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January 2017

Table of Contents

President’s Message

Deadline for Name the NEAFCS e-News Contest Extended

A Look at the 2017 Action Plans

NEAFCS Winter Board Meeting Highlights 

Take Advantage of Scholarship & Cost Saving Options for 2017 PILD Conference Now!

Marketing Your FCS Program is Fun and Easy with Living Well Month Resources

Details in Submitting Awards Applications Online

What is JCEP and why is the JCEP conference important?

Help Wanted: Leaders for NEAFCS

Consider Submitting to the Journal of NEAFCS!

Professional Development Goal for 2017

Meet Board Member Edda Cotto-Rivera

 






Important Dates


Impact Statement Data Due and PILD Scholarship Application Due • Feb 1

Concurrent Session Proposals Due • Feb 15

2017 NEAFCS National Awards Deadline • March 15

JNEAFCS Articles Due • March 1

NEAFCS 2017 Annual Session Oct 15-19
Omaha, NE

NEAFCS 2018 Annual Session Sept 24-27
San Antonio, TX

View All Events...




 

 

 

 



National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Science

325 John Knox Rd. Suite L103
Tallahassee, FL 32303
(850) 224-0711
[email protected]

 

 

President's Message
Theresa Mayhew (NY), President

Theresa MayhewHappy New Year, everyone!

I hope your holidays were merry and bright! While some temperatures outside might be frightful, things are really heating up for NEAFCS members! By that I mean it’s time to submit your on-line awards submissions, time to register for the February 8 & 9 JCEP Leadership Conference, time to apply for a PILD First Timer Scholarship application, and time to submit your impact statement data! Living Well Month which takes place in March isn’t far off, either, but let’s get through January and February first! One last note about 2016 – congratulations to Lorrie Coop (TX), Michelle Brill (NJ) and Barb Henza (NY) for finding the hidden ear of corn in Edda Cotto-Rivera’s article in last month’s publication.

Your board has selected Partners in Association Management of Tallahassee, FL, to be our new association management company. We are in the process of finalizing their management agreement and scope of services and should have all of that in place by the time you’re reading this message! Based on our interaction with Partners so far, we are looking forward to fully utilizing their services, expertise and experience as we move our association forward. It’s all about people, possibilities and purpose!

I recently came across this poem by William Arthur Ward and thought I’d share it as 2017 unfolds; I hope it resonates with you! Here’s to another prosperous year for our organization, our members and our profession. Thanks for all that you do for NEAFCS!

Another fresh new year is here... Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt and fear, to love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me to live each day with zest.
To daily grow and try to be my highest and my best!

I have the opportunity once more to right some wrongs, 
To pray for peace, to plant a tree, and sing more joyous songs!

Sincerely,

Terri

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Deadline for Name the NEAFCS e-News Contest Extended
Theresa Mayhew (NY), President

Good news! The Name the NEAFCS e-News Contest deadline has been extended to March 1! With all the hubbub around the holidays, year-end reporting and such, we want to give you more time to come up with some creative names for our monthly publication. The lucky winner of this competition will receive a free 2017 membership. Here is the link to submit your entry: https://neafcs.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_226428.  (Disregard the December 15 deadline noted on the form). I know we have some clever wordsmiths out there so I can't wait to see what you come up with! Remember you can enter more than once. The winning name will grace the April issue. Don't delay - get your Name the NEAFCS e-News Contest submission(s) in today!

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A Look at the 2017 Action Plans
Lora Lee Howard (KY), President-Elect

Your Vice-Presidents for Professional Development, Member Resources, Public Affairs, and Awards and Recognition along with their committees have been working diligently to develop their Action Plans for the 2017-2018 year.

The Vice-Presidents and their committees meet at the end of our Annual Session to start next year’s plan.  The Vice- Presidents fine tune the plans and we upload them to the website for everyone to view.

The Professional Development Action Plan outlines our Annual Conference, our webinars and everything in between related to your professional development, I would encourage you to view the plan.  The two active committees under Professional Development are Program Development and Webinar.

Karen DeZarn and the committees have outlined a plan to help you receive the most benefits from our Annual Session and the webinars.  You can find the timeline for submitting a Proposal for concurrent sessions or Showcase for Excellence for the 2017 meeting in Omaha, NE or the timeline for webinar proposals.  Our nine webinars are presented by our own members or our Partner Members (Partner Spotlight).

Reviewing the Professional Development Action Plan can provide insight into the behind-the-scene work that is conducted by your fellow members to enhance your professional development. If you are interested in joining one of these committees, I would encourage you to submit an on-line application. This is another way you can enhance your leadership opportunities and impact our Annual Session, webinars, and your professional development.  

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NEAFCS Winter Board Meeting Highlights
Jovita Lewis (AL), Secretary

Led by President Mayhew, members of the NEAFCS Executive Board converged on Savannah, Georgia for its 2016 Winter Board Meeting on December 6-8, 2016.  The three day meeting was filled with officer reports, interviewing prospects for the new management company, discussing ways to increase member value, preparing for the upcoming awards and recognition season, and making thoughtful decisions that would enhance the role of NEAFCS as a premiere professional development organization.

