October 17, 2007

Individuals to be honored by Purdue Extension

* David Trotter of Clack County received the Agriculture and Natural Resources Individual Award. For 18 years Trotter has conducted an annual bull breeding soundness clinic for cattle producers. During the time of the clinic there have been nearly 650 bulls go through the evaluation clinic.

* Dan Kirtley of Randolph County was presented the ANR Career Award for the many educational programs he has organized. The programs include: Farmer Coffee Hour Farm Management Programs, Pest Control Update, Area 7 Davis Purdue Agriculture Center Field Day, Soybean Rust Concerns and Randolph County Agriculture Day.

* Brenda Hagedorn of Perry and Spencer counties received the Consumer and Family Science Individual Award for her food safety training. Hagedorn collaborated with Spencer County’s food sanitarian and Holiday World’s food service manager to provide food safety training for food service workers. Following the training, employees and managers reported a significant increase in knowledge of safe food handling practices.

* Jane Ann Critchlow of Dubois County was presented the CFS Career Award. Critchlow is a Real Color trainer and a ServSafe safety trainer. Programs that Crichlow works with are Annie’s Project, ServSafe, Dining with Diabetes, Professor Popcorn and numerous other projects.

* Diane Stouffer of Vigo County received the 4-H Youth Development Individual Award. Stouffer has collaborated with the Vigo County Parks Department and Vigo County School Corporation to coordinate a low-cost summer day camp that gives inner-city children an opportunity to spend time in a natural, outdoor setting. In 2006, 465 children participated in Camp RAVE, where they learned about nutrition, nature, respect for others and the outdoors.

* Debra Searcy of Wayne County was presented the 4-H Youth Development Career Award for several programs that she implemented. Searcy has helped with programs including the Mentor Mother Program, Suicide Prevention Program for high school youth and Chick-it-Out, an incubator agriculture science program for high school classrooms. Searcy also was instrumental in developing a 4-H club for special needs students, where 4-H Jr. Leaders provide one-on-one assistance with 4-H projects.

* John Emerson of LaGrange County received the Bob Amick Award. Emerson was part of germ warfare “101�?, which was a collaboration between Purdue Extension, LaGrange County and the LaGrange County Health Department. The program correlated the Indiana Academic Standards for Science and Heath and reached 1,100 LaGrange County youth to educate and reinforce personal health and food practices to combat communicable diseases.

* Gregory Bossaer of White County was presented the Economic and Community Development Award for his work on “Biotown.�? Biotown is focused on developing infrastructure and teachnology to generate all of the energy needs of the community from bio-renewable sources.  Bossaer developed a survey to determine the approval rating for “Biotown USA.�?

* John Hancewicz of Vigo County received the ECD Career Award for his numerous years as a 4-H youth development educator and working in the economic and community development program. Hancewicz holds the director's position on several county boards and has continual interaction and dialogue with other education partners in Vigo County.

* Annette Parish of Delaware County was presented the Diversity Award for her work in the Life in the State of Poverty. This is an initiative to raise awareness of the impact of poverty for Delaware County citizens and is addressing an important community issue. A group of Delaware County residents hosted the Poverty Summit, exposing community leaders to the need.

* Diane Stouffer of Vigo County received the International Award for her work in the Russian agriculture and dairy production area. Stouffer took the opportunity to go to Russia through the International Farmer-to-Farmer Consortium program. The major focus of the exchange trip was to assist a private company in a cattle breeding improvement and dairy bull evaluation program helping 35 individuals.

Writer: Elizabeth Fritz, (765) 494-8402, elfritz@purdue.edu

Sources: Randy Woodson, (765) 494-8392, woodson@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page

Note to Journalists: Photos of the award winners will be available on the Web at https://www.ces.purdue.edu/awards/ at 10 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 18).

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