Purdue News

November 18, 1998 Four 'Friends of Extension' honored WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Three Indiana residents and a farm organization who have championed the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service mission in their counties were named as 1998 "Friends of Extension" at the service's annual conference Tuesday (11/17). Julia Hickman, Parke County; Lynn Selking, Adams County; Nancy Smith, Huntington County; and the Johnson County Farm Bureau Inc. were honored with plaques and a round of applause for their contributions to Purdue Extension and their communities. Julia Hickman, Parke County Hickman has been an Extension volunteer in Parke County for more than 20 years, starting with Extension Homemakers in 1975. She has held every office in the local club, including president. She currently is cultural arts chair and presided over the countywide School Art Show featuring works by more than 1,000 young artists. Hickman also was the first in her county to serve two six-year terms on the Extension Board, helping with an office building drive for the fairgrounds and representing Parke County at the Purdue Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (P-CARET). She also has worked as a Mini 4-H leader since 1980 and presented the Expanded Foods and Nutrition Program in the elementary schools since 1988, reaching more than 2,000 youths. Participation in the Parke County Take Charge Program in 1991 led to the creation of and work on a county tourism committee. Hickman also has been active in other efforts, such as the Rosedale Civic Center, where she served as president the past several years. She also has worked at the Covered Bridge Festival at both the Civic Center and the Biscuit and Gravy Shack on the square. She has been a Sunday School teacher and in charge of Bible school for her church for more than 25 years. Hickman also has been a regular visitor to the ill and infirm at nursing homes and the hospital. Lynn Selking, Adams County As a two-term president of the Adams County Extension Board, Selking was instrumental in obtaining $10,000 from the Lilly Foundation and an Adams County Foundation Special Project Grant to modernize the main meeting facility to meet the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Selking also helped secure a matching grant of $17,500 with Central Soya to build a small animal facility for rabbits, poultry and dairy goats at the fairgrounds. In addition, he served on the 4-H Fairground Facility Committee and as chairman of the Swine Committee, and new swine pens were built with donations from 4-H families during his tenure. As an Extension Crops Committee member, Selking has encouraged the adoption of new farming technologies, cooperating in soybean research and working on joint Extension-Soil and Water Conservation District field days. He also initiated the first Adams County Wheat Variety trials with Extension. Selking has helped raise thousands of dollars for equipment and materials, greatly expanding the scope of Adams County's Demonstration/Research capabilities. Active in State P-CARET, Selking has attended the Washington, D.C., Conference for three years and works with state and federal legislators. A two-term chairman of the county Soil and Water Conservation Board, he helped organize joint legislative roundtables with Extension. According to the state legislators, this particular session generates the most interest, and the strongest attendance, of any legislative meeting in Adams County. Selking and his wife, Sandy, are the parents of four boys who all are or soon will be 10-year 4-H members. Nathan, a Purdue graduate, works for Helena Chemical, Jason is a junior at Purdue, Greg is a freshman at Purdue, and Aaron is a sophomore at Bellmont High School. The family farms approximately 1,200 acres in northern Adams County and southern Allen County and raises swine. He and his wife are active members of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, where he was chairman for the church's sesquicentennial. Nancy Smith, Huntington County Smith is the 1997-98 state president of the Indiana Extension Homemaker Association. She also has served as state vice president (1995-96) and president-elect (1996-97). Following the theme "On to others that which has benefited us," Smith says her two main goals are to encourage women to pass on the knowledge they have gained and to get more women involved in the organization. Smith credits her leadership skills to the Cooperative Extension Service. A charter member of the Town and Country Extension Homemaker Club for 37 years, she has served three times as Extension Homemaker county president, three times as county vice president, and twice as secretary. Smith, a professional seamstress, has helped 4-H clothing project members through sewing workshops at the high school and sometimes in her home. She works at the Huntington County Fair as a hostess in the Family Living Building, and in 1996 she helped establish an Extension Homemaker Club of Young Homemakers. Smith served on the County Extension Board in 1991-96, and she was secretary of the board for two years. In 1995, she moved on to the state level of the Extension Homemaker organization, working on the following state committees: Nominating and Membership, Cultural Arts and Textiles, Education, and Leadership. As chairwoman of the State Leadership Committee, Smith planned the fall 1997 District Workshop on legislative issues. The program, "How To Be Heard," explored the process a bill takes in becoming a law, and how homemakers can influence that process. There also was a session to help homemakers realize how public policy directly affects their lives. Smith also is active in her church. She plays clarinet in the Nazarene Band, which presents concerts at church and at the county fair. She has a home-based business "Nancy's Custom Sewing." She sews for bridal parties, creates garments, and does alterations of ready-to-wear. Smith is married to Larry Smith, who is retired. They have three daughters, two of whom also are Extension Homemakers. Johnson County Farm Bureau, Inc. (Jim Williams, president; Louise Beaman, vice president) The Johnson County Farm Bureau has been a supporter of Extension programs for many years, with strong involvement in educational programming the past five years. As part of the annual Ag Day Committee, a Farm Bureau representative helps plan and carry out the Ag Day Breakfast and Farm Animal Days for the more than 1,000 fourth-graders who visit the fairgrounds to learn about agriculture. Farm Bureau's display informs students about grains grown in Johnson County. Farm Bureau members and seven young farmers prepared the display. A Farm Safety Day program was co-sponsored by Farm Bureau and Johnson County Extension for youths ages 5-12. It has been offered for two years, and the Farm Bureau made a major contribution to the fire department to purchase a fire house to educate citizens on fire safety as a result of the farm safety activity. The Farm Bureau Women's Leader serves as a member of the Women's Financial Information Program coalition, which plans and organizes the annual educational series, and Farm Bureau members participated in Extension Plan of Work meetings. Through the Extension-Farm Bureau relationship, Johnson County Extension and the community benefit from Farm Bureau support. This annual support includes: Sponsorsing two township 4-H Achievement programs. Sponsorsing 4-H member year pins. Paying for a 4-H newspaper ad during 4-H week. Providing a $500 4-H/FFA Scholarship. Sponsorsing two 4-H Round Up delegates. Providing 4-H Leader recognition. Sponsoring the Achievement Banquet. The Farm Bureau also has been a regular purchaser of livestock at the county fair auction and has sponsored savings bonds for 4-H tenure awards. The Johnson County 4-H and Agricultural Fair has also benefited from Farm Bureau. In 1997 Farm Bureau donated $21,000 for a new fairgrounds maintenance building and remodeled the old maintenance building to double the exhibit space as well as create a rest area for fairgoers. The Farm Bureau also provides a free night of entertainment as a County Fair Sponsor of the Day. Source: Floyd Branson, assistant director, Cooperative Extension Service, (765) 494-8490; e-mail, Floyd_Branson@ces.purdue.edu Writer: Chris Sigurdson, (765) 494-8415; e-mail, sig@ecn.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page