February 2013  

Other News & Articles

Are You Ready for Living Well Month?
Debby Mathews (AL), Vice President for Public Affairs

Here is one of several graphics you can find on the NEAFCS website in the “graphics library” and under Public Affairs tab under the Living Well tab.

Call for 2013 Officer Candidates
Amy Peterson (NE), Immediate Past President

Amy Peterson, Immediate Past-President and Chair of the National Nominating Committee is now taking applications for National Officers. The following offices are up for election in 2013. You DO NOT need to be contacted to apply but DO NEED to check the Policy and Procedures manual for the requirements needed for each office. Applications are due April 1st. Check out the list below to see what YOU might be interested in!

Winter Board Highlights
Rhea Bentley (GA), Secretary

The NEAFCS Board met January 23-25, 2013.  On the 22, some board members met to go through files that had been sent from our previous management company.  The board started off the meeting with a getting acquainted activity led by Kathy Olson. The Galaxy conference which is September 15-23, 2013 in Pittsburgh, PA was a main topic.

Home Baking Association $1,000 EDUCATOR AWARD
Deadline March 31
Sharon Davis, FCS Education, Home Baking Association

The Home Baking Association (HBA) exists to share the Best Practices of FCS, 4-H and Youth Extension Educators with others through our Educator Award program. Innovations by extension educators, their volunteers and the methods used to extend keystone habits like cooking and baking are awarded annually.

February Bake for Family Fun Month
Sharon Davis, FCS Education, Home Baking Association

Clover Kitchen for Kids.  2012 “Best Community Reach” Amy L. Peterson, MS, RD, Extension Educator, U. of NE-Lincoln and 2012 Past NEAFCS President with  “Klover Kitchens.” 

JOE Board Representative Report
Louann Boyer (CO), JOE Representative  

As Extension professionals start a new year of programming, the Journal of Extension is likewise starting the year with a new look.   The home page has been re-designed to enable users to more easily access Journal articles and other resources.   At our fall board meeting we reviewed the website and found it had been a number of years since the web page had been updated.   We hope all Extension professionals will like the new format. 

What First-Timers Need to Know About Galaxy IV
Jane Conroy (ME), Galaxy Representative

So, you have never been to a Galaxy Conference. This is a unique opportunity to be a part of networking with the entire Extension System. Every five years the Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) sponsors a Galaxy Conference. This conference invites participation from all JCEP member associations, ECOP and other partners critical to the Extension mission. 

Member Resources News
Susan Cosgrove (MS)

JNEAFCS announces new Co-Editors for 2013

Laura Sant and Marnie Spencer, both of the Idaho Affiliate, are serving as Co-Editors for the online Journal of NEAFCS. We appreciate their commitment to our annual publication of FCS research and program evaluation.

New Journal Opportunity for NEAFCS Members

The School of Human Sciences at Mississippi State University is sponsoring a new online, open access peer-reviewed journal, Journal of Human Sciences and Extension. It will be published three times a year. For more information, visit http://jhse.msstate.edu.

What Are You Doing to Improve Life for Others? Get Impact Statements in NOW!
Debby Mathews, (AL), Vice President for Public Affairs

Oklahoma FCS has worked to get over two thousands children to eat fewer sweets and fats-a significant challenge this time of year when chicken wings are the Super Bowl food of choice ,Girl Scouts Cookies are lurking everywhere, and King Cakes are lying in wait in bakeries until lent begins!

Meet the Board
Cindy Davies (NM), Western Region Director

Greetings from the Land of Enchantment! My name is Cindy Schlenker Davies and I am the 2012-2014 Western Region Director.  I live in Albuquerque with my husband of 27 years and we have 3 sons in their 20’s.

President's Message

Greetings!

January was a very busy month for your national board – just as I am sure it was for each of you. In addition to giving attention to our own state’s annual reports, planning for 2013 programming, applying for awards, submitting proposals for presentations at the Galaxy conference, and day-to-day operations, the board members were preparing their board reports and making arrangements to attend our winter board meeting. The only face-to-face board meeting that we have besides pre and post board meetings at Annual Session, is a winter board meeting which in recent years has been held in January. All of our monthly meetings and our spring three-day meetings are held via technology.

We had a very ambitious agenda, but we persevered and worked our way through it with good discussions and many plans were set in place. Our management company, The Association Source, hosted our meeting. We sorted through boxes of records and supplies that had been shipped to the new management company from Dallas, Texas. Financial records were organized by year, documents were collected for our historian, items over 7 years old were shredded, and some paperwork that our treasurer and executive director had been looking for were found! It was a very productive winter board meeting.

Part of our meeting time was spent preparing the agenda for our association meetings that will take place while we are at the JCEP Leadership Conference in Memphis, Tennessee February 12 – 14. Our two senior Regional Directors, Marian Ross from the Southern Region and Gail Brand from the Central Region will be facilitating those meetings with assistance from our president-elect, Kathleen Olson and myself. We are all looking forward to having the opportunity to interact with representatives from each affiliate while we are there and to hear about what is happening in your state. In addition, each of the Vice Presidents on the national board has provided information for us to share with affiliates. 

In April, I’ll have the opportunity to meet with some of you in Alexandria, VA, at the JCEP Public Issues Leadership Conference. Registration for the conference is open and new information is being added frequently so go to the JCEP website – www.jcep.org to find the latest details on the conference. NEAFCS provides 20 partial scholarships of $150 each to members who will be attending the PILD conference for the FIRST time. Look for more information on those scholarships under the Public Affairs tab on our website. Applications are due March 1^st and Vice President for Public Affairs, Debby Mathews is eager to receive your application.

On a personal note, I have a new grandson, born Monday evening, February 4^th. Myles William Chandler weighed in at 9 lbs 9oz and is 21 inches long. He has lots of dark hair and is just as handsome as his 4 ½ year old big brother, James, and their dad. Dwain and I have 4 grandchildren. In addition to the two boys, we also have two granddaughters. We are blessed!

I’m guilty of not always being very successful at balancing work and family. I keep trying to do better…grandchildren really help me remember to give family more of the time that they deserve! I hope you find ways to take time for yourself and your family on a regular basis. I know I am more effective in my work when I have balance in my life. What about you?



Until next month,
Carol