I’d like to begin my 2014 Annual Report letter with a moment of gratitude. To the Board, volunteers and participants, as well as to all of our funders, supporters and partners – no single success reported on in this publication could be achieved without you. One of the great strengths of the Cooperative Extension system is our reliance on partnerships and acknowledgement of the strengths and contributions of others. We put education and research to work … but so often you are the “doers.” You learn new approaches to coaching and encouraging youth, implement a new home horticulture techniques to help feed your family or beautify your home, take a chance on a different parenting technique to avoid an all-to-frequent battle, visit a landowner and walk their woods to help them with a management plan, or test out a new production practice on your farm. Without your willingness to invest your time and your trust in us, we would have nothing to report on!
Staff are also the stalwarts of our program successes, and the staff at CCESC continues to amaze me with their creativity, responsiveness and deep dedication to the work of Extension. This past year we welcomed Jennifer Sweet as Hidden Valley 4-H Camp Director, Cathy Barnes returned to hold up the administrative side of our organization and Camp Cook extraordinaire Lisa Shrout jumped in with both feet to support nutrition programs. In 2014 we also said goodbye to Patricia Redihan, Constance Glover and Erin Nyquist. As you look through these pages you will see evidence of the lasting impact they had through their programs.
2014 saw phenomenal growth in our 4-H Robotics programs, and continued interest in Animal Science, as well as the introduction of a Junior Naturalist program and more Cloverbud-age STEM exploration. Hidden
Valley 4-H Camp experienced record enrollments and re-introduced a horseback-riding program – long requested by campers and parents. Horticulture programming “blossomed” as the Teaching Garden came into its own this year, lovingly tended by a small, dedicated band of volunteers. (It is a favorite lunch spot with staff in the Human Services Complex. Agriculture programs touched on everything from access to local foods to woodlot management to silvoculture techniques adapted for the Northeast. In nutrition and community wellness we participated in pilot pre-diabetes education, assisted a group of residents with assessing obstacles to physical activity in their community, screened “A Place At The Table” and led participants on grocery store tours to help them stretch the financial and nutritional value of their food budgets. Our work with ARC of Schuyler clients continued to prove both valuable and inspiring. In 2014 we wrapped up the PROSPER pilot project in Watkins Glen, and will look for ways to support this preventative program into the future. As a partner with Schuyler County Public Health, we are just starting to roll out the Healthy Families Initiative, focusing in intervention in the early years of life to support positive health, social, emotional and developmental outcomes for children. For a small staff, there is so much going on!
A final thanks to the 2014 CCESC Board of Directors. Through a combination of ending terms and resignations, we had many new members start with us in 2014, and we have had a few more join throughout the year. Since my first year as Executive Director in 2011, I have had the privilege of working with a diverse, dedicated and exceedingly talented group of individuals as they served on our board. This past year was no exception and board members have put in so much extra effort as we completed a Strategic Plan, reinvigorated our advisory committee structure, grappled with the loss of the Eat Smart, New York program, and supported two neighboring associations with their executive leadership transitions. I am grateful for their time, stewardship and patience.
Danielle Hautaniemi
Executive Director