Sullivan County Profile 2003-2004
The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension provides practical education to people of all ages. The partnership of Sullivan County, the State of New Hampshire and the U.S. Department of Agriculture forms UNH Cooperative Extension. In every Sullivan County community, this program is at work, increasing economic development, enhancing the environment, supporting community needs and developing human potential. Sullivan County Extension educators provide non-formal educational programs in Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, and in Family, Community and Youth Development, with the assistance of a local advisory council. Sullivan County residents also benefit from a wide range of statewide Extension programs directed by state Extension Specialists. These efforts focus on monitoring water quality in Lake Sunapee, reducing the use of pesticides, and Community Profiles to name a few.
- Educational radio spots and newspaper articles throughout the
year by Extension Educators - WNTK, Eagle Times, Valley News and other
local newspapers; five newsletters to 1700 households in Sullivan County.
- Extension educators participated in numerous countywide events,
forums, fairs and public exhibits including the Cornish Fair, County Government
Week, Career Days and Health Days for area high schools and the County
Commissioners' Pancake Breakfast in Unity.
Agricultural Natural Resources & Community Development Programs
- The Sullivan County UNH Cooperative Extension Agricultural
Resources program area assisted commercial and non-commercial growers
in all phases of agricultural production and management. This includes
crop production methods, pest management, farm management, financial
management, animal husbandry, risk management, nutrient management, and
marketing.
- Five major areas of agricultural programming were offered
to growers this past year, these include: agricultural business management,
agricultural marketing, grass farming/pasture management, whole farm
planning/holistic management, and advancing sustainable agricultural
practices.
- In addition to these outcome based educational programs, 176
farm visits were made, and 305 phone calls were responded to. To assist
on some of these farm visits, 16 different agricultural specialists
were brought to Sullivan County to assist producers with their farming
practices. Additionally, five grants were funded this past year resulting
in over $15,000 worth of materials or expertise brought into Sullivan
County. Grant writing assistance was also provided to two farms seeking
funding for projects.
- Sullivan County UNH Cooperative Extension office has provided
support to the agricultural community in diverse areas including: agricultural
engineering, nutrient management, home gardening, organic production
methods, pesticide re-certification credits, on-farm research projects,
and support for new and beginning farmers groups.
- The Sullivan County Master Gardener Program continued to expand
over the past year. An active core of 20 Master Gardeners was augmented
by four new interns in May 2004. Sullivan County Master Gardeners have
conducted educational programs around the county.
- In addition to the activities listed above, the Agricultural
Resources educator provided support to Sullivan County Farm Bureau,
the Cold Pond Community Land Trust, NOFA-NH, County Garden Clubs, the
Newport revitalization Committee, the Sugar River Vocational Technical
School, Stevens High School, the Cornish Fair and other county organizations.
He also has worked to help producers deal with production problems and
implement new technologies.
- The activities listed above have resulted in increased farm
profits, increased efficiency, improved environmental conditions, and
a more robust agricultural community here in Sullivan County.
4-H Youth Development Program
- With the help of 92 volunteer leaders, the 4-H Youth Development
Program fostered life skill development in youth. This year 307 youth
took part in 26 community clubs and 2 family clubs to build personal
skills in communication, relationships, leadership and management through
their participation in club and county project activities.
- Some of the most well-attended county 4-H events this past
year included: Cornish Fair (155 members showed their 4-H projects),
Rally and Awards Night (175 adults and youth), International Foods Day
(178 members and leaders), County Activities Day (117 youth and adults)
and the 4-H Fashion Show in which 47 boys and girls participated and
about 100 more audience members attended.
- An "Issues Identification" meeting was held in October and
people were invited to participate from all over Sullivan County. The
event was a great success with 21 adults and 10 teens voicing what they
felt were the top needs in Sullivan County. Some of the recommendations
have started to become reality this year. Youth needs were a high priority.
