District Director Election • Member Turns 100! • Memorandum Of Understanding • News from the President • Record Book Judging • Sew With Cotton Winners • Spring Education Workshop • State Meeting • State Office Project Club • Walk Across Arkansas • What Are Volunteers? • Deadlines and Dates to Remember
 

News from the President

For those of you that haven't heard, our AEHC Treasurer, Sue Farris, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in December. I know she would love getting cards. Her address is; Sue Farris, 505 W. River St., Ozark, AR 72949. I am trying to find an interim treasurer from the Ozark District until we see how Sue fares. At this time she is very ill. The Ozark District needs to replace the position because the only other executive committee member from the Ozark District is the district director. The committee is to be representative of the entire state.

Again it is budget preparation time for AEHC. Because interest rates from our investments are down, we must reduce the state budget again. We will prioritize as best we can. We will get over this interest drop crunch by working hard to make funds go the farthest we can and still function as the great organization that we are.

I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of you at the Education Focus workshop in March.
I hope you plan to attend the state meeting in June, to enjoy the fun, educational classes, and fellowship with each other.

AEHC Record Book Judging Activity March 8 and9

Fifty -eight record books have been submitted by clubs and counties for recognition of last year's work. The following districts submitted record book: Delta 26, Ouachita 18 and Ozark 14. The State education committee members composed of the chair Ann Bowers from Greene county and the AEHC district directors and associates and the state president Mary Ann Shepherd judged the books on February 8 and 9 at the C.A. Vines 4-H Center at Ferndale. The education committee also judged the applications for the AEHC Scholarship at the same time. This scholarship is awarded to an outstanding FCS junior student in an Arkansas University or College. We received 28 applications. This year the scholarship has had to be cut to $750 because of the lack of funds accumulation by the AEHC investments. Hopefully, the scholarship can be increased in the future when our investments begin to bring in more money. 
 

Sylvan Hills EHC Member turns 100 years old

Mrs. Margie Garrison, a member of the Sylvan Hills EH club in Pulaski county, celebrated   her 100th birthday, in December, with a large party with over 100 people attending at the Sherwood Senior Citizens Building. Mrs. Garrison is the mother of Marietta Gutierrez, past state president. A television station, Fox 13 did a feature on Mrs. Garrison and even showed her touching the palms of her hands to the floor without bending her knees. She still attends club meetings and lives alone!

AEHC Spring Education Workshop

"The Power of Many" is the theme for the AEHC Spring Education Workshop to be conducted Tuesday and Wednesday March 8 and 9 at the C.A. Vines 4-H Center at Ferndale. Ann Bowers, AEHC Vice -President is chair for the meeting and she and the education committee are planning a great program. The members of the committee are all district directors and associate district directors and the President, Mary Ann Shepherd.

For those who want to spend the night, registration will begin at 4pm on Tuesday afternoon March 8 in the concourse at the center. A dinner at 6pm will be held in the dining room and a program will follow entitled "The Power of Personality". This will be presented by Allisen Penn, Extension Leadership Specialist and the group will be involved in program planning.

Wednesday's program begins at 9am in Reynolds Auditorium and registration will begin at 8am that day for those who come for Wednesday only. The afternoon program should conclude by 3pm.

One of the objectives of the meeting is the selection of the 2005-2006 Program Emphasis, and the entire group will be involved in this process. The "Power of Community Service" will be addressed by representatives from Arkansas Children's Hospital, UAMS Neonatal Department and UAMS Cancer Research Center.

Elaine Stoll, President-elect and chair of the State meeting planning committee will discuss the state meeting and each FCS agent will receive a packet for registration. A display of the creative skills class projects will be made by Barbara Stover from Johnson county who is the chair for creative skills. The registration forms for the state meeting will be on the web site for AEHC , the FCS agents may print these and this should make it a little easier to register for the state meeting. The forms will need to be sent through the regular mail however along with the proper checks made to AEHC.

State Extension Headquarters organizes a project EHC Club

The Pulaski County Council Officers and agent Joy Buffalo have made a move to begin a club project group in the state Extension Office. Approximately 20 people attended the first meeting of the group and they have voted to meet twice a month at noon and do various projects. Cindy Corbitt is the leader of the group. Pictured is the first meeting of the group along with Pulaski County Council officers.

