EXTENSION

DJ~Jh (zs~ Meals that save dollars, lives

At a glance Did you know? • The Extension Service translates WVU's

research and knowledge into action, addressing the needs of families and communities through offices in each county. Extension collaborates with many partners to assess needs and to meet those needs by helping people help themselves.

• Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine has included WVU in its rankings of the nation's top 100 college values. The ran kings reflect public four-year colleges and universities where students can graduate with a high-caliber education but without a mortgage-size debt.

• Thousands of children in rural and low-income communities nourish their bodies and minds through the summer­time Energy Express program. The Extension Service-sponsored program helps children build critical reading skills while providing nutritious meals and valuable mentoring. Nearly 3,400 children participated this summer.

• Christine Martin, interim dean of the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism, is the 1999 recipient of the Freedom Forum Journalism Teacher of the Year Award. Only tl1ree such awards are given annually.

• WVU and WVU Institute of Technology have joined forces to create the West Virginia Engineering and Computer Science Education Enterp1ise to strengthen the teaching of engineering and computer science throughout the state.

Cover Photo From salads to desserts, Dining u·ith Diabetes recipes allou'families to create tasty meals tbat appeal to em:)'one. making it easier.for tbose ll'itb diabetes to az•oid barm.ful disbes. (See st01y on page 4.)

2 Vision

Program center directors selected

Agricultural and Natural Resources Development

Richard K. Zimmerman became permanent director of the Program Center for Agricultural and Natural Resources Development March 1. Dr. Zimmerman has headed the center as its interim director since its creation last July. A native of Morton, Ill., he earned a Ph.D. in plant pathology from West Virginia University. Since joining WVU Extension in 1972, he has served as a district director and as a specialist in horticulture, plant sciences, and conservation.

Community, Economic, and Workforce Development

Rural sociologist Kenneth E. Martin has been leading Extension's Center for Community, Economic, and Workforce Development since July 1. Dr. Martin served as associate director and interim director of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NRCRD) at the Pennsylvania State University. He was a senior research associate in Penn State's department of agricultural economics and mral sociology. Martin has a Ph.D. in rural sociology from Penn State.

4-H and Youth, Family, and Adult Development

Larry LeFlore became director of the Program Center for 4-H and Youth , Family, and Adult Development Aug. 16. Dr. LeFlore served as the executive assistant to the president at tl1e University of Southern Mississippi (USM), where he was a professor of criminal justice. He also had been USM's assistant vice president for academic affairs. LeFlore has experience as a marriage and family therapist. He earned a Ph.D. in sociology from Florida State University.

Hodges chosen Fire Service leader

Joseph T "].T. " Hodges III assumed the role of program leader of Fire Service Extension March 1. Hodges has been aFire Service Extension faculty member for more than 18 years, serving most recently as interim program leader/director. He will continue his involvement in developing

the new, state-of-the-art fire academy at the WVU Jackson's Mill regional campus near Weston. Hodges has a law degree and a master's degree in public administration from WVU.

50-year employee honored

Lillian Rinaldi had the most years of service of all WVU employees recognized at this year's ceremony honoring employees for their distin­guished service. Lil, an accounting assistant in Extension's Office of Finance and Business, has worked for the University for more than 50 years. Photos of her with WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. appeared on the front pages of the Dominion Post, the Morgantown paper, and the Mountaineer Spirit, WVU 's employee newspaper.

USDA provides $1 98,000 grant

The Center for 4-H and Youth, Family, and Adult Development recently received $198,155 to develop and support community-based programs to meet the needs of at-risk children, youths, and families.

Literacy will be a primary focus of the West Virginia State Strengthening Project. WVU Extension will work with existing local collaborations or organize new ones in three low-income communities in Kanawha, Lincoln, and Monroe counties.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service provided the award, which is renewable for five years. The initiative is part of the nationwide Extension network on Children, Youth , and Families at Risk. Richard Fleisher will direct the project.

