Volume 22, Number 24 – Dec. 11, 2007
Have a Joyous Holiday Season
Plans Under Way for Annual Visit to the Capitol
60-plus Participating in ‘Weigh to Go’
It’s Calendar Time!
Reissued Checks Must Be Direct-deposited
New Name Badges Debut at Annual Meeting
Breakfast with Santa Set for Saturday
Meeting Notes
People and Places
Selected Program Planning and Reporting Dates
By Dave Miller, Associate Provost and Director
I would like to take this time to wish each of you a very joyous holiday season.
With all of our responsibilities, it sometimes becomes hard to take time to rejoice with family and friends, and we hope that you do take that time.
We also hope that 2008 will bring you many joys and that you don’t make too many resolutions that you’ll have to break.
A thought for the New Near: Your success in life will be in direct proportion to what you do after you do what you are expected to do. (Brian Tracey)
Happy holidays to each of you!
Lawmakers are gearing up for the next session of the West Virginia legislature, so WVU Extension is gearing up for our day at the Capitol! We will again partner with WVU on our day at the Legislature, Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Charleston. Start your planning now with the individuals and groups that you would like to invite to this event.
Details of the schedule are still being worked out, but our schedule will be similar to last year’s:
9 - 10 a.m., check-in and entertainment in the Cultural Center; refreshments
(speakers to be determined)
10 - 11 a.m., meetings with delegates and senators
11 a.m. - noon, observe the House and Senate in session
12:15 p.m., group photo
As we continue to improve upon this event, we’ll implement many of the suggestions from the 2007 evaluation. Registration will open after the new year, and the registration packets with name tags will reach the counties earlier.
We encourage each county delegation to be sure to visit their legislators, so make your appointments as early as possible in the new year. Also, for those whose 4-H youths wish to serve as pages, it’s best to make those requests of your legislators early, too.
Registration will open soon after the holidays for WVU Day at the Legislature, so watch your e-mail for more information. If you have questions, contact Ann Berry (Ann.Berry@mail.wvu.edu).
The challenge has begun!
We asked, and you voted during the annual meeting to begin “Weigh to Go,” a seven-week behavior management program that’s part of PEIA’s Pathways to Wellness.
Susan Prager, wellness co-coordinator, has sent participants PEIA’s guidelines and other information. She is continuing to send them motivational tips.
Participants are challenging themselves (and colleagues) to make healthy food choices to maintain their weight within 3 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Currently, more than 60 WVU Extension employees have joined the program.
Don’t be left out! If you are still interested in participating, please contact co-coordinator Robin Rupenthal (rwrupenthal@mail.wvu.edu) for additional information.
Garden c alendars are coming your way! Extension Communications is putting the final touches on the 2008 WVU Extension Garden Calendar for the printer. This year’ s edition focuses on the many aspects of f armers ’ m arkets.
Every county will get the same supply as last year, w ith extras available on a first-request basis. The c alendars , which will be shipped via UPS , will arrive early in January.
The computer calendar strips have been order ed through the University . They will be distributed as soon as they are delivered to us.
A few pocket calendars are still available. They would make nice gifts for Extension Service Committee members. Email Ann Berry if you would like some.
According to a recent memo from the WVU Payroll Office, any checks that need to be reissued for any reason can be done only through direct deposit. The funds will be in an employee’s bank account within 24 hours of processing by the Payroll Office.
If an employee does not have direct deposit, he or she can establish one immediately by contacting WVU Payroll at (304) 293-4051.
If you are one of the few people still receiving a regular check and a check (including a longevity check) gets lost or you cannot remember cashing it, you will not be issued another check until you sign up for direct deposit.
If you have any questions, please call Diann Fowler or Jan Norman in Extension Human Resources at (304) 293-4555.
WVU Extension’s new official name badges were distributed last month at the annual meeting. The special woven lanyards can be worn with either blue or gold showing because the WVU Extension Service wording shows on both sides. Please keep this official name tag.
You may “s how your colors” by using the lanyards at all your events—s tate, regional, and county —wherever a name tag is helpful and appropriate.
