Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Homemaker's Week Proclaimed

May 5-11 has been proclaimed Extension Homemakers Week in Clark County by Judge Grady Runyan. Extension homemakers is one of the largest adult volunteer organizations in the world. Arkansas has a membership of over 11,000. In Clark County there are 12 clubs with over 200 members.

The Clark County Extension Homemakers Council will began its celebration with a series of craft demonstrations on Tuesday, May 7, at the Wal-Mart store in Arkadelphia.

The council was to sponsor the community coffee reception at the office of the Arkadelphia Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. This afternoon (Wednesday) at Wal-Mart a group of 4-H youngsters will exhibit items they have made in Sew Much Fun, a class for beginners learning to sew.

An Extension homemakers club is a group of people who meet regularly and learn together. Each month designated leaders from the club attend a leader training meeting conducted by the county Extension agent-home economics, who is a faculty member of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

The club leaders then teach the lesson to the other club members at their regular meetings. Each club has elected officers and subject matter educational leaders. Clubs meet where it is convenient -- club buildings, public buildings, homes -- and members schedule their own meeting times.

Many clubs have community service projects.

Clark County EHC members this year have sewn over 100 cot sheets for head start children and produced aprons for food service workers at the Arkadelphia and Gurdon Senior Adult Centers.

Extension homemakers clubs can be found in every county of the state. Their programs, information and materials are University researched and free of charge.

Members receive information through a monthly newsletter, and gain new information in areas such as family resource management; nutrition, health and wellness; home and community enviornment; family and human development; leadership development; and cultural arts, clothing and textiles.

They meet with others for learning, sharing and fellowship. They have the opportunity to participate in conferences, conventions and eduactional tours.

One of the essential features of EHC is that all programs are planned by the people in each county. Members learn by sharing common concerns, solving problems together, presenting programs at their local club and participating in all levels of the organization.

It costs almost nothing to be an EHC member. Your major investment is your time in learning and sharing new information. Extension Homemakers Clubs are open to all people.

For information on how to become a member of an Extension homemakers club call the Clark County Cooperative Extension office at 246- 2281.