between 900 and 2000 pounds each year.  Estimating an average of 1450 pounds a year since 1991, Teton County 4-H youth and volunteers have gathered 31,900 pounds of food to feed the hungry.  I’ll bet Jessica never thought the project would carry on so long or have such a lasting impact.

                What lasting impact would you like to have?  Take at least 10 minutes today to plan something that you can lend your effort to that will multiply in power through the years.  Whether it is one person with a good idea or ten people continuing it forward, we can all make our world better.  We challenge you to be the Power of Ten as we celebrate 100 years of Extension. 

                 

The Power of 10 -- Decades!

This year is the celebration of 100 years of Montana State University Extension.  Because MSU Extension has a long tradition of meeting community needs, we would like to challenge you to celebrate the Power of 10 with us!  We’ve been serving Montanans for 10 decades. Can you give 10 minutes a day or 10 hours between September 10 and October 10 to serve your community to help us celebrate? 

Below is a list of ways for you to serve your community.  Please share with us what you plan to do or what you complete between September 10 and October 10!  We are capturing the results.  Take a picture to send us, post a comment on this blog, drop us a note or email to let us know what you did.  If you want, wear MSU Blue and Gold while you serve!  What you do today may matter in 10 minutes, 10 days, 10 years or 10 decades.  Be the Power of 10 with MSU Extension!

1. Help someone weed their yard
2. Bake someone dinner who needs it
3. Donate food to a food pantry
4. Pick up trash
5. Think of someone who needs to be taken to lunch and do it
6. Give someone a ride who needs it
7. Volunteer to drive someone to and from a medical appointment
8. Volunteer at the library
9. Read to somebody
10. Rake someone’s yard
11. Help at an animal rescue center
12. Donate to a local thrift store
13. Reinforce a creek bed (call Extension Office for details)
14. Offer to paint the exterior of a house that needs it
15. Offer to haul off large items, such as refrigerators or abandoned vehicles
16. Teach a child a skill
17. Volunteer to do activities at Bee Hive Homes, nursing homes, Skyline Lodge
18. Shovel a sidewalk
19. Trim a tree that obstructs walkers on sidewalks
20. Do some random act of kindness daily
21. Leave positive, encouraging notes where people will see them
22. Call someone you’ve been thinking of
23. Check in on an elderly neighbor
24. Walk someone across the street
25. Deliver groceries to someone who needs
26. Volunteer at the school – make copies, read to a child, help a teacher, clean or organize
27. Pay for the person behind you at the drive thru
28. Leave a gift for someone in a random public place such as on a park bench, at a bus stop, the library, a coffee house, or restaurant
29. Praise someone at work for a job well done 
30. Volunteer at a homeless shelter
31. Stop and listen when someone needs to talk
32. Organize a clothing drive
33. Teach someone a new technology or skill
34. Take a petting zoo to a nursing home
35. Send a thank you note or expression of gratefulness to someone who has made a difference to you
36. Help people register to vote
37. Thank a service worker or volunteer – ambulance, fire fighters, law enforcement, etc.
38. Help a family with young children
39. Make freezer meals for a shut-in
40. Start an effort to help an individual or a group
41. Help someone declutter their world
42. Offer to babysit for free for a family or public meeting 
43. Plant a tree or flowers in a neglected area 
44. Help winterize a home
45. Shop for someone who is homebound or ill, especially in bad weather.
46. Smile at someone
47. The next time you have exceptional service make sure to tell the person’s manager 
48. Donate your used books and/or magazines to a local library
49. Adopt a “grand-friend”
50. Clean the gutters or wash windows for a senior citizen
51. Write a letter to an older person
52. Forgive someone who has wronged you
53. Give a presentation to a classroom of students on your occupation or an area of interest that you are passionate about
54. Send a care package to a college student or someone else in transition
55. Donate your expertise to someone in need
56. Volunteer to deliver meals for senior centers
57. Stick up for a person who has been treated wrongly
58. Let someone, who only has a few items, go ahead of you in the checkout line of the grocery store
59. Invite someone new for dinner such as a neighbor, co-worker, friend, or family member.
60. Welcome a new resident to the community
61. Run an errand for someone in need
62. Play a game with somebody
63. Organize a group to address a community need
64. Get permission from an owner of an empty lot and do something to beautify it
65. Fix a sidewalk
66. Beautify your area or help someone else
67. Erect a fountain or some other monument in a town center
68. Raise funds to improve a public building
69. Put out a park bench or chairs to create a welcoming space
70. Donate money to support someone’s music or art lessons
71.  Teach a class
72. Donate garden produce to someone who would appreciate it
73. Think about what your community needs in the next 100 years and work toward one thing
74. Teach a dance class
75. Shop at a local family-owned business
76. Start an adult literacy program
77. Get certified in CPR and first aid
78. Join a civic organization
79. Find an important cause and volunteer
80. Recruit someone new to your community organization
81. Provide healthy snacks for a classroom
82. Carpool somewhere
83. Adopt a “grand-child”
84. Exercise with someone
85. Encourage the discouraged
86. Donate money or time to a local charity
87. Give blood
88. Sign up to train to volunteer as an EMT or fire fighter
89. Organize a neighborhood library box, where you put books you’ve enjoyed and leave them for others to take.  A “give and take” library that builds neighborhood connections
90. Collect aluminum cans or other recyclables and donate money to a favorite charity
91. Clean up a river or creek bed
92. Organize a nature education and adventure walk
93. Organize a bike check and bike safety education program
94. Organize a child-safety car seat check
95. Interview older people and record their history, share with community and family
96. Make fleece blankets to donate to those in need
97. Help gather and catalogue copies of historic photos from your community
98. Campaign for better marked cross walks
99. Help correct problem areas where water and ice buildup creating walking hazards
100. Keep going with the power of 10 – Try to do 10 minutes a day of service to others or 10 hours a month serving your community in some way