The name badge offers flexibility; it’s easy to insert an updated name or store event tickets in the plastic sleeve.
If you did not receive your badge, request one by sending an e-mail to Meg Baughman (meg.baughman@mail.wvu.edu). Also contact her when you need to update the insert .
The holiday season will wind up at WVU Jackson’s Mill, Weston, this Saturday, Dec. 15, with the annual breakfast with Santa. Admission is $5 per person, regardless of age. The breakfast will begin at 9 a.m. in the Mount Vernon Dining Hall.
The Mill has announced the 4-H winners of the cottage decorating contest. The Judges’ Award went to the Mountain Movers for Upshur Cottage. The Vandalia Ridgerunners received the People’s Choice Award for decorating Marion Cottage. The People’s Choice Award is determined on a one-cent-per-vote basis, and each 4-H club gets to keep the money it raises.
… The 2008 Aquaculture Forum will be held Saturday, Jan. 19,atthe Ramada Plaza in Charleston. The day will include presentations on a variety of topics, a showcase of state aquaculture products, a business meeting of the West Virginia Aquaculture Association (WVAA), and an opportunity to meet and speak with fish folks from the region. Participants will learn about where to get fish, feed, and supplies. The afternoon program will be split into separate sessions for commercial growers and pond owners. Registration fees will include lunch and an afternoon break showcasing West Virginia aquaculture products. Early registration fee is $15, which must be received by Jan. 13. Registration will be accepted the day of the meeting, but it will cost $25. Fees are waived for 2008 WVAA members. For more details, check the Web (www.wvu.edu/~agexten/aquaculture/) or contact Becky Casteel at 304-293-6131, ext. 4231 or via e-mail (Becky.Casteel@mail.wvu.edu). The program will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m. Sponsors include WVU Extension, the WVU Davis College, WVAA, West Virginia State University, and the W.Va. Department of Agriculture.
… A day of professional developmentwill be offered Thursday, Feb. 28, at WVU Jackson’ s Mill, Weston . Faculty and staff are invited to make w orkshop proposals. The proposal deadline is Jan. 4. Those chosen to make presentations will be notified Jan. 11. Send proposals via e -mail to Joyce Clark ( JDClark@mail.wvu.edu ).
… The 2008 4-H Basketball Day will feature the game between WVU and Seton Hall on Sunday, Feb. 17, at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown. Participants will meet at noon at the Student Recreation Center to tour the center and attend a program about preparing for college. The game will begin at 2 p.m. The cost is $20, which includes a game ticket and a T-shirt. Registration deadline is Feb. 1. The program and game are open to all state 4-H members, their family members, WVU Extension employees, and their families. There is no snow date for this event. If people cannot attend, they will receive their T-shirt, but no ticket refunds will be available. For more information, contact Jeffrey Orndorff.
… Faculty and Staff Changes
Sean Beatty joined the organization Dec. 3 as the office administrator for Families and Health Programs. He will provide administrative support in the management of the unit’s day-to-day operations. Before joining WVU Extension, Sean worked as a property management associate at the University, tracking capital equipment acquisitions, transfers, and dispositions. Previously, Sean was employed for almost five years as the store manager for Video Warehouse in Morgantown. He was responsible for hiring and training employees, scheduling work shifts, and preparing weekly reports. Sean earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Fairmont State University in 2006.
Jason Dean, operations manager with Energy Express, is leaving WVU Extension Dec. 14. In his new position as manager of business operations, he will handle grants and procurement for WVU’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and the P.I. Reed School of Journalism.
Abby Dunbar, conference coordinator with Families and Health Programs, will become the information system specialist for the Family Nutrition Program, Jan. 2. She’ll be based in Charleston.
Samantha Hicks joined WVU Extension on Nov. 26 as a part-time program assistant for the 4-H Youth Development Afterschool Program in Cabell County. Samantha will help to organize a community collaborative that will work to strengthen and expand the program; she’ll also assist with program planning and implementation. For the past two years, Samantha worked as an operator assistant for Chick-fil-A. She trained new employees and maintained computerized inventories and cash flow accounts. As a volunteer 4-H leader for four years, she has been the organizational leader of the Cabell County Teen Leader Club and the chair of the 4-H camp planning committee. Samantha has been a volunteer with the Prestera Center Survivor Camp and with Energy Express.
