Years of Service Awards were presented and new officers installed during the recent Jefferson County Extension Homemakers Spring Council meeting. Brenda Robinson, president, welcomed members and guests to the event at the Pine Bluff Country Club.
Dot Hart, president-elect, led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. Margaret Thomas, inspiration chairman, presented the inspiration. Delores Kelley, treasurer, led the group in the Extension Homemakers Club (EHC) Creed and called the roll.
Hart presented the memorial service remembering Brenda Dixon, Marpessa Beard, Carolyn Cadlett, Sheila McCloud, Delois Dilbeck and Marynell Cardin.
Mary Ann Kizer, Jefferson County Family and Consumer Sciences agent and EHC adviser, assisted by Robinson and Jo Ann Carr, presented 2020 Years of Service Awards: 5 years -- Kathryn Brown, Barbra Freeman, Reginald Golden, Pat Hall, Loretta Jordan, Peyton King, Angie Lain, Donna McGowan, Warna Turner, Sue Womack and Debbie Staton; 10 years -- Jackie Miller; 15 years -- Ray Harness and Sabrina Self Gwin; and 45 years -- Andrea Hartley.
Kizer also presented the 2021 Years of Service Awards: 5 Years -- Vicky Inich, Audrey Armstrong, Juanita Mitchell and Jody Stout; 10 Years -- Cathy Lewis, Liz Crosby and Lynda Toler; 15 Years -- Jo Segars; 20 years -- Cheri Aronowitz; and 60 years -- Bettye Johnson.
Debra Burchfield, the guest speaker, discussed the Hope of the Delta and all the services provided to pregnant mothers and new parents.
Thomas blessed the food served by the Pine Bluff Country Club staff.
Kizer presented Certificates of Achievement for exceptional community service and leadership for 2019-2020 to: Debbie James, Connie Herrin, Sarah Payton, Carr, Marnette Reed, Kelley, Robinson, Nancy Rosen, Kaye Richardson, Linda Works, Patsy Brown, Hart, Lewis, Sandy Smith, Crosby, Jeannette Banks, Vivian Gerlach, Toler, Dixie Fritz, Stout, Margaret Thomas, Inich, and Cheri Aronowitz.
Kizer also presented Honor Club Award Certificates, Walk Across Arkansas Certificates and Covid-19 Mask Sewers Certificates.
Outgoing County Council Board members received bird houses from the County EHC and James Hayes' glass hearts from Kizer for their two years of service.
Kizer installed the Extension Homemakers County Council officers for 2021-2023, including President Dot Hart, President-Elect Debbie James, Vice President Sabrina Self-Gwin, Secretary Karen Gray, Treasurer Delores Kelley and Parliamentarian Brenda Robinson. Each officer was presented a succulent plant from the JCEHC Board.
Hart presented outgoing President Robinson with a gift certificate. Door prizes were distributed by Hart and James. Kizer acknowledged Robinson for making the name tags, Hart for the decorations for the Spring Council, and all EHC members for continuing their community service and club meetings during COVID-19.
All county residents are invited to join the Jefferson County Extension Homemakers. Individuals or families may join a club and groups of 15 or more may start a new EH Club.
The mission of EHC is to empower individuals to improve their quality of living through education, leadership development and community service. Kizer presents monthly research-based leader training. Club programs are presented by trained members.
Community service projects include sewing masks during covid-19, sewing dolls for Arkansas Children's Hospital, caps for cancer patients at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and caps for newborns at Jefferson Regional Medical Center.
Each club chooses a main community service project annually and submits a project book for state judging. The county EHC project for fiscal 2021 is collecting healthy food for county food pantries, including Neighbor to Neighbor, Salvation Army, Transformation Project and White Hall Food Pantry.
Newly elected Extension Homemakers Club presidents begin their terms July 1. The clubs, monthly meeting times and dates are:
•Camden Road -- 9:30 a.m., 3rd Tuesday; President, Vicky Inich.
• Grace Willing Workers, 1 p.m., 2nd Tuesday; President, Linda Works.
• Heart-N-Hands, 10 a.m., 2nd Thursday; President, Delores Kelley.
• New Horizons, 5:30 p.m., 2nd Monday; President, Sabrina Self-Gwin.
• Lunch Bunch, noon, 3rd Tuesday; President, Mattie Hayes.
For meeting locations and details, interested people may contact Mary Ann Kizer at (870) 534-1033 or e-mail [email protected].
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and research programs to all eligible persons without discrimination.