Two faculty receive WVU funds

Peter Marshall, Extension specialist, and Leanne Moorman, Hancock County agent, each received a grant from the WVU Faculty Senate Public Service Committee. Marshall 's award of $4,525 will help fund a project to train county officials to enforce abandoned and dilapidated housing regulations. Moorman received $200 for the WVU Extension Master Browser Program, which teaches adults to use the Internet and trains them to teach others.

Spotlights around the state

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about the

1 A presidential visit- WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. talks with children at Man Elementary School in Logan County during a May tour of six southern counties. WVU Provost Gerald Lang, Associate Provost Lawrence Cote, and the president reviewed WVU outreach programs and discussed with WVU staff and community leaders how the University can enhance its support for education and economic development in the region.

2 Disastrous drought-With all 55 counties declared a federal agricul­tural disaster area, WVU Extension faculty helped producers decide on their options for managing pastures, using alternative feeds, buying hay, obtaining water, and marketing livestock.

3 Gone till2016-The 17-yearcicadas made their unwelcome appearance in 40 counties this spring. Extension agents fielded many questions on protecting trees and shrubs and dealing with limbs and branches punctured during egg-laying.

4 We like college-Participants in WV CARES enjoy learning about careers and college life at WVU Institute of Technology. Three sessions ofWV CARES (Career Academy Resource Enhancement Symposia) this spring attracted 61 high school sophomores. They spent a weekend on campus at WVU, Marshall University, or WVU Tech. The goal of this new Extension-organized program is to increase the state's college-going rate.

Vision 3

about the

1 Prepare it-Class member Delores Moody cuts apples for a Waldorf salad while the class instructor highlights changes in proportions and ingredients.

2 Note it-Attentive class members add personalized notes to preprinted sheets of recipes, substitution guides, and related explanations.

3 Serve it-With the proper modifications, this cornbread has a place on everyone's plate at the cooking school. Class member Wes Schoonmaker (left) lends a cutting edge to Charlie Rickman, WVU Extension agent in Cabell County, who coordinates the county's cooking schools.

4 Taste it-Following the instructions for making Raspberry Gelatin Salad, class member Ruth Ewing (left) prepared the sweet side dish for the evening's finale-tasting time! The pleasure of the first serving goes to Susan Nine, project coordinator for the Chronic Disease Management Program, Ebenezer Medical Outreach Center, Huntington .

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4 Vision

e News Alert, 2001: New family meals saving West Virginians a billion dollars a year!

That news announcement may be premature. But it's not preposterous. West Virginia families already are beginning to erase an annual billion-dollar debit by making it easier for those with diabetes to "just eat right."

'Just eat right"? That sounds so easy to do ... unless you have diabetes. If you do, you discover that your special dietetic needs often conflict with your family and friends' favorite dishes. Then, what originally sounded easy to do 'quickly becomes a daily source of inconvenience, isolation, and embarrassment.

Understandably, many individuals with diabetes slip into eating whatever is easy for everyone else, whatever works for their family and friends. Eventually, these individuals also slip into high risk for cardiovascu­lar disease, blindness, lower extremity amputations, and kidney failure.

And that's when expenses escalate, according to Carol Olson, WVU Extension's diabetes education specialist, who says that about 11 percent of the state's population has diabetes. The disease's estimated annual bill-for direct and indirect expenses incurred

ily in West Virginia-is a billion dollars. That's based on figures from 1992, the last year for which reports are available. Unfortunately, Olson says, the annual costs are expected to increase as West Virginia's population ages.

So, how do you reduce those costs? Introduce those pivotal loved ones to the skills that actually do make it easier for everyone to "just eat right" -together.

That's part of the successful recipe being used by the West Virginia Diabetes Cooking School Program, which is sponsored by WVU Extension and funded by the West Virginia Diabetes Control Program, a division of the state's Bureau for Public Health.

