Extension
It Starts With Us
To add value to the life and well being of citizens through actions that produce tangible benefits.
Improving Community Development
Ag agent, Tiffany Bolinger, Kelly Jackson, Kendriana Price, Matt Futrell, Kaitlyne Metsker
Business Retention and Expansion
Local Food System Development and Mapping
Community Strategic Planning
Facilitation Training
Community development is a structured intervention that gives communities greater control over the conditions that affect their lives. This does not solve all the problems faced by a local community, but it does build up confidence to tackle such problems as effectively as any local action can. Community development works at the level of local groups and organizations rather than with individuals or families.
Based on the Christian County 2020 Vision Plan (prepared by the Chamber of Commerce), continuing the work being done to revitalize the downtown area with an emphasis on creating neighborhoods that appeal to residential and business activities is a key goal for our community. Because small businesses with less than 20 employees constitute 92% of all businesses and employ 16% of all employees in Christian County, it is important to provide conditions that help the community survive. Research from the University of Washington shows that the quality of landscaping along approach routes to business districts has been found to positively influence consumer perceptions. Consumers and businesses have been found to favour districts with high tree cover and the increase in retail prices that can be commanded in well landscaped areas can reasonably be assumed to be a positive benefit in attracting businesses to the district.
Other goals of the 2020 Vision Plan are to enhance recreational opportunities that will bear a low user cost to the average citizen and to increase the county population by 5% in 2020. Research from the USDA Recreation, Tourism, and Rural Well-Being publication indicates that recreation opportunities lead to higher population growth. Working with community groups, Cooperative Extension can develop and partner with ongoing recreational opportunities that attract a broad-range of citizens.
* Attract more business to the county
* Increase the county population by 5% by 2020
* Enhance recreational opportunities
* Extend the outreach of the Cooperative Extension Service
* Participants take on formal community leadership roles
* Participants initiate collaborations and coalitions with other leaders
* The active involvement of people in the issues which affect their lives, based on the sharing of power, skills, knowledge and experience.
* Develop reciprocal relationships to identify mutual needs and benefits, set agendas for positive change, implement strategies, and assess results.
* Broader base of trained organizational and community leaders
* Increased efforts to reduce litter issue in Hopkinsville
* Provide low-cost marketing to the Green Industry in Christian County and surrounding areas by means of a Garden EXPO
* Improve the aesthetics of neighbors with community orchards
* Encourage a greater sense of community pride
Initial Outcome: Positive public perception of Christian County and Hopkinsville.
Indicator: Citizens will report increased satisfaction with the aesthetic appeal of Hopkinsville due to landscape projects.
Method: Annual Public Perception Survey (administered by the the Chamber of Commerce)
Timeline: Fall 2019
Initial Outcome: Provide a community forum for landscape-related industry to interact with consumers.
Indicator: Citizens will report a positive experience. Vendors will report increased sales.
Method: Observation, Vendor Surveys, FaceBook polls
Timeline: Spring 2019
Intermediate Outcome: The Beautification Commission will work with the Chamber, Businesses on the Boulevard, and Law Enforcement to develop a stronger litter abatement program.
Indicator: Meetings with Chamber. Development of an action plan.
Method: Observation, Progress Reports
Timeline: Fall 2018-Summer 2019
Audience: Hopkinsville Beautification Commission
Project or Activity: Banners Program; Hanging Baskets
Content or Curriculum: Keep America Beautiful programming materials, America in Bloom program
Inputs: Agents; staff; city government; public works; community leaders; city council; home owners; media; grants;
Date: 2018/19
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Founder's Square Feast
Content or Curriculum: promote local produce/producers; fundraiser for Farmer's Market
Inputs: committee members, volunteers, producer donations
Date: September 2018
Audience: County-based community leadership program participants, Nonprofit organizational members, Other regional and state leadership development programs
Project or Activity: Workshops or collaborations
Content or Curriculum:
Inputs: Extension Agents, Extension Specialists in Community and Economic Development, Extension Program Specialists, Extension specialists in Family and Consumer Sciences, Local civic leaders, Technology
Date: Ongoing
Author: Matthew Futrell
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Special CowpokesThe Christian County Cattlemen’s Association set out with a goal to have impact on the youth of Christian and surrounding counties. While many times special needs youth are not given the opportunities of conventional outdoor education, it was the goal of the Cattlemen’s Association to see that the special needs youth had the opportunity for a new type of educational experience.According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, 13% of public educat
Author: Tiffany Bolinger
Major Program: Environmental Sustainability & Responsibility
It can take many modern textiles months to decades to decompose in a landfill once thrown away. Not only does this increase the mounds of waste discarded everyday but it also hurts our environment through the breakdown of dyes and gasses. One way to help lower this negative textile impact is through upcycling. Upcycling is taking a product that is no longer useful and converting it into a new product or material.Christian County’s Master Clothing Volunteer (MCV) organized several work days
Author: Matthew Futrell
Major Program: Grain Crops
West Kentucky Hemp ConferenceIndustrial Hemp has been a long standing tradition in Kentucky. In the 19th and 20th century Kentucky was the world leader in hemp production. Then in the 1970’s the war on drugs outlawed the sale and production of cannabis sativa and made it a schedule 1 substance. In 2014 a bill was passed that allowed Kentucky to start growing and researching hemp development and production to offset a slowing tobacco industry. In
Author: Kelly Jackson
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
The Christian County 2020 Vision Plan, prepared by the local Chamber of Commerce, is a plan to guide improvements in the community and bring together multiple community partners in a unified approach to achieve progress. One goal of the vision plan seeks economic growth through more retail opportunities. Another goal is to enhance recreational opportunities that bear a low user cost to the average citizen. Utilizing Master Gardener volunteers, the Cooperative Extension Service in Christian Count