The Teton County 4-H Fair July 24-28

4-H – A Class Act is the theme of the Teton County Fair that will be held at the Choteau Pavilion and Weatherbeater Arena June 24-28, 2014. The event is filled with activities that showcase the talents of Teton County youth.

The fair starts on Tuesday with a horse show where members demonstrate their showmanship skills, riding and horse knowledge. The horse show is held at the Bouma Arena. On Wednesday, 4-H members from across the county will interview with judges about projects they have made and skills they have learned throughout the 4-H year. Projects over the past years have been amazing, ranging from spectacular photographs to quilts to woodworking, welding, cake decorating and everything in between. Following the judging, the projects will be displayed at the Choteau Pavilion for the public’s viewing enjoyment Thursday through Saturday.

On Thursday, the 4-H and Montana State University Teton County Extension Office will host guest presenters Bob McNamee, or “Baker Bob,” and his lovely wife, Jona McNamee, also an MSU Cascade County Extension Agent.  The two will be on hand Thursday evening teaching a variety of baking skills, including making homemade pasta; demonstrating two bread recipes -- a no-knead sourdough and no-knead brioche,  and to finish the evening, they will be showing how to make a variety of confections include fudge, divinity and brittle.  The demonstration-style classes will start at 5:30 and run consecutively through the evening.  Classes are free and open to the public.  You will be treated to taste-testing, as well as learn tried and true baking tips and tricks.  

New to the fair this year is a silent auction, being organized by the Prairie Stars 4-H Club.   As a tribute to the "great generation" and a memorial for Maxine and Doug Whinnery, a WWII Navy Veteran, the silent auction will be held to raise funds as part of Prairies Stars 4-H club efforts to sponsor local veterans on The Big Sky Honor Flight.  Items to be auctioned include art items by local artists, a professional blind hemmer sewing machine, and a charming collection of gently used Teddy Bears.  Items also include Shirley Sand's painting, Paige Watson Briscoe's custom copper jewelry, Bob and Leslie Burrows' metal sculpture, Andy Watson's pottery, Kirtland Briscoe's leathercraft mini-bag and Brad Ophiem’s woodworking.  Items will be displayed in the Pavilion and the silent auction will run from Thursday through the Chuckwagon Dinner on Saturday evening.

Swine, sheep, goats and small animal (cats, rabbits, dogs and poultry) shows will be held Friday. Friday evening, 4-H members offer a textile show, modeling outfits they have constructed and showcasing quilts they have made. The 4-H program is sponsoring a western dance class with Daniel Bitz on Friday evening.  Daniel has taught dance classes in Teton County two other times.  His classes are fun-filled and will leave you with plenty of new moves on the dance floor. 

Saturday, along with viewing projects at the Pavilion, people can enjoy the beef show at the Weatherbeater. As the fair concludes on Saturday, 4-H members sell their market animal projects at the 4-H Livestock Sale. 4-Hers in the market project learn a variety of aspects of animal husbandry and meat production. Anyone interested in purchasing 4-H-raised meat is invited to the sale and the Chuckwagon Dinner held from 4:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 28, before the sale.

