Volume 22, Number 21 – Oct. 16, 2007

In This Issue

Annual Meeting Registration Opens Wednesday
Plans Finalized for President Garrison’s Inauguration Friday
Nearly 300 Expected to Attend Diabetes Symposium
West Virginia to Celebrate Lights On Afterschool Oct. 18
Meeting Notes
People and Places
Important Program Planning and Reporting Dates for 2007

Annual Meeting Registration Opens Wednesday

Online registration for the WVU Extension Annual Meeting will open Wednesday, Oct. 17, at noon. This is the first time registration for the two-day meeting will be conducted electronically.

In addition to registration, the conference agenda and concurrent session options can be found on the intranet (http://intranet.ext.wvu.edu/).

To provide accurate counts, everyone who is attending all or part of the meeting will need to register for meals, lodging, and workshops. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, Oct. 24. All faculty, staff and county staff are encouraged to attend and participate, said Dave Miller.

Some changes to the agenda have occurred in the past week. Because of a scheduling conflict with the presidents of Big East Conference schools, new WVU President Mike Garrison will hold his conversation with Extension from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 7. Program leaders are preparing a brief presentation on success stories to help introduce some of our work and programs to the president.

A special tribute to new employees will take place during the welcome.

For planning purposes, the Associate Provost’s Office is paying for meals and lodging for the event. Back by popular demand will be “health moments” sponsored by the nutrition and health team. Also, the meeting will provide the opportunity to kick off WVU Extension’s statewide Wellness Initiative.

More details will follow through e-mail and the Oct. 30 issue of Focus. See you at the Mill!

Plans Finalized for President Garrison’s Inauguration Friday

WVU faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend the inauguration of WVU President Michael Garrison at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, in Woodburn Circle on the Downtown Campus in Morgantown.

Faculty who want to process into Woodburn Circle should register online (http://inauguration.wvu.edu/ceremonydetails). Lineup will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the Mountainlair. Employees planning to attend do not need to take annual leave; work release time will be granted with prior supervisory approval.

WVU Extension’s own Craig Presar will play the bagpipe for the inauguration.

A reception will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the Mountainlair Plaza. Those planning to attend are asked to register online (http://inauguration.wvu.edu/oct19) so that organizers can gauge attendance.

The inauguration is open to the public, and a general seating area in the circle is being reserved until 12:45 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. A large LCD screen in Woodburn Circle will show the proceedings. In the event of rain, Friday’s events will be moved to the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre at the Creative Arts Center on the Evansdale Campus.

WVU will offer Webcasts of several inaugural events, including Friday’s ceremony. To watch, go to the Web (http://inauguration.wvu.edu/webcasts). You’ll need Quicktime software on your computer.

Nearly 300 Expected to Attend Diabetes Symposium

About 300 healthcare providers and health educators are expected to attend WVU Extension’s Diabetes Symposium and Workshop Oct. 24-26 in Charleston. Many national experts will conduct sessions on such topics as oral health, childhood obesity, cancer, and nutrition therapy.

Diabetes is the leading cause of death in West Virginia adults, and more than 8 percent of West Virginia’s population has the disease. This serious and costly disease is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, amputations, pregnancy complications, and deaths related to flu and pneumonia.

Guen Brown organized the first symposium and workshop in 2000. At each symposium, experts share the latest research in diabetes management.

Returning again this year is Dr. Tim Church, a physician and researcher who is popular among the general public and the medical community. Frequently cited as an expert in obesity and exercise, he has been interviewed by NBC’s “Today Show,” USA Today, TIME magazine, Reuters, The Washington Post, and CNN.

The symposium can provide continuing education hours for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, dietitians, dietary managers, social workers, community health education specialists, and American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences members.

The symposium is organized by WVU Extension, WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, and West Virginia Diabetes Prevention and Control Program.

For registration details and other program information, visit the symposium’s Web site (www.ext.wvu.edu/dsw2007/).

West Virginia to Celebrate Lights On Afterschool Oct. 18

The West Virginia Statewide Afterschool Network and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers are sponsoring the annual Lights On Afterschool at the Capitol Celebration from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct.18, in Charleston. The rally in support of afterschool programs will be one of more than 7,500 such events around the nation.

The 100-plus program providers, families, students, and policymakers attending the Charleston event will be among the more than 1 million Americans celebrating that day in their communities.

The Charleston event will be held in the Lower Rotunda of the State Capitol Building. The program includes a read-aloud by First Lady Gayle Manchin and talks by local and state officials. Exhibits, refreshments, and children’s activities will be included. About 260 students from six afterschool programs will present group performances, tour the exhibits, try WVU Extension’s Dance, Dance Revolution, check out the National Guard inflatable obstacle course, and participate in other activities.

The event will highlight three significant contributions that afterschool programs make to West Virginia—keeping kids safe and healthy, inspiring children to learn, and relieving working parents of worries about their children’s activities during out-of-school hours.

West Virginia’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers will host regional celebrations throughout the state. The West Virginia Statewide Afterschool Network is coordinated by WVU Extension.

Lights On Afterschool was launched in October 2000 to call attention to the importance of afterschool programs to America’s children, families, and communities. It is a project of the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to quality, affordable afterschool programs by 2010.

In America today, one in four youths—14.3 million children—have no place to go after the school day ends.

To mark the national celebration, yellow lights will shine at the top of the Empire State Building in New York, N.Y. This is the first time that the building has been part of the festivities. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has served as chair of Lights On Afterschool since 2001. Actress Rhea Perlman is the program’s spokesperson.