In a special treat, the executive board was greeted by Tim Davis, Chatom County Extension Coordinator, Savannah, Georgia who gave an overview of the University of Georgia’s Extension presence throughout the county and in the city of Savannah.  Additionally, Roxie Price, Family and Consumer Science Agent, University of Georgia, Tift County, presented a workshop titled, “You’ve Got Style!” which emphasized different personalities as well as strategies for encouraging leadership and teambuilding among board members.  Contributions from Tim and Roxie enhanced “take-a-ways” from the Winter Board Meeting.

Time was also set aside for board members to work together on different projects which included the upcoming JCEP presentation, NEAFCS website development, and the recommendation of members to serve on subcommittees.

Whether during a dinner meal, participating in the Christmas gift exchange, or sightseeing on one of Savannah’s ghost tours, board members found time to connect and get to know one another in a personal way.

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Take Advantage of PILD Early Bird Registration and 1st Timer's Scholarship to Minimize Costs!
Glenda Hyde (OR), Vice-President of Public Affairs

PILD Cost-saving options are currently available, for the Public Issues Leadership Development Conference (PILD) held on April 2-5 in Alexandria, VA.

NEAFCS Affiliates are encouraged to send representatives from their state to attend this jam-packed, informational and motivational conference sponsored by the Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP). Registration opens about January 6. Early Bird Registration is due by March 3rd. Early bookings can help you save, too. Special room rates apply when you book your room at the conference hotel, if you book now. Airlines may have better rates for early reservations, too. Find out more about PILD at our Public Affairs Home Page. Be sure to coordinate PILD attendance with your Affiliate President and your supervisor.

Applications are now available for twenty $200.00 scholarships to NEAFCS PILD first-time attendees, while they last, and are posted on the Public Affairs Home Page.

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Marketing Your FCS Program is Fun and Easy with Living Well Month Resources!
Glenda Hyde (OR), Vice-President of Public Affairs

Living Well Month Have you ever wondered how to better elevate the visibility and awareness of your program?Just like the key to good housekeeping is doing something every day, the key to a strong FCS program is to do some marketing with every public contact. The revamped NEAFCS public service campaign, Living Well Month, is now posted on the NEAFCS web page under the Public Affairs tab. The new Living Well Month Home Page, with new or edited resources, is available for you, now, to start planning your local FCS public service campaign. Choose several small actions, building each year, to have a big results.

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Details in Submitting Awards Applications Online
Dianne Gertson (TX), Vice-President for Awards and Recognition

Why are there only 3 places to upload my awards documents?

This does not mean you can only upload 3 documents. Up to 25 mb can be uploaded into each file upload space.  When multiple files are uploaded into the same space, each new file replaces previously uploaded files.  You can combine all your documents into one file and upload them all together. There are different ways you can do this. You can copy and paste all the documents into one document, you can scan them into one file, or you can use the Adobe Acrobat combine files feature.  Instructions have been added to the awards webpage for using Adobe Acrobat Pro. If you have very large files then you can use the other 2 upload options in the awards system.  A 4th upload space has been added for the photo to be uploaded as a .jpg.

How do I delete a file that I uploaded? What do you mean upload a blank document?

The system does not have a delete option. Therefore, if you want a file deleted you must create a blank document (a page with no words) and upload it in the place where the document was that you want deleted. This will override the unwanted document.

How about editing a file that I uploaded?

If you decide to edit your application, you will need to re-upload all of your files again. You cannot delete a file that has been previously submitted. To remove the file, re-upload the files you want included, and upload a blank page if you are not re-uploading a file into that space. 

How do I know that I have the correct files uploaded?

Log in and go to My Profile on the NEAFCS webpage and click view transactions from within your member profile sub-menus. Open your most recent receipt and it should show you the files that are currently uploaded.

Do I have to upload my total awards application?

The awards that move on to the national level have to be uploaded.   Check with your Affiliate Awards VP for Affiliate specific information.  Distinguished Service and Continued Excellence must be uploaded to receive National recognition.

Consult the Awards Manual online and follow the general guidelines for putting together awards as well as the specific guidelines for your award category. 

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What is JCEP and why is the JCEP conference important?
Diane Whitten (NY), Eastern Region Director

Being a member, you know what NEAFCS stands for, but there are a lot of other acronyms flying around. One you should know about is JCEP, The Joint Council of Extension Professionals, which includes representatives from all of the Extension professional development associations, including NEAFCS.

JCEP was founded in 1989 and a representative from NEAFCS has been on the Board of Directors ever since. One of its top goals is to develop leadership skills in partner organizations and has used the JCEP Leadership Conference to do so.

The purpose of the 2017 JCEP Leadership Conference, February 8-9, is to support Extension leadership succession planning and development nationwide. Concurrent session presentations will illustrate, demonstrate and/or provide hands-on learning opportunities, skills or models that can be replicated by individuals.