AEHC District Director Election

It is time to be thinking about nominations for the three District Directors of AEHC. The information for submitting nominations is in the handbook beginning on page D-10-D17.

REMEMBER THE DEADLINE IS MAY 15 AND THE NOMINATIONS MUST BE POSTMARKED ON OR BEFORE THAT DATE.

Send the nominations forms to the appropriate district director in your district. Following are the address of the three district directors: Delta District - Paula Dailey, 3506 Louise Rd, White Hall, AR 71602, Ozark District - Kay Sanders-Chick, 2460 McCracken Ridge Rd. Mountain Home, AR 72653, and Ouachita District - Joyce Hall, 12501 Hall Lane, Mabelvale, AR 72103.

Memorandum of Agreement Signing

Pictured are the members of the AEHC executive committee, Dr. Ivory Lyles, Dr. Lynn Russell and Betty F. Oliver. This agreement is updated each time we change President's of the state organization. The members in the picture are left to right, front row: Mary Ann Shepherd, Dr. Ivory Lyles, Dr. Lynn Russell, back row: Beverly Harlow, Paula Dailey, Elaine Stoll, Ann Bowers, Marietta Gutierrez, Kay Sanders-Chick, Debbie Moreland and Betty Oliver.

AEHC State Meeting

Plans are almost complete for the state meeting to be held in Hot Springs on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday June 7,8,9 at the Convention Center. The planning committee has planned an exciting program and you will hear more about it at the Spring Education workshop when the FCS Agents get the registration packets that explain all about the classes and details. Be sure to make your hotel registration yourself since this is your responsibility this year. The Austin Hotel reservations number if 877-623-6697 and the Embassy Suites is 1-800-EMBASSY.

This year we are going to try something a little different for entering the two luncheons, each district will enter at a specific time according to the district colors-the colors for the luncheon tickets will be coded as Ozark-blue, Delta -red and Ouachita-White. This is a trial to see if we can avoid so much congestion and people having to stand and wait so long before the doors are opened. Because Ozark district won the membership award last year, they will be the first to enter on Tuesday luncheon. You will receive all the information at the Spring Education meeting at Ferndale in March.
 

Sew With Cotton Suit Winners

The 2004 Sew with Cotton contest was conducted in Hot Springs at the Convention center in December 2004. The five top winners of the suit division were all Extension Homemaker Club members from over the state.

Pictured Left to Right: (All EHC Members)
Naomi Jackson, Woodruff County, 1^st place
Laurie Woodhull, Sebastian County, 5^th place
Stella Starnes, Madison County, 4^th place
Karen Kirkpatrick, Clark County, 2^nd place
Ann Bowers, Greene County, 3^rd place

What Are Volunteers?

Volunteers are like Ford: They have better ideas.
Volunteers are like Coke: They are the real thing.
Volunteers are like Pan Am: They make the going great.
Volunteers are like Dial Soap: They care more - don't you wish everybody did?
Volunteers are like hair spray: Their goodness holds in all kinds of weather.
Volunteers are like Hallmark Cards: They care enough to give the very best.
Volunteers are like Standard Oil: You expect more and you get it.
But most of all...
Volunteers are like Frosted Flakes: They're GRRREEEAAATTT!!!!!!!

Taken from the February issue of the Benton County EHC Newsletter.

Walk Across Arkansas

Start walking your way to better health. Walk Across Arkansas begins March 6 and ends April 30. If you are interested in forming a team, or if you just want to join one, please contact your county extension office.

2005

March 1 - Spring Workshop Registration
March 1 - Mini Grant Applications (Send proposal to State President, Vice President and Betty F. Oliver) (See page H-9 in the Handbook for more information)
May 2 - State Meeting Registration
May 15 - District Director Nominations
May 15 - Past State President's Scholarship
August 2 - Dues, General Data Form, and Council Mailing list
September 15 - Nametag Orders (to District Directors)
December 1 - Project Books due to State Office

Dates to Remember
2005

March 8 and 9 - AEHC Extended Education Workshop
June 7 to 9 - 2005 State Meeting
October 18 - Ozark District Rally
October 20 - Delta District Rally
October 25 - Ouachita District Rally