After a career of nearly 42 years, Peter Marshall will retire from the WVU Extension Service at the end of December. He joined the organization in 1966, following his undergraduate and graduate education in the field of urban planning at Michigan State University. His initial appointment was with the Office of Research and Development of the Appalachian Center, working on a state development plan. Throughout the years, he has worked as an Extension specialist in several other units, including the Office of Applied Research, Evaluation, and Planning; the Division of Family and Youth; and, most recently, the Community, Economic, and Workforce Development unit. The primary focus of his work has been in the areas of community development and planning, applied research and evaluation, grant-writing, and disaster education. Peter is planning a working retirement as a “nanny” and “soccer mom” for three grandchildren and as a “househusband” for his wife, Laurie, who will continue working as a WVU physiology professor and textbook author.
Peggy Rakos Miller retired Nov. 30. Peggy joined WVU Extension on Oct. 1, 1979, as an administrative aide. In 1984, she became an administrative assistant. She moved up to a business manager I position in 1997. When she retired, Peggy was a business manager II, a position she’d held since 2001.
… Have You Heard?
Jennifer Cochran and Hollis Lipscomb recently shared wedding vows during an outside ceremony at Blackwater Falls State Park. They are living in Elkins. Her name is now Jennifer Lipscomb.
Six faculty and three graduate students from Safety and Health Extension (S&HE) were involved in the safety aspects of constructing a new home in Fairmont, sponsored by ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The S&HE group assisted with around-the-clock worker safety oversight at the construction site. The faculty and students have expertise in residential house construction and modular home installation safety hazards. Building the home in one week involved hundreds of volunteers. The show featuring the new home for the seven-member Turner family will be televised in March.
The Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities (CARDIAC) Project, a school-based project coordinated through WVU, recently received a prestigious national honor. CARDIAC was selected as a national Innovation in Prevention Award winner by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program received the Public Sector Award for its success in promoting better nutrition and physical activity in West Virginia children. WVU Extension is a partner in CARDIAC. The award was presented at the Innovation in Prevention Awards Luncheon in Washington, D.C., during the 2007 National Prevention Summit. Also, Elaine Bowen and Gina Sharps of WVU School of Dentistry presented a session at that conference. Their presentation was “The Rotten Truth a bout Oral Health: The West Virginia Experience.”
WVU Extension in Wood County recently received $6,000 in grants from the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation. 4-H after-school and camping programs received $3,000, and Energy Express received $3,000. Earlier, the United Way provided the office with $3,000 for camps, $2,000 for 4-H after-school programs, and $1,000 for Energy Express.
Most of the team program accomplishment reports have been completed and are posted on the intranet ( http://intranet.ext.wvu.edu/db/indicatorlist07.htm) for faculty to use in completing their promotion and tenure files. The files are due Monday, Dec. 17.
eXtension will be celebrating its public launch Feb. 21 at the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s 2008 Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington, D.C. The Secretary of Agriculture has been invited to lead the official launch of eXtension at 3:15 p.m. This event is only one part of the launch. Officials hope that all institutions that are a part of eXtension and all Cooperative Extension offices will join in this celebration. Over the next few weeks, a launch celebration working group will be considering a number of ideas for institutions to pursue.
This will be the only issue of Focus in December. The regular every-other-Tuesday schedule will resume Jan. 8. Send information for that issue to Joyce Bower ( Joyce.Bower@mail.wvu.edu) by noon Friday, Jan. 4.
