PITTSFIELD ROTARY CLUB     4-30-08

Visiting Rotarian:  Debbie Naught, Assistant District Governor, Quincy

Visitor:  Paula Hawley, Superintendent, Unit 10. with Gary Wood

Our GSE Team Committee: Ron Short, Carole Bradshaw, Mark Meleski, thanked our Rotary Club for all their assistance in hosting the GSE Team from Thailand.

Make-ups:  Eldon in Lakeland, CA; Roberta Dolbeare on line in N. Connecticut.

El Commend ante Randolpffo asked ‘Is anyone going to Rotary International in Los Angeles, CA….. after several minutes, Carole woke up and responded: ‘Why Yes, I am’……so we have at least one  Rotarian going…

The Literacy Grant books have been ordered….plan on helping by scheduling a time to read to the school children when they arrive…….probably next fall….

Singing was led by El (what’ his name?) in the key of “W’… acapello, since Linda was absent (he didn’t do too bad…)

Program:  Harry Wright introduced Jennifer Mowen, Extension Director for Pike County Cooperative Extension Service.

Jennifer stated that the Extension program is governed by a Council of 18 local members.

They assist in planning the program in the following areas:

Agriculture and Natural Resources;Community and Economic Development; Nutrition, Family and Consumer Services; 4H/ Youth Development.

Economic Development currently working on Business Education, planning retention, Community development, growing leadership, and tourism development. Assisting communities in developing grants and sources.

4H/ Youth Development stresses the local 4-H Clubs, school environmental programs, special interests groups, targeted audiences, Operation ‘Safe Kids’….plus in-school programs in Agriculture Literacy, which connects the plants in the field and the animals in the feed lot with the food  that they eat.

Agriculture is served with special distant education courses; diagnostics done on line; value added product production education; Agri-tourism promotion, the ‘Master Gardner’s program and other specialized sources.

Natural Resources program stresses: solid waste, re-cycling education, safe pesticide education, waste-water and water systems.

Health education programs include:  Diabetes education, walking programs, family nutrition planning, food safety, food budgeting, work with food pantries, health department and in school nutrition programs, child care provider’s education, budgeting and strengthening families.

Jennifer passed out an annual report which showed all these activities in detail..

Very informative program…wish more Rotarians could have been there….