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers are the chief federal funding stream for afterschool programs. For more information about the state celebrations, contact Jane Hange (Jane.Hange@mail.wvu.edu or [304] 720-9882). Additional information is available on the Web (www.afterschoolalliance.org).

.

Meeting Notes . . .

Directory Update …

The WVU Wyoming County Extension Office has a new fax number: (304) 732-5152.

People and Places . . .

… Faculty and Staff Changes

On Oct. 8, Paul Becker returned to his faculty role as a professor in Safety and Health Extension. In his new capacity, he will continue to lead WVU Extension’s promotion and tenure process. Paul will spend 60 percent of his time on SHE responsibilities and 40 percent on such activities as developing plans of work, creating reports, and organizing team programming, along with P&T. The five program leaders and the finance and human resources administrators now report directly to Dave Miller.

Kristy Young resigned Sept. 19 as nutrition outreach instructor in Nicholas County, a position she’d held for two years. Kristy now works at Woodforest Bank in Summersville.

… Have You Heard?

The wedding of Meg Baughman and Jim McCartney took place Oct. 6 in Morgantown. Meg plans to keep her maiden name. Jim is a State Farm Insurance agent in Kingwood.

Kelly Quinn and Paul Dagesse were married Sept. 29 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. A native of Springfield, Mass., Paul is a nurse in the emergency room at Fairmont General Hospital. She is changing her name to Kelly Dagesse.

Randall Jones, husband of retiree Sue Jones, had surgery Oct. 5 at Camden Clark Memorial Hospital. Surgeons found that a mass in his abdomen was cancerous. It could not be removed because it was imbedded in several organs. Decisions about his treatment will be made after more tests later this month. Randall is the brother of retiree Lyndall Jones. Cards may be sent to Randall at HC 89 Box 162, Mt. Zion WV 26151.

Emilene Marra, wife of John Marra, is gravely ill. The Marras would appreciate hearing from their Extension friends. You may send cards to them at this address: 17 Bryn Mawr Way, Culloden WV 25510.

Diane Meadows is recuperating following surgery this week at Ruby Memorial Hospital. Send well wishes to her at 1603 Roundhill Road, Oak Hill WV 25901.

Four WVU Extension faculty have articles in the August issue of the Journal of Extension. The article (“Does 4-H Camp Influence Life Skill and Leadership Development?”) by Martha S. Garton, Margaret Miltenberger, and Brenda Pruett reports on a two-phase study involving more than 2,000 campers. Jean Woloshuk is one of 13 co-authors of “A Path to Resolution Regarding the Show Lamb Tail Docking Controversy.” To read those articles and others, go to the journal’s Web site (www.joe.org/index.html).

Ruthellen Phillips, Stacey Harper, and Susan Gamble wrote an article (“Summer Programming in Rural Communities: Unique Challenges”) that was published in the Summer 2007 issue of New Directions for Youth Development. That issue of the journal had the theme of “Summertime: Confronting Risks, Exploring Solutions.” As a follow-up to the article, Ruthellen was invited to serve as one of four presenters on a “webinar” sponsored by PEAR (Program in Education, Afterschool & Resiliency) at Harvard University, the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Minnesota Extension Service. She discussed the unique challenges of summer programming in rural communities during the Sept. 18 program.

The West Virginia CARDIAC Project has been selected to receive an Innovation Prevention Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The award will be presented during the National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit in late November. A video of project highlights is in the works. WVU Extension is a CARDIAC collaborator.

The Internal Revenue Service now requires all small tax-exempt organizations—including 4-H clubs—to file their returns electronically. Formerly, only those that raised at least $25,000 were required to do so. In the past, National 4-H Headquarters found it impossible to give the IRS an accurate listing of its subsidiaries (clubs). In some cases, this resulted in legitimate 4-H clubs being eliminated from the list and unauthorized groups registering as 4-H groups for exempt status. For more information about the new regulation, check Web (www.national4-hheadquarters.gov). Look for the tax exempt link in the banner along the left side of the screen. That site has several fact sheets featuring 4-H-related tax information. If you have questions, contact Dave Snively or Debbie McDonald.

… In Memoriam

Betty H. Deskins, mother of Sue Flanagan, died Oct. 8. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov 3, at the Slanesville Presbyterian Church. Memorial contributions may be given to Slanesville Presbyterian Church, PO Box 183, Slanesville WV 25444; or WVU Foundation Inc. (WVU Marching Band), PO Box 1650, Morgantown WV 26507. You may send cards to Sue at 21 Muirfield Court, Charles Town WV 25414.

Important Program Planning and Reporting Dates for 2007-2008

View the full calendar

  **************************************************************************************

Our Continuing Mission . . .

The mission of the West Virginia University Extension Service is to form learning partnerships with the people of West Virginia to enable them to improve their lives and communities. To these partnerships, we bring useful research- and experience-based knowledge that facilitates critical thinking and skill development.

**************************************************************************************

Extension Focus is a publication of the Office of the Associate Provost for Extension and Public Service. News items should be sent to the Office of Communications, 506 Knapp Hall, P.O. Box 6031, Morgantown, WV 26506-6031.

Issues of Focus are archived on Extension's Intranet
http://intranet.ext.wvu.edu/intouch/orgnews/focus/focus.htm

Programs and activities offered by the West Virginia University Extension Service are available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, national origin, and marital or family status.

Submitted by Joyce Bower.