A Claremont Teen Center opened this past year with some support from
Extension. A Newport Teen Center is scheduled to open soon as part of
the Newport Enrichment Team grant. (This grant was a collaborative effort
spearheaded by Extension and currently funds a full time director for
out-of-school programs and several part-time program supervisors.) Another
identified need was for financial education for teens. Two teams of teens
from Newport and the Claremont area were formed and competed in the state
Life Smarts Contest in March. The contest focused on financial and consumer
literacy.
- A multi county training in Youth and Adult Partnerships was
offered in March. Three teams of youth and adults (14 people) from
Sullivan County participated in the day long training. Two of the
teams were from the Claremont Teen Center. Participants reported
that the day inspired them to continue working to develop a teen center
and gave them the enthusiasm and confidence to voice their opinions to
their peers as well as adults.
- The Sullivan County 4-H Teen Club continued to meet monthly
and grow in popularity. The club hosted 18 4-H teens from Franklin County,
Pennsylvania for a week in July. We took our visitors to Concord, Hampton
Beach, canoeing on the Connecticut River as well as to Boston. This
past year was spent raising funds for seventeen teens to travel to Pennsylvania
as the second part of the 4-H Teen Exchange program. The Teen Club
also hosted 31 4-H teens from NH for a Teen Winter Day in January.
- A total of 455 parents participated in parent education programs
offered through the Sullivan County office by attending Family Focus
parent education program series, workshops, one-on-one sessions and receiving
Cradle Crier/Toddler Tales age-paced, monthly newsletters focused on
early childhood development.
- Food Safety programs were attended by 41 food handlers.
- Strengthening Families Program, the 7-session drug and alcohol
prevention program for parents/care givers and their 10-14 yr. olds
reached 11 families in Sunapee this past year who said the program had
strengthened their families and made a difference in their lives.
- Two National Satellite Conferences on Parenting & Bullying
were downlinked to Sullivan County and attended by 17 area educators,
health and social service providers.
- UNHCE money management programs were offered around the county.
Making Money Work for You five session, money management program series
reached 35 Sullivan Academy Alternative Sentencing Program members referred.
Planning Ahead/Staying Ahead money management program was offered at
Sullivan County House of Corrections Transitional Housing Program to
the inmates. Taking Charge of Your Finances reached a total of 10 individuals
and couples in Sullivan County saddled by consumer debt and looking to
save more money. A Legal Check-up Seminar reached 20 people who are making
sure their "legal
health" is on track as they continue to plan for their future financial
security.
- Planning Ahead/Staying Ahead nutrition and money management
agency training program reached 14 providers from health, social service,
and educational agencies who will now use the program resources to help
their caseloads in the areas of budgeting, food safety, nutrition and
efficient use of their limited food resources.
- Sullivan County Drug & Alcohol Symposium two session strategic
planning meetings were jointly planned with County Manager and West Central
Behavioral Health and facilitated by UNHCE Family & Consumer Resources
gathering people from diverse backgrounds, but all with the same concern,
to discuss drug and alcohol threats in our communities, programs currently
available and programs needed throughout the county. Follow up has been
ongoing.
- Sullivan County Strengthening Families Program 10-14 (SFP 10-14)
Project was designed by Family & Consumer Resources and 4-H Youth Development
Educator and successfully funded for $30,000 through the Governor =s Drug
Abuse Prevention, Intervention and Treatment Fund. The primary goal of
the project is to train & support teams of people to teach Strengthening
Families 10-14 Programs (SFP 10-14) in different locations around Sullivan
County. SFP 10-14 is a family strengthening program that involves youth
ages 10-14 and their parents/caregivers meeting for seven consecutive
weeks and has been shown to be effective at preventing alcohol and drug
abuse in youth.
- Limited income residents from Claremont, Newport, and Charlestown
participated in a series of food and nutrition or basic money management
lessons. 42 people participated in lessons either in a group series,
the home study course or individual visits.
- Using a series of lessons, Nutrition Connections programming
in schools reached 359 youth from Claremont, Newport and Charlestown.
The North Walpole School serves students from Cheshire and Sullivan counties
and the lessons are co-taught with Christine Parshall, program associate
from Cheshire County. Additional programming reached 42 preschoolers
in Claremont and Newport Head Start programs.
