NORWICH – The last 12 months have been a time for growth for a local organization dedicated to providing informational and educational resources to area residents in the areas of agriculture, horticulture, natural resources, nutrition and youth development.
“We’re pretty happy with the growth that we’ve had,” reported Ken Smith, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County. For more than 90 years, CCE Chenango has offered programs and partnerships for those looking to improve their lives and their communities.
According to Smith, the goal for 2010 was to build on the organization’s strengths and grow its programs. Last month at the non-profit’s annual meeting, he reported on the progress made over the last year and the momentum they’ve built which will carry them forward. All of which he said was accomplished without spending beyond their means.
CCE Chenango’s 2010 budget totaled $1,002,177. It derives its funding through a combination of county, state and federal sources as well as through grants and other revenue sources.
“Balanced budgets aren’t easy to do these days,” said Smith, as he reported the organization was indeed “in the black.”
One of the ways CCE Chenango was able to expand its offerings while staying within its budget was by securing additional grant funding for current and future projects. Most notably they have secured a $294,000 Eat Smart NY grant to expand program offerings to youth and families; and a $10,000 New York State 4-H Foundation grant to expand after school programs and other educational outreach programs with Chenango County schools; and a State Wildlife Grant.
“We feel fortunate to have that operate out of our office,” said Smith of the State Wildlife Grant, a Congressionally-mandated program “designed to protect and preserve habitats for wildlife species” in need of conservation.
“There are a lot of excellent things coming out of this project,” said Rich Taber, who serves as the SWG coordinator. The scope of the project, he explained, includes developing wildlife outreach programs, GIS mapping and creating a plan for the DEC to implement to help protect those species which are determined to be in danger. According to Taber, this includes a number of the 32 amphibians, 39 reptiles, 375 birds, and 90 mammals which call New York home.
Horticulture and Natural Resources Educator Rebecca Hargrave and Agriculture and 4-H Educator Janet Pfromm each shared successes in their areas, as did Community Gardens Coordinator Stacie Edick and Eat Smart New York Coordinator Betty Clark.
In the Horticulture/Natural Resources realm, those accomplishments included recruiting new Master Gardener volunteers, hosting a “litany” of forestry workshops and the seventh year of the Green Summer Program, which had over 600 youth participants this year.
Pfromm reported on the growth of the 4-H After School program, which this year increased by 85 percent, or 258 program hours, and lead to 50 new 4-H members. In addition, she said 75 kids attended Science Camp and 170 participated in this year’s Chenango County Fair. Many went on to the State Fair as well, she added.
According to Edick, the Community Garden Project, funded by a grant from the New York Department of Health, continues to grow. A new community garden was planted in Oxford, she said, and three new container gardens were also started. They will continue to expand their reach in 2011, she reported.
Despite its myriad of successes, the year was not without its challenges, according to Smith.
“A strength of an organization is often revealed in how you deal with challenge,” he said, explaining that CCE Chenango experienced staff turnovers in several areas, as well as the illness of long-time staff member Carol Loefstedt. “That creates a real challenge for any organization.
Thankfully, Smith said, “we were able to pick up some really strong staff.” Those new additions included Nutritional Educators Autumn Blood and Bill Howard, as well as Ag Development and Outreach Coordinator Rebecca Daubert.
CCE Chenango also experienced setbacks with its plans to make some needed upgrades to the 99 North Broad St. building which it shares with several other agencies. According to Smith, this work was sidetracked by the discovery of asbestos tiles, which required abatement.
“I think we’re ready to hit the ground running next year,” he reported.
In December, CCE Chenango bid farewell to two outgoing board members, Della Ericksen and Elise Robinson. In their stead, Janice O’Shea and Ed Coates were welcomed onto the board. According to Smith, both have served in that capacity before.
“We just feel very, very fortunate to have two strong people coming back,” he said.