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Extension office reports community outreach, Master Gardener volunteer hours and role in $3.1M NIH grant
Summary
Nicole Stoner and extension staff updated the board on outreach, Master Gardener volunteer contributions (22 volunteers, 856 hours), a Yard & Garden podcast (~1,000 downloads) and participation in a $3.1 million NIH grant to improve child nutrition; the quarterly extension report was placed on file.
Nicole Stoner, the county extension educator, and health and well‑being staffer Carly briefed supervisors on recent programming and community outreach.
Stoner reported the Yard & Garden programming concluded its season with significant listener engagement (nearly 1,000 podcast downloads since January) and outlined local Master Gardener activity: 22 Master Gardeners contributed 856 volunteer hours, which the county staff estimated as about $27,000 in public value. Carly, the health and well‑being educator, described coordination with the newly formed Plant Alliance (which runs the Thursday Beatrice Farmers Market) and said the market welcomed over 6,650 visitors across 22 weeks.
Carly also told the board she is a co‑investigator on a statewide NIH grant, "Healthy Children and Healthy Communities," described in the meeting as a $3,100,000 grant; in that role she said she is coaching two in‑home child‑care providers in Gage County through responsive feeding practices intended to support child nutrition.
The county moved to place the quarterly extension report on file; the motion passed 6‑0.
Next steps: extension staff will continue outreach (holiday make‑and‑take events and youth leadership programs) and share flyers and newsletters with county offices and local media to increase public participation.
