Kyle Dean, Host: It is time for our UGA Tifton Farm Chat on this Wednesday. It's 4-H Wednesday, Southwest District 4-H Day on WTIF. Joining us on the telephone from Pulaski County, Hawkinsville, it is Sonya Jones. Sonya, good morning to you.
Sonya Jones, Pulaski County 4-H Agent: Good morning, Kyle. How are you?
Kyle Dean, Host: Doing great. It's great to have you back on the program. Not your first time with us and we certainly appreciate you taking time on this busy day to take time with us to talk about what's going on in 4-H and especially up in Pulaski County. And something that's going on is 4-H and Heart Month. What is Heart Month and how does it relate to 4-H?
Sonya Jones, Pulaski County 4-H Agent: Of course, February is National Heart Month and that's deemed by the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is nationally known that this entire month is dedicated to the heart. Of course heart disease is still the #1 cause of death in the U.S. You may be thinking, “Well, what does 4-H have anything to do with that?” Of course if you think about our H's–Head, Heart, Hands and Health, we of course the 2nd one is especially dedicated toward the heart. Those kids that are in 4-H actually learn to use their heart in all that they do, especially giving back to the community. So they end up gaining a sense of pride for volunteering and serving and, of course, doing stuff for their community. Studies have shown that volunteering gives a positive effect on physical and mental health. We just constantly try to empower youth and families to make healthy choices, to do good things, to give back to the community and, of course in the long run, help out with their heart overall.
Kyle Dean, Host: You’ve got program assistant Julie Moore with you this morning. Julie, good morning to you. Tell us a little bit about what some local activities are that relate to the heart.
Julie Moore, Pulaski County 4-H Program Assistant: We do a lot of different things with our program. But this month in particular, we have done some nursing home crafts. We've made valentine cards for the residents of our nursing home. We had 22 children take them to the nursing home yesterday. We visited with the residents and gave them their cards and had a really good time with that.
Next week, we are going to the Ronald McDonald House in Macon, and actually going to be cooking supper for the guests there; for the families of children that are in the hospital, for those families.
Then in our Pre-K, we are doing our Focusing on Fun Program where we are focusing on nutrition and healthy lifestyles which, of course, affects the heart. We also do a healthy lifestyles with our 6th grade club members, as well.
Kyle Dean, Host: Now, are there any districts or statewide heart-related activities that are being done?
Julie Moore, Pulaski County 4-H Program Assistant: Usually there is. We have our Can Hunger Program that's going on now until June where any time a can good is donated through the 4-H Office, we're getting points for that. We are trying to collect 10,000 cans before June. So we are excited about that as well.
We also have a Health Rocks Program which concentrates basically on drugs and alcohol awareness, and of course, that relates back to the heart as well.
Then all of our food projects with 4-H, all over the state, we are focusing on nutritional awareness, on what the recipes that we use, how they're healthy and things that you can do to a simple recipe to make it a little more healthy.
Kyle Dean, Host: Now, obviously this is health month or Heart Month, so everybody is thinking about it now, but can people do these type activities throughout the year?
Sonya Jones, Pulaski County 4-H Agent: Of course yes. In 4-H, we are trying to build a firm foundation for future decision making skills so this can be done anytime. Of course some of the things we mentioned were definitely related to the month like focusing on Valentine’s Day. Next month will definitely be St. Patrick’s Day. We do things that relate to those actual days, but all of these can be related and done on a different level anytime of the year.
Kyle Dean, Host: How can people get in contact with you guys or help get ideas maybe for other areas?
Sonya Jones, Pulaski County 4-H Agent: They can definitely call the Pulaski County 4-H Office at 478-783-1171 or you can go on to the College of Ag and Environmental Sciences website and look under UGA Extension and we are listed as Pulaski County.
Kyle Dean, Host: Julie Moore and Sonya Jones, we certainly appreciate your time. Thanks for joining us here on our UGA Tifton Farm Chat. Getting the word out about Heart Month and how it relates to 4-H. Thanks so much.
Julie Moore and Sonya Jones, Pulaski County 4-H: Thank you.
Kyle Dean, Host: Alright. We'll be back right after this on WTIF.