This year, the Graves County Extension Council received the Randall Barrett Award for having an outstanding County Extension Council. The council has worked hard on improving their leadership in Extension, as well as the presence of extension in the community.

In 2021, Graves County CEC members met to work on improving the leadership and diversity of the membership. A membership committee of five people was formed and met three times to brainstorm a new structure for the council. We decided to have 40 members with 10 each representing 4-H Youth Development, Family & Consumer Sciences, Agriculture & Natural Resources, and Community & Economic Development. Members of the committee worked together for initial recruitment and now each program area is responsible for ensuring all ten spots are filled. CED spots are filled by the membership committee, We currently have one vacancy on the council. Both city and county school systems and seven different postal cities within our county are represented. We also have four races and ethnicities represented--white, Hispanic, black, and Asian.

There are representatives on the council from Master Clothing Volunteers, Community Homemaker Club, 4-H Sewing, Adult Sewing, 4-H Council, Fancy Farm FRYSC, Mayfield Veterinary Clinic, 4-H Parents, Graves County Farmers Market, Tobacco Farmers, Women in Agriculture, Horse Enthusiasts, Landscapers, District Board, Grain Farmers, Elected Officials, CFSB Bank, Mayfield Early Literacy Grant, Petter Business Systems, West Kentucky Rural Electric, Mayfield Migrant Program, Mayfield FRYSC, West Kentucky Technology Campus, Mayfield 21st Century, Graves County Middle FRYSC, Mayfield Food Service, Friendship Homemakers, and other organizations.

During COVID in October 2020, the CEC worked together with agents to put on the Drive-Thru Trunk or Treat to provide a fun experience for youth and families during such a hard time, as well as drum up more excitement about Extension in the community. CEC Members recruited club leaders to participate, decorated booths, passed out candy with gloves and masks, gave out Extension information about programs and best health practices, and gave out books at the end of the event. A CEC member was recorded reading the book the kids would receive-- "Spookely the Square Pumpkins". The recording was set to music and looped with an FM transmitter so that families could hear the book being read in their cars on the radio while driving through the Trunk or Treat. Over 450 people and 40 volunteers attended the event and every Extension group was represented with a trunk We received a lot of positive feedback from the community for this program.

Council members have blossomed in their leadership roles in the County Extension Council, and we are proud of all they have accomplished.