Homemakers conference to focus on community, healthy living

May 7, 2014  


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - This year's Indiana Extension Homemakers Association Home and Family Conference will promote health, community and positive living by featuring inspirational speakers, workshops, tours and food.

The conference will be held June 10-12 on the Purdue University campus in West Lafayette and include more than 20 sessions on health and wellness, family relationships, community and technology.

In addition to the daily concurrent sessions, attendees can tour Purdue's horticulture gardens, the Pig Adventure at Fair Oaks Farm, the RDM Aquaculture Shrimp Farm in Fowler and the Whyte Horse Winery in Monticello.

"There will be several ways to explore what exciting discoveries have been made in the College of Health and Human Sciences and across Purdue's campus at this conference," said Angie Abbott, Purdue Extension program leader and assistant director. "It will celebrate Purdue’s high-quality research-based education that helps families in Indiana and the nation maintain positive living." 

The conference's keynote speaker is LaDonna Gatlin, a contributing writer to the best-selling book series Chicken Soup for the Soul. Gatlin will speak on "Tune up Your Life."

Also featured is former Miss America 2009, Katie Stam-Irk, who was crowned the first Miss America from Indiana in the pageant's 88-year history. Stam-Irk travels the country as an advocate, spokeswoman, host, author, branding professional and performer. She is the spokesperson for Midwest Ag Finance and is an executive consultant for New Sunshine LLC in Indianapolis. Stam-Irk will present "From Dairy Farmer to Miss America: Life on the Farm to Life on the Road."

The conference will conclude with a gala banquet at 6 p.m. June 12.

The Indiana Extension Homemakers Association was founded in 1913 by a group of homemakers and Purdue professors with the goal of providing social and educational opportunities for homemakers and encouraging the teaching of home economics in schools. In its first year, the group contributed to the passing of the Smith-Lever Act, which created the Cooperative Extension Service to provide instruction in agriculture and home economics. 

Early registration for the full conference costs $175, and single-session registration costs $95. There are additional fees for parking, heritage skills and tours. For more information or to register online, visit http://www.conf.purdue.edu/homeandfamily

Writer: Emma Hopkins, 765-494-8402, hopkine@purdue.edu 

Sources: Angie Abbott, 765-494-8252, abbottar@purdue.edu

Michele Baker, 765-494-8252, baker177@purdue.edu 

Rosalind Richey, rprichey@ndwave.com  

Related website:

Purdue HHS Extension: http://www.purdue.edu/hhs/extension/

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page

Purdue University, 610 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907, (765) 494-4600

© 2014-18 Purdue University | An equal access/equal opportunity university | Integrity Statement | Copyright Complaints | Brand Toolkit | Maintained by Marketing and Media

Trouble with this page? Disability-related accessibility issue? Please contact us at online@purdue.edu so we can help.