- Families were referred by various agencies including Southwestern
Community Services, WIC, Southwestern Homeless Services, Good Beginnings,
Sullivan Academy alternative sentencing program, Developmental Services
of Sullivan County, and Claremont City Welfare. Some food stamp recipients
referred themselves to the program through information provided in
the state-wide Smart Choices Newsletter.
- A series of nutrition and money management lessons were presented
to the Claremont Homeless Shelter, the County Jail Transitional Housing
program, and Senior Housing partnering with Gail Kennedy, Family and
Consumer Resources Educator.
- Planning Ahead YStaying Ahead training for agencies was presented
to 9 participants from four different agencies, with follow-up sessions.
This program is a series of lessons on money management and nutrition
for agencies to use with the people they serve and was presented with
Gail Kennedy, Family and Consumer Resources Educator.
- Nutrition Connections was promoted throughout the county by
the distribution of materials and brochures, school and agency contacts
and visits, and newsletter articles.
- Working with TANF recipients in the three week intensive LEAP
program and individually, the Family Lifeskills program has reached
families within Sullivan and Grafton counties; including parents from
Claremont, Enfield, Lebanon, Newport, Orford, Springfield, Washington
and West Lebanon. For several parents, participating in the Family Lifeskills
Program has helped them to become connected with the larger community,
to gain access to community resources and supports and been the first
step toward the larger goal of self-sufficiency.
- Many parents referred to the Family Lifeskills Program have
children with disabilities. The addition of lessons that assist parents
with recognizing and appreciating children's unique differences and
learning styles, helped parents to have a greater understanding of the
parental challenges they 've faced within their home and with the educational
system. A review of learning styles, supporting learning and Individual
Education Plans (IEP) equips parents with much of the information needed
to meet their children's educational needs and to feel comfortable advocating
on their behalf. Participants have commented that the information covered
in these lessons helped them to become more sensitive to their child's
difficulties with learning and less critical and frustrated with school.
With the knowledge gained from these lessons, some participants were
prompted to take different approaches to assisting their children with
their homework and became more involved in what was going on at school.
All participants receive information about the IEP process, 504 Plan's
and resources they can contact.
- Graduates of the Family Lifeskills Program have gone on to
Alternative Work Experience Programs (AWEP), where they have begun to
acquire transferable skills in a career area of interest. Other graduates
have gone on to obtain their GED and some have taken college level classes
to enhance their employability. Most are closer to their employment objectives
and managing better on their limited resources. Others have begun working
with other job readiness programs or are employed at least part time.
The Family Lifeskills Coordinator provides continuation of support to
graduates for assistance with skill building and the application of life
skills, as it relates to enhancing their ability to become employed.
- Extension Educator for Forest Resources Program, Sullivan County
UNH Cooperative Extension, examined 673 acres of forest land and advised
43 landowners on forest and wildlife management.
- Eleven forest landowners improved 315 acres for timber production,
wildlife habitat, and recreation.
- Educator assisted 34 forest-related enterprises, including private
foresters, timber buyers and harvesters, sawmills, and Christmas tree growers.
- Eighteen Sullivan County community organizations/agencies were
provided assistance in community forestry issues in the city of Claremont,
and towns of Cornish, Goshen, Grantham, Newport, Plainfield, Sunapee, and
Unity.
- Educator assisted with and participated in a Sugar River Watershed
Council-sponsored public tour of the Sugar River recreational trail in
Newport.
- Sullivan County Extension Educator for Forest Resources and Extension
Forest Industry Specialist teamed up with two private foresters to lead
a local training session for NH's Certified Loggers Program. Twenty-five
loggers learned how foresters sample and measure trees to determine timber
volumes before conducting a harvest.
- Educator served on the Sugar River Valley Regional Technical
Center's Agriscience Committee and provided educational forestry material
to the Vocational Agriculture instructors.
- As a result of a request from Dennis Kathan, educators from both
Sullivan and Cheshire Counties planned and conducted a Christmas tree growing
and management workshop held at Kathan Gardens' plantations in Newport
and attended by eleven Christmas tree growers from around the county.
