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Calhoun County
UGA Extension Office

Our Impact

Making A Difference in Our County

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is working hard for its constituents. The following are examples of Extension’s impact in the county over the past year.

CALHOUN COUNTY 4-H PROGRAM

The Calhoun County 4-H Club, led by Shanda Ashley, provides various opportunities to the youth of this community that help them learn valuable life skills. Healthy lifestyles, financial literacy, basic manners, and hand washing lessons are taught during club meetings.  4-H offers other opportunities such as District Project Achievement competition, summer camp, robotics activities, Project S.A.F.E programs, livestock projects, various educational classes, judging events, and other 4-H events to the youth in grades 4-12. The Calhoun County 4-H Club also works to raise funds to assist with activity/event fees. These opportunities offered by 4-H helps to improve a young person’s public-speaking skills, strengthen their decision-making skills, teach them about mutual respect, responsibility, good sportsmanship, good citizenship, as well as enhancing their math, science and writing skills.

CALHOUN COUNTY AGRICULTURE

Calhoun County is home to a bustling agricultural community with peanuts, cotton, and corn as the predominant crops grown and sold. In 2021, Calhoun County ranked 8th in the state in corn production, 12th in the state in citrus production, as well as ranking in the top 10 in grape, pecan, and southern pea production. The 2021 total farm gate values were reported at $121,559,709 in Calhoun County. If left uncontrolled, diseases can cause a greater than 50 percent yield reduction in some crops. With the valuable information provided by specialists and from on-farm data, producers, consultants and chemical salesmen can better protect crops. The more effective we are in disease control, the more impact we can have on profit and the economy of Calhoun County. A variety of educational activities have been designed and are being conducted to document yield-loss potential of row crop diseases, test new control programs, and educate farmers on these diseases. Effective management and chemical control options are viable tools that all producers in the county must have to protect their crops. Educational programming led by the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agent Luke Crosson will also raise awareness in the general public and with public officials about Extension’s efforts and impact.

Family and Consumer Sciences

UGA Extension provides nutrition education programs and educational materials for adults and youth. By improving the overall health habits of Georgians, fewer hospitalizations and medications will be required, reducing health care costs for individuals, taxpayers, small businesses and corporations. The Calhoun County Extension office can provide publications and assist residents in locating applicable programs in nearby counties.

Healthier Together Calhoun

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded grant funds to the University of Georgia for fighting obesity in Calhoun County. As a result, Healthier Together Calhoun health coalition began in November of 2016. Calhoun County Extension is working with UGA partners to implement community-based strategies during two years (which was then extended an additional 5 years) to support behavioral and environmental changes for healthy eating and physical activity for children and families. Educational outreach is being conducted through 4-H and Family and Consumer Sciences with the help of a program assistant, Stacey Williams, supported by the grant. A community coalition with municipal workgroups (Adults and Youth) was formed to give input for working on project goals and measuring success. The project goals were:

  1. Increase Access to Healthy Foods (Installed community gardens (7 locations), grab and go coolers (5), food banks (2), training to school lunchrooms and provided equipment, and offering Faithful Families Training opportunities).
  2. Increase Access to Healthy Activities (Installed walking trails (4), fitness equipment (4 locations), “walk your city” signs (in all 4 municipalities), provided additional playground equipment, after-school programs, and repaired sidewalks to increase walkability).
  3. Increase Communication about Health-Related Events and Activities (A Facebook page and newsletter was created to highlight healthy recipes, exercises, and the latest information about the community health.) 

https://site.extension.uga.edu/healthiertogether

 

WELL CONNECTED COMMUNITIES

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents throughout the state have been hard at work improving health in their communities through the Well Connected Communities program.

Well Connected Communities is a nationwide initiative developed by the Cooperative Extension System and the National 4-H Council, Well Connected Communities is designed to identify and address systemic health inequities at the local level. The program receives funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and integrates youth and adult outlooks on health needs of participating counties. In Georgia, there are three participating counties – Washington, Calhoun and Colquitt.

Download Our Annual Report (pdf)