ISU Extension and Outreach recently offered two sessions in north central to help local leaders explore the leadership development process. Presenter Kim Anderson-Heller, Vezeto leadership consultant, helped participants think about the needs of their boards, how to find new members and qualities they should have. "Success without a successor is failure. You always need to be thinking about who is going to fill your shoes," she said.

 

Other highlights from Humboldt, Wright, Webster and Hamilton counties:

• Family Nutrition Program
  Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Webster County offered a two-phase family nutrition program taught by Program Assistant Carolyn Maschino. The first phase impacted 88 kindergarten to third grade youth through a four-session after school program. The second phase focused on 39 adults with young children who completed an eight-session series of lessons in one-to-one and/or small group settings. The hour-long lessons included activities and cooking demonstrations that highlighted the importance of smart food choices, physical activity and food safety. Healthier families were developed through better decision-making, improved problem-solving and stronger family communication skills.

• Boone River Cleanup
  The 2011 Boone River Cleanup was a county-wide service project to maintain the river as one of the best paddling rivers in Iowa. Coordinated by Hamilton County Extension and Outreach, the City of Webster City and Hamilton County Conservation, the goals of the event were to increase the river’s usability and decrease the likelihood of injury. The 45 volunteers removed 51 tires, 1.5 cubic yards of garbage and 600 pounds of scrap metal from the water and river banks.

• Food Safety and Preservation
  Safe handling and preservation of food was a focus this year. The ServSafe program in Webster County taught safe food handling practices to local foodservice and restaurant workers. According to the FDA, the economic cost of foodborne illness is $152 billion per year from workplace loss, medical expenses, pain and suffering. A food preservation workshop in Wright County helped local citizens learn about new canning recommendations for safely preserving food.

• Financial Management Education
  Financial issues faced by local residents were addressed through financial management education and services. The “Planning to Stay Ahead” workshop in Webster County addressed the debtor education requirement of Iowa’s Bankruptcy Code, covering budget development, money management and use of credit. Webster County also partnered with the Elderbridge Agency on Aging and Iowa Central Community College to conduct “Ready, Set, Retire,” a free, half-day retirement information seminar for 105 people within 5 to 10 years of retirement. The Volunteer Tax Assistance Program provided free tax preparation services to lower-income taxpayers in Hamilton County.
• For more information, visit: Humboldt, Wright, Webster and Hamilton county webpages