Purdue News
Purdue News
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May 15, 1998
Conference to celebrate home and familyWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service will continue a tradition of enhancing home and family life through education at the annual Home and Family Conference, June 9-12 at Purdue."This is the 85th Home and Family Conference," said Betty Krejci (Cray-chee), assistant program leader for Extension in the School of Consumer and Family Sciences. "We're celebrating a rich history." Krejci said 600 or more participants are expected at the conference, much of which is open to the public. The conference is for homemakers, educators and others, she said, who want to hear well-known speakers and university specialists discuss a myriad of topics relating to family life. "Corporate sponsors allow us to bring in more recognized speakers," Krejci said. "The Kroger Co. and Meijer Inc. are sponsors this year." The keynoter is Naomi Griffith, a national speaker and consultant on child-welfare issues. The focus of her opening address on Thursday, June 11, "Tears, Time, and Laughter: The Formula for Families," is searching for the meaning of family in a new century. According to Krejci, Griffith weaves 30 years of experience and pragmatism into inspirational stories that motivate her audiences. "Naomi Griffith is a wonderful storyteller," she said. "She hits on the value system and beliefs about families that society is losing touch with. She just captivates you." Following her keynote speech, Griffith will present a two-hour workshop titled "Nikes, Nissans, and Name Brands -- Is This What Children Really Need?" The workshop will identify and explore the traits of strong, healthy families. The luncheon speaker on Thursday, Betty Sinnock, is founder and senior partner of The Beardstown Ladies Investment Club. She'll talk about the group's goals and "the three E's of investing." Sinnock also will lead a workshop, "Making Your Investment Club a Success." "Thursday is author's day," Krejci said. Both Griffith and the Beardstown Ladies have published books, she explained, as have Sallyann Murphey, Elaine Todd and Marlene Targ Brill, three more speakers on Thursday's slate. Murphey wrote "The Zen of Food" and "The Metcalf Family Album." She'll present a session based on each book. She'll talk about how the food we eat affects home, family and spiritual self, and about the lives of Hoosier women since 1835. Todd, author of "All Together Now," will share personal stories about the evolution of her book and how to record your final wishes for loved ones. "Marlene Targ Brill writes children's books," Krejci said. "Her session is called 'From Tooth Fairies to Civil War Drummers: Exploring Children's Books.' She'll talk about the value of sharing books with children." Other highlights of the conference:
"It's very content-focused," Krejci said. "There's a strong relationship between Extension Homemakers and the 'mother university' -- that's what I call Purdue -- that we're very proud of. I think it enhances the education we're able to provide." The Extension Homemakers conduct their annual meeting in conjunction with the conference. Krejci said the mission of the more than 22,000 members in more than 2,000 clubs throughout Indiana is continued education, leadership development and community service. The conference not only provides educational information to the Extension Homemakers who attend, but also to those who can't attend. "There are three new lessons participants can take back to the counties," Krejci said. "They're on personal safety, financial safety and food safety." Krejci added that certified home economists can receive 12 units of accreditation for attending the conference. Registration is $33 for the entire conference, or $23 for a single day. There's an additional fee for luncheons and entertainment . For registration information, call the Continuing Education office at Purdue, (765) 494-7231.
Source: Betty Krejci, (765) 494-8252; e-mail,
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