OSU Extension holds recognition luncheon
COSHOCTON – The passion community members feel for OSU Extension was clearly visible on the faces of the owners of The Garden Patch Greenhouse.
Deb Gaumer and Kristy Leindecker were all smiles when they were presented with the Friend of Extension Award at the April 11 Coshocton County OSU Extension Advisory Committee Recognition Luncheon.
“Without each and every one of you we would not be here,” Gaumer said. “We love this city, we love this county and we love working with everyone in this room.”
She and Leindecker are true advocates of the OSU Extension mission, “Engaging people to strengthen their lives and communities through research-based educational programming.”
“We are all about education,” Leindecker said. “Everyone who comes to our greenhouse knows we want them to succeed. If we can’t provide them with the information they need, we will send them to the people who can.”
Proclamation Awards also were presented to Kelly Miller and Alice Moore.
Miller was raised on a farm in Coshocton County and 4-H was a family affair for her. Today she is still active in farming and helps other farmers through her job at Farm Credit Mid-America.
“I want to say thank you to my family,” Miller said. “If it wasn’t for my Mom and Dad I wouldn’t have been involved in agriculture and 4-H.”
Moore was honored for her years of service to OSU Extension, which dates back to the 1950s.
“The longevity and passion of her commitment to OSU Extension is unmatchable,” said Heather LePage, extension advisory committee chair.
Moore was humbled by the award.
“A lot of you do similar work, but I must say I enjoyed the time I spent doing the things I did,” she said.
During the lunch, LePage also took time to recognize the other OSU Extension Advisory Committee Members: Teresa Bradford, Mike Cichon, Judy Finlay, Mark Fortune, Elisha Hamric, Chad Miller, Marissa Mullett, Jason Pendola, Bambi Zinkon and Coshocton County Commissioners Gary Fischer, D. Curtis Lee and Dane Shryock, who serve as ex-officio members.
LePage also thanked the staff, Emily Adams, Debbie Bowman, Jenny Cherry, Kim Gress, Laura Mikulik, Tammi Rogers, Hannah Roush and Janet Smith, for the great work they do. The Garden Patch Greenhouse also was thanked for providing flowers for the lunch and Agland Co-op, Inc, The Beacon, Farm Credit Mid-America and Scott Boyer Agency – Nationwide Insurance were recognized for their sponsorship of the lunch.
Adams, who serves as the OSU Extension Coshocton County Educator, Agriculture & Natural Resources County Director, also informed those in attendance that OSU Extension will celebrate its 100th birthday in May. Plans are being made for highlights of the organization’s history to be shared through local media outlets and a display at the Coshocton Public Library and Whit’s also will feature a special OSU Extension sundae this summer.
Adams was especially excited to share that local OSU Extension office is receiving a $325,000 gift from the Robert M. Thomas Trust.
Thomas passed away in 2007. Before his death he worked for 37 years at Edmont’s, was active on various community boards and instrumental in establishing Leadership Coshocton County. He also was the 1994 recipient of the Coshoctonian Award.
“We are grateful for his generosity,” Adams said. “This will help us expand our programming.”
The local OSU Extension office deals with 4-H youth development, food and nutrition education and agriculture and natural resources education. A small portion of funding for these programs comes from federal and state money, but most of it is generated from a levy that is up for renewal on the November 2014 ballot.
“I thank all of you for your support of OSU Extension and hope you will spread the word about our levy in November,” said Dr. Danielle Ellis, from the extension levy renewal committee.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
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