The Teton County 4-H program and the MSU Teton County Extension Office plan the county fair. To obtain more information, view the Web site at www.msuextension.org/teton. The county fair provides a great opportunity to see what a class act the 4-H youth in Teton County are

The Next 100 years?

A few years ago, I was able to attend an incredible presentation by Steve Stark, a former Extension communication specialist from North Dakota.  As he shared about history, his lesson came alive in front of the audience.  The skilled lecturer and historian was also an artist. He covered one entire wall of a conference room with paper and while he lectured, he drew scenes and people with chalk. One person described it as having a giant story book created in front of you. His topic that day was the history of the Extension Service in the United States.

Stark giving presentation.  Photo by Kimberly Gressley, University of Arizona Extension. 

I’ve been an Extension Agent since 1996 and an Extension client since the 1970s.   In that time, I’ve heard many people throw around topics like the Morrill Act, the Hatch Act or the Smith-Lever Act.  Generally, these lessons were dry and boring and contained much information I should have cared about, but the delivery, and my learning were both lacking.  In contrast, Stark’s presentation was remarkable and he gave context as to other issues facing the nation and the connections of people with ideas while these Acts of Congress were being decided. 

In 2014, we are celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 which provided for the creation of Extension.  Thursday, May 8, officially marked 100 years since the signing of the Act.  The creation of Extension outreach education programs could not have been possible without the Morrill Act, which was signed into law in 1862.  Think of those years leading up to 1862.  During a time of tremendous struggle in the United States, key people had a long-term vision for prosperity and furthering access to education to provide equality in opportunities.  The nation was faced with an impending Civil War, yet key players recognized that to propel the nation forward we had to invest in education.  The Morrill Act established land-grant universities that would focus work in agriculture and engineering.  The leadership realized that agriculture and engineering would be fundamental in driving our nation forward.  The United States Department of Agriculture was also begun in 1862 and Lincoln called it the “people’s department.” 

Later, as land-grant universities were teaching agriculture practices, it became apparent that there was a lack of current research in agricultural knowledge across the different climate and growing conditions of the United States.  Again, Congressional leadership tackled the problem in a visionary fashion and in 1887, the Hatch Act provided for the establishment of agriculture experiment and research stations. 

Once land-grant universities were going strong and agriculture experiment stations were providing important research, leadership looked around again for a way to improve lives of citizens.  They realized that not everyone who lived in rural agricultural communities would attend a land-grant institution and thus the leadership decided to bring the information and education to the people. 

In 1914, the Smith-Lever Act provided for the establishment of the Extension Service.  Specifically, the Act stated, “Cooperative agricultural extension work shall consist of the development of practical applications of research knowledge or giving of instruction and practical demonstrations of existing or improved practices or technologies in agriculture, uses of solar energy with respect to agriculture, home economics, and rural energy, and subjects relating thereto to persons not attending or resident in said colleges in the several communities and imparting information on said subjects through demonstrations, publications and otherwise and for the necessary printing and distribution of information in connection with the foregoing; and this work shall be carried on in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon by the Secretary of Agriculture and the State agriculture college or colleges …”

The words of the Smith-Lever Act likely have not mattered to you nearly as much as the result of it.  A country that can feed itself and educate citizens is a nation that can further other accomplishments.  As the visionaries of this country know, we are all connected.  I am proud to be part of the great tradition of Extension.  Montana State University is your university and an educator from the land-grant university is assigned to your county to assist you, whether directly or indirectly, bringing campus to you. 

Our Extension classes in Teton County strive to provide a public value -- from the 4-H youth development program that trains our community and state leadership of tomorrow, to wellness classes that prevent diseases, keeping people healthier, active and vibrantly contributing to their communities longer thereby reducing public health care expenses.  Extension work encompasses agricultural management practices and community development. 

The original Smith-Lever charter statement remains true after 100 years, that the purpose of Extension is "better farming, better living, more happiness, more education, and better citizenship" for the "entire country."

For 100 years, MSU Extension has been educating in local communities. We should celebrate the past 100 years, but more importantly, we should be visionaries in planning for the next 100.  I encourage you to post a comment below to share your vision for your Extension program for the next century.  

Other Resources:

Steve Stark
More on Steve Stark
Morrill Act
Hatch Act
Smith-Lever Act