By ELLEN KOLMAN - Staff Writer - ekolman@starbeacon.com
JEFFERSON -- Ashtabula County residents are responding in force to the economic plight of the Ohio State University Extension Office and the Ashtabula County 4-H program.
Monday night more than 500 people turned out for the Ice Cream Social Extension Rally in the Expo Building at the Ashtabula County Fairgrounds.
“We were thrilled with the turnout which was much more than expected,” said Becky Holmes, OSU Extension educator/4-H youth development. “It was our goal to celebrate this organization, inform folks of our current financial status and what people can do to help.”
The Extension office struggles to stay open and maintain services on a greatly reduced budget. The Ashtabula County Board of Commissioners cut the office’s funding to $46,000, from about $180,000 last year.
Alumni of 4-H programs and concerned individuals interested in helping the OSU Extension Office are welcome to help financially either through short-term or long term funds, hold individual fund-raisers, write letters to local newspapers and to local politicians.
“We are asking folks to tell their own personal stories of what 4-H or other OSU Extension programs have meant to them or to their family,” Holmes said.
On Friday, two area elementary schools are holding fun fund raisers for the 4-H program. Jefferson Elementary School will have “Hat Day,” where students will pay a $1 donation to wear a hat. The teaching staff at Rock Creek Elementary will pay $2 to $5 to “dress down” for the day.
“A lot of our Jefferson Area students are involved in 4-H and we felt this was something small and fun we could do to help this worthy organization,” said Todd Tulino, Jefferson Elementary School principal.
“This is a really good cause, and since we just had a ‘Hat Day’ for Haiti relief, we felt this would be a fun, creative way to raise money for 4-H,” said Larry Meloro, Rock Creek Elementary principal.
During the event Monday night Ashtabula County Extension Agent David Marrison gave a power point presentation that included changes that will occur during our 2010 Ashtabula County Junior Fair. These changes will include: expect less attention to detail, animal pen reservations are due June 1, there will be no junior fair parade, no 5K road race, no junior fair dances, no junior fair flower box contest, changes in junior fair board’s roles and responsibilities, changes in trophies and plaques, and changes in show programs.
Marrison also outlined the reduction of services at the Extension Office and increased fees. These include: the office is closed on Fridays and will be closed an additional one to two days per week by June, a reduction of office staff, a $5 4-H activity fee per member in 2010, $10 fee per sample identification for pond samples and a $15 fee per soil test, effective immediately.
“We are looking for more volunteerism of our existing volunteers and those on various committees to come in and volunteer at the fair and in the Extension Office when needed,” Holmes said.