… In Memoriam
Retiree Lawrence (Larry) Cavendish died Monday, Dec. 10, at his home in Beckley after suffering a heart attack. He was 90. Larry taught in public schools for six years and advised the National Gold Emblem FFA Chapter at Ripley High School. From 1951 to 1964, he served as the first director of the State FFA-FHA Camp at Cedar Lakes. He was instrumental in creating the Mountain State Art and Craft Fair at Cedar Lakesduring the state’s centennial in 1963. He also helped organize the Stonewall Jackson Jubilee in Weston. Larry, who had a master’s degree in agriculture from WVU, joined WVU Extension in 1964 as agent in Raleigh County. He resigned a year later, but rejoined the organization in 1966 in the same position. From 1968 to 1973, Larry served as area program chairman and area program coordinator for the Beckley Area. In 1973, he became Extension 4-H specialist and unit manager of Jackson’s Mill. He retired July 1, 1980. After retiring, he was active in the Raleigh County Farm Bureau, W .V a. 4-H Club Foundation, and W. Va. 4-H All Stars. He was inducted into the state Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame in 1999. Survivors include his widow, Larna; a daughter, Bonnie; and two sons, Stan and Michael. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the United Methodist Temple in Beckley. Memorial gifts may be made to the WVU Foundation, PO Box 1650, Morgantown WV 26507 . (Designate either the Cavendish Family Older Members’ Scholarship or the Cavendish Scholarship for Agriculture and Forestry.) Condolences may be sent to Larna at 221 Mercer St reet, Beckley WV 25801.
RoseMarie B. Dougherty, mother of Michael Dougherty, died unexpectedly Nov. 12 following back surgery. She was 68. Her funeral was held in Newport News, Va. M emorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105 . Condolences may be sent to Mike at 30 Baltimore Street, Morgantown WV 26501.
The father of Alice Dolu died Dec. 2, after a battle with stomach and liver cancer. His funeral was Dec. 6 in Bridgeport. Condolence messages may be sent to Alice at 50272 Cindy Drive, St. Clairsville OH 43950.
Glenn R. Jacobs, father of Greg Jacobs, died Nov. 25 in Center Township (Rutan), Pa. He was 72. The Korean War veteran was a retired heavy equipment operator for Columbia Gas Corporation. He enjoyed raising polled Herefords. Other survivors include his wife, Patricia, a daughter, and a stepson. Condolences may be sent to Greg at 2164 W. Roy Furman Highway , Waynesburg PA 15370. M emorial contributions may be made to Hospice Care of Washington Hospital Inc., 10 Leet Street, Washington PA 15301, or the Fairview United Methodist Church, Graysville PA 15337.
Retiree Elmo W. Miller, 91, died Nov. 19 at his home in Bruceton Mills. A memorial service was held Nov. 23. A native of Tucker County, Elmo served in the U.S. Navy in World War II . After receiving a master ’s degree in agriculture from WVU, he joined Extension as agent in Marion County. He retired as an Extension specialist, having worked in civil defense and community development programs. Survivors include his widow, Maxine Menefee Miller; two sons; a sister; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to the Salvation Army, 110 E. Main Street, Kingwood WV 26537. Condolences may be sent to Maxine Miller at Route 1 Box 34, Bruceton Mills WV 26525.
Katherine E. Lewis Siehl, 86, wife of retiree George D. Siehl, died Nov. 16 in Okeechobee, Fla. The Siehls, who were married for 67 years, had lived in Okeechobee for 25 years. Kay was born in Three Churches. She led a 4-H club for more than 30 years and was a 4-H All Star. Other survivors include two sons, three sisters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Condolences may be sent to the family at this address: 1684 SW 35th Circle, Okeechobee FL 34974-6080.
Gladys Marie Sellers, mother of Sandra Strader, died Nov. 28. Her funeral was Dec. 1 in Weston. Cards may be sent to Sandy at 74 Andrews Drive, Weston WV 26452.
Selected Program Planning and Reporting Dates for
2007-2008
Dec. 17, 2007 |
Final Faculty Assignment Document (FAD) due in MS Word and as hard copy signed by faculty member. Send both to program directors. |
Dec. 17, 2007 |
Faculty Program Accomplishment reports due (individual). By e-mail, send each report as a separate MS Word file to Paul Becker. |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | Faculty files close. P&T files due to program directors. |
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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.
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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
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Extension Service are available to all persons without regard to race, color,
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Submitted by Joyce Bower.
