EXTENSION HIGHLIGHTS
• Personnel of the Juab County Extension
office give the Commission a run down of their
activities on on Monday.
By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
The Juab County Extension Office presented the
highlights of their year to the county commission.
Margie Memmott, county director and FCS/4-H Youth
Agent; Jeffrey Banks, agriculture/4-H Youth Agent; Barbara
Bradford, staff assistant; Amanda Livingston, staff
assistant; Julie Sutherland, 4-H staff assistant; Judy
Jensen, 4-H staff assistant; Laurie Bates, nutrition
assistant, FSNE; Celeste Robinson, site coordinator, Youth
and Families With promise; and Andrew, site coordinator,
Youth and Families With Promise all met with the commission
and each gave a brief presentation.
Memmott said that the extension program in the county
had accomplished much more last year than they were
presenting at commission meeting.
"All of the things that have been done are not
listed," she said. "These are just some of the
highlights."
Memmott told commissioners that extension agents
coordinated programing for volunteer tax preparers to meet
with interested residents at extension offices in Juab,
Wasatch and Summit counties.
"Juab County has been approved and designated to be an
official VITA host-site again in 2007," said Memmott.
Appointments were made through the state 2-1-1 phone
information system.
"Local FCS agents took advantage of the opportunity to
introduce taxpayers to extension programs," she said.
Thirty-nine returns were filed from the sites and only
two of the filers had taken advantage of a VITA site
previously.
"More than 80 percent of the filers had never
participated in and extension program," said Memmott. "It is
projected that, as a group, the filers saved over $3,100 in
tax preparation costs. The average adjusted gross income of
the filers was $20,599."
She said the received a total of $39,422 in refunds
including almost $24,000 in credits designed to assist lower
income families.
Memmott said that Utah from 2002, the state has been
first in the U. S. for bankruptcies with one in every 37
homes filing. The national average is one in every 73
homes.
About 68 percent of the filings are Chapter 7, meaning
the filer is asking the Bankruptcy Court to forgive as many
debts as possible, with no intention or obligation to make
payments on them.
As members of Utah Saves, a program with the extension
office, people are paying off their debts, and saving to
reach their financial goals. Utah Saves can help with tips
and tools to help set goals, develop strategies to reach
those goals, and help individuals start saving.
Banks said that some partnering had helped the
extension program and participants in Juab County.
"Juab County Extension sponsored five 4-H Hunter
Safety education courses," said Banks.
Each course included several classes that covered 15
hours of instruction and one day on the shooting range. At
the end of the last class, the participants were required to
take written and shooting tests. As a result of these
programs, in 2006, 149 youth and adults received their Utah
Hunter Safety Certification.
"In cooperation with the Farm Bureau and the Utah
State Parks, five ATV certification workshops were taught to
youth 8-15," said Banks. "Juab County Extension also
sponsored our first snowmobile safety certification
program."
In addition to the instruction section, the members
were required to pass written and driving tests and 61 youth
received their ATV certification. Eight youth received their
Utah Snowmobile certification.
Judy Jensen said that 97 leaders were able to learn
new skills first hand at a leader training conference held
in 2006.
"We are hoping to make this an annual event for
leaders and prospective leaders in Juab County," she
said.
Efforts were made to increase the awareness of the
need for 4-H leaders and to show the variety of projects
that could be taught to youth.
Jensen said she was also over the 4-H day camp and the
4-H talent show.
"The 4-H Teen Council is a group of 23 teen 4-H
members who work cooperatively with the extension staff in
planning and implementing county 4-H events," said Julie
Sutherland.
The young people range in age from 8th to 12th
grade.
The council provides leadership and service
opportunities, said Sutherland. They had participated in
several service projects in 2006 including manning the
Shooting Sports Trailer at the county fair, present several
"birthday party" bags to the local food bank, participating
in the Sub for Santa program, and distributing state fair
posters around the community.
"They wanted to spend their money on service rather
than on themselves."
There are many leadership opportunities such as
becoming a junior leader, 4-H Talent Contest Master of
Ceremonies, present awards at the 4-H Achievement Night
program. They also assist with 4-H Day Camp, Summer in the
Park and sewing and food camps.
"Fifteen youth represented Juab County at the 4-H
state contest where they did an outstanding job, bringing
home seven blue ribbons," said Sutherland.
"The number of 4-H projects entered in the Juab County
Fair increased dramatically this year," said Barbara
Bradford.
She said that 121 4-H members entered 606 projects in
the Family and Consumer Sciences Department.
"Those entries winning a purple ribbon were eligible
for the Utah State Fair," said Bradford. "Juab County sent
79 projects to the state fair and brought home 16
rosettes."
The horse program had 55 members in 2006 and 45 youth
were members of the livestock program, including beef, swine
and lambs.
"Nutrition education was provided to 1,230 low-income
residents including school programs and 56 families
graduated from the program," said Laurie Bates.
She said results from the customer's entry and exit
recalls show Juab County as one of the highest in
improvements in meal planning, comparing prices, using a
grocery list, food safety and healthy eating.
"By helping families and individuals learn to make
better food choices, their lives improve, through learning
and putting that knowledge to work," said Bates.
Commissioners also learned of the gardening classes,
the extension website, and about the success of the 4-H
Youth and Families With Promise program.
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