The schools demonstrate two sets of critical techniques that help families increase their consumption of vegetables, fruits , and low-fat dairy products while they decrease their use of sugar, fat, and sodium in their familiar foods.

Between fall1977 and spring 1999, the program conducted 62 Right Bite cooking schools, reaching more than 2,000 people in 43 counties. But those aren't the most impressive numbers. Statistics

3

aving West Virginians money reflecting changes in families' food preparation tell the most exciting story. And those changes represent healthier bodies. Delores Moody of Huntington praises the program. She enjoys the recipes and the successes that she and her husband have had in the last two years. The most visible effect of the recipes is the couple's weight loss. She's lost 40 pounds. Her husband, Charles, has lost 45 pounds.

"Diet is considered the cornerstone of treatment for diabetes," Olson says. "But diet is widely recognized as the most difficult part of self-management."

To make everyday lifestyle changes easier; the cooking schools ask that people who have diabetes come to the classes with a family member or friend who cooks and dines with them.

That guiding principle is reflected in the schools' new name: Dining with Diabetes. The classes' tested fonnat remains the same: three two-hour classes sprinkled over a three-week period, followed by a class reunion six months later.

~l with DiafJCte.,

WVU Extension Service

This fall, families-graduates and newcomers­will be introduced to 15 new recipes and the latest nutrition therapy guidelines for people witl1 diabetes.

Also continuing will be the network of collaborations Extension agents develop as they organize and conduct the schools in their respective counties.

"Collaborative efforts have connected WVU Extension agents with diabetes health professionals, hospitals, senior citizens agencies, health depaJtments, grocery stores, diabetes support groups, and community volunteers. These partnerships," Olson explains, "help link participants in the cooking schools with additional sources of care for managing this chronic disease ... a disease that is devastating and costly. " •

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People learn when they see, hear, and do. The schools provide a variety of ways for individuals to experience new cooking techniques. "Side Dishes That Can Stand Alone" invites this Huntington class at Fairfield West Senior Center. Six months later, these learners-as did other Cabell County classes and similar groups throughout West Virginia-reported how they had changed their eating habits.

Six Months Later: Changes That Last

Participants Reported Increases in ... Cabell County Total W.Va.

Preparing desserts with artificial sweeteners 25% 29%

Using reduced-fat margarine 13% 10%

Eating at least 3 vegetables a day 7% 6%

Eating at least 2 fruits a day 33% 7%

Using low-fat and nonfat dairy products dailv 31% 5%

Substituting herbs and spices for salt 18% 14%

Vision 5

1 Community center-Grants ftOm the Thcker County Parks and the Recreation Board will help create a community center in this building.

2 Downhill fun-Bright paint and a soft & place to land will bring much enjoyment 3 to youngsters using the sliding board at

Davis's new community center.

6 Vision

Spinning straw into gold doesn't seem so impossible when the WVU Community Design Team (CDT) is in the picture. The CDT loves nothing better than helping small areas turn their empty lots and tumbling-down buildings into sites everyone can appreciate and enjoy.

The CDT helps West Virginia communities grow by making improvements in planning, building, engineering, economic development, and other areas. Already, Davis, Grafton, Logan, Lost Creek, Mullens, Upper Pocahontas County, and Weston have benefited from the CDT.

After the CDT's trip to Davis, for instance, the town now has visions of a lumber museum, a commu­nity building, and a park. The town also intends to develop its tourist industry, provide safer streets, and generate more health-care services.

It all began with the positive impressions CDT got of Davis 's commitment to improve itself. A CDT team visited Davis for 48 hours, the first 24 of which were spent just listening to citizens' ideas. The latter half of the visit involved exchanges between the team and townspeople, viewing proposed building sites, developing preliminary plans, and preparing a comprehensive report. In the end, Davis came away with the ability to better identify its own resources and with new ways to improve the quality of life for all residents.

