Departments in Depth: Virginia Cooperative Extension, Orange Unit
By Ellen Coyne, Communications Department Intern
As 2022 rolls in, the Orange County unit of the Virginia Cooperative Extension is hard at work to improve the lives of residents of Orange County. Virginia Tech and Virginia State University created the Virginia Cooperative Extension to offer educational outreach programs across the Commonwealth. Kaci Daniel, Extension Agent for 4 - H Youth Development and Unit Coordinator for Orange, described how her office has evolved to serve the citizens of Orange better. “ Orange is unfortunately high in rates of adult diabetes, so Clare Lillard, as an Extension Agent of Family & Consumer Sciences, leads the Diabetes Prevention Program and Balanced Living with Diabetes unit. ” Daniels also stated that the unit receives many requests from new landowners interested in becoming farmers or growing their food on a small scale. The Orange Extension unit also has established a life skills educational program to be held this coming summer for teens to learn about meal prep, tire changing, and money management. There are many other programs available to teens living in Orange. Along with the unit ’ s 4 - H program, there are camps, school enrichment, and short - term special interest programs. Daniel noted that many of the programs couldn ’ t be possible without the help of dedicated volunteers to assist with events like the county fair, summer camp, therapeutic riding camp, public speaking, leadership development, and subject matter delivery. Daniel and her team, including Lillard; Courtney Wesner, Extension Agent for Agriculture & Natural Resources; Kelly Carr, 4 - H Educator; and Emily Welch, Program Support Staff, are currently working on starting the new year with many events for the community. “ Our 4 - H clubs meet year - round, and teen applications for 4 - H camp counselors are being accepted through January 10, 2022. Also, area youth are welcome to attend the Healthy Living Summit in Front Royal January 28 - 30, 2022, put on by the state 4 - H office and state teens. ”
Residents of Orange are well served by the educational programs of the Virginia Cooperative Extension.
For more information on the work that the Orange unit of the Virginia Cooperative Extension is doing, visit them, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, in the Sedwick Building, located at 146 N. Madison Road, Orange. Residents can also check out their website, www.ocva4h.org, or call them at (540) 672 - 1361.
Clare Lillard
Courtney Wesner
Emily Welch
Kaci Daniel
Kelly Carr
Page 17 | January, 2022
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