Author: Tiffany Bolinger
Planning Unit: Christian County CES
Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
Plan of Work: Cultivating community leadership, engagement and pride through educational and experiential learning.
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
According to KEHA.org, the Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (KEHA) is a volunteer organization that works to improve the quality of life for families and communities through leadership development, volunteer service, and education. The organization was developed in cooperation with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Across the state, County Family & Consumer Sciences Extension Agents work closely with KEHA members and clubs to provide educational programming and coordinate community activities.
While KEHA has deep roots across the state, it has experienced a decline in membership in recent years. Christian County has been no exception as clubs have disbanded or moved to mailbox memberships. However, in the last few years the Christian County FCS Agent and homemaker members have worked to grow the county level organization through the Junior Homemakers program and revitalization of the St. Elmo Homemaker