The CDT program selects volunteers based on their abilities and the needs of the community. These professionals are dedicated to helping communities plan for the future. The team visiting Davis included six landscape architects, a civil engineer, two public administrators, an economic develope1; two historical preservationists, two community developers, three community builders, and a grant-proposal writer. Other members were specialists in public arts, natural resources, rural development, health-care services, and community medicine.

But the team doesn't do all the work. Instead, CDT members help develop strategies and resources to

make changes. They create a set of plans. Then the town residents set their own priorities and step into action.

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To check progress, a follow-up COT visit takes place following the initial planning. After that, the town can stay in touch with team members as long as they wish. The goal is for everyone to contribute to the area's improvement.

"We want to benefit the community with increased property values, more employment, and our working together to keep Davis, which is so close to Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley, a great place to live and raise a family," said Mayor Randy Schmiediknect.

"We also want to improve our image to everyone who passes through via landscape and streetscape."

To receive a COT visit, a town needs $3,000 and some families to serve as hosts to team members. The cost covers travel and materials. The professional advice is free.

The COT is a collaborative effort of the Extension Service and the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Consumer Sciences. Communities can apply for a Community Design Team visit by calling Elizabeth Messer at 293-2141 , ext. 4486, or visiting the Web site ( www.wvu.edu/ -exten!depts/ced/comdteam.htm). •

a about the

4 Riverfront possibilities-The proposed riverfront park will highlight the city's many recreational oppmtunities, including hiking trails, bicycle paths, paddle boats, and picnic facilities.

5 Industries welcome-This industrial park site in Davis will someday host a number of businesses.

Vision 7

Perspective WVU and other land-grant universities have been challenged by the Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities to move beyond traditional outreach and service activities to what is called "engagement."

An engaged institution puts its critical resources-knowledge and expertise-to work on problems facing the communities it serves. This occurs across all three missions of land-grant universities: teaching, research, and service. But the institution does not work alone. Engagement emphasizes partnerships-mutually beneficial, two-way collaborations with business, industry, school systems, the health and social service sectors, and government.

In his February 1999 State of the University Address, WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. noted that our University has taken "important steps in this direction. " He added that WVU would expand its "capacity to improve the quality of life for the people of West Virginia during the new millennium." West Virginians will come to know their state's flagship university as one that "commits to society, learns from it, serves it, educates it, contributes to it."

Extension Service

WestVuginia Universi!J Lc/1/'rence S. Cote Associate Provost for Extension & Public Service Directoc Cooperative Extension Service PO. Box 6031. Knapp Hall )lorgantown. \\'\' 26505-60.)1

WVU Extension has a long history of engaging many partners to address critical needs. This issue highlights two prime examples-Dining with Diabetes and the Community Design Team. I can also cite our recent work with agricultural producers and homeowners coping with the devastating drought.

This fall , we are undertaking two new efforts to help us become even more engaged with the communities we serve. Extension faculty and staff in all 55 counties will conduct "WVU Extension and You" public forums in September and October. In addition to reviewing the educational services WVU provides locally, the forums will involve a cross section of community residents in making program decisions. A second tool that will help us assess needs is a written survey asking a representative sample of 3,000 state residents for their impressions about Extension's programs and their suggestions for improvement.

Our intensified efforts to assess changing needs are in keeping with President Hardesty's commitment for the University to respond to the social and economic concerns of the communities it serves-to be an engaged institution.

&~:=-Associate Provost & Director

VISION is published two times a year by the West Virginia University Extension Service.

Programs and activities offered by the West Virginia University Extension Service are available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, political beliefs, sexual orientation, national origin, and marital or family status.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and june 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Director, Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University. West Virginia University is governed by the Board of Trustees of the University System of West Virginia.

Writers: Susan McCabe Florita S. Montgomery

Photographers: Bob Beverly Charles Bower Greg Ellis

Graphic Designers: Terrah Kelso Jason L. Shaffer

Managing Editor: Joyce A. Bower

Dan Friend Ed Petrosky Bill Richardson

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