MY EXPERIENCE

As both the NY Affiliate president-elect and president I attended the JCEP Leadership Conference where I learned the importance of connecting all the dots between our various associations. We have many overlapping needs and issues that can be best dealt with collectively. The opportunity to network with other association members and the NEAFCS meeting during the conference gave me insights I would not otherwise have received.

YOU SHOULD ATTEND!

If you have a desire to increase your leadership skills, you should attend. Learn more at www.jcep.org

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Help Wanted: Leaders for NEAFCS
Debby Mathews (AL), Immediate Past President/Nominating Committee Chairman 

If you have contemplated a personal and professional growth opportunity for the next two years, NEAFCS has several offerings to consider before April 1. The following offices on our national board of directors will be filled via election at Annual Session 2017: President-Elect, Treasurer, Vice President-Awards and Recognition, Vice President Public Affairs, Central Region Director, and Southern Region Director. All these offices involve a two year commitment except President-Elect, which is a three year commitment.

To learn more about the duties and responsibilities involved I invite you to go to https://neafcs.memberclicks.net/assets/documents/administration/2015-final-neafcs-policies-and-procedures-manual.pdf . If you log in to neafcs.org as a member it’s under member resources and documents. Of course, you are welcome to contact me with you questions at [email protected] or the following nominating committee members: Christine Kniep (WI), Peg Ehlers (IN), Linda Law-Saunders (NY), David Roberts (WV), Apriell Burgess (AL), Tanya Davis (TX), Cindy Davies (NM), and Phyllis Lewis (WY).

Also, under documents you will find the candidate for national office form. Please review and complete it and send it to me via email by April 1. Our nominating committee is eager to hear from you!

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Consider Submitting to the Journal of NEAFCS!
Sarah Ransom (TN), Member JNEAFCS Sub-committee

The end of the year often means a time for wrapping up projects, analyzing and making adjustments to programs, and planning for the new year. This would be a perfect time to prepare an article to submit to the Journal of NEAFCS. We are looking for articles that highlight the exciting and impactful work you are doing for your communities. To learn more about submitting an article, go to https://neafcs.memberclicks.net/journal-of-neafcs to view the submission guidelines and to check out previous publications. Submissions are due March 1, 2017. We are also looking for peer reviewers! To submit an article, to become a peer reviewer, or if you have any questions, contact Sarah Ransom at [email protected]

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Professional Development Goal for  2017!
Ruth Vonderohe (NE) and Jeannette Friesen (NE), 2017 Annual Session Planning Committee

Happy New Year!!! Seldom do we start a new year start without making new year’s resolutions, like losing a few pounds or less dust in the house, that most of us will forget in a week or two. Instead, why not set a professional development goal that you can actually accomplish?  Include going to Nebraska to the NEAFCS annual meeting in October as a key part of this goal. Here you can join with colleagues from across the country to “Harvest Opportunities” to expand your effectiveness for years to come. Add specifics to your goal related to the focus of your work. Is it Early Childhood Education? Financial management? Entrepreneurship? Health and Nutrition?  Are you challenged by new technology? Do you wonder how to teach Millennials? All of these topics will available for you to choose from, to participate as an active learner, and then return home with new insights for a successful career. As an added bonus, you can also develop new networks with trusted Extension colleagues. You’ll be learning and laughing together with some of the best professionals in the world!

For the next step in accomplishing your goal, mark October 16 -19, Omaha, Nebraska, on your calendar.  Then watch for details in the coming months for information you will need for the best lodging, restaurants, and activities. Amazing speakers and in-depth sessions are already contracted and ready for you to “Harvest Opportunities” to improve the lives of individuals and families in your community.

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Meeting Board Member Edda Cotto-Rivera
Edda Cotto-Rivera (GA), Vice-President of Member Resources

If 2017 promises to be as the previous year, I can say that it is going to be wonderful one! In 2016, I was able to finish my master’s in public health, elected as the new Vice-President of Member Resources for our organization, and became a grandma (“abuela”) for the first time. I have worked as the Family and Consumer Sciences agent in DeKalb County Georgia, for almost ten years, developing programs and educating the community on issues related to nutrition for both EFNEP and SNAP-Ed, radon education, chronic disease management, healthy homes, and food safety.  I am originally from Puerto Rico and have resided in Georgia for 18 years.

I have two daughters who continually inspire me to be the best I can be! Edelí is a corporate lawyer in Manhattan, NY and is married to Amit Mahadevia, and are the proud parents of one month old Nina. My youngest daughter Edlyn is married to Alián Hernandez and is an ESOL teacher in Henry County, GA.

One of my first field experiences as a young student was to intern with an FACS agent who taught nutrition in a community located on the mountains of my beloved island. I enjoy volunteering at my local church, that has members from more than 13 Latino countries. I love music and salsa dancing and play a little bit of guitar and mandolin. I have recently been promoted as the University of Georgia SNAP-Ed program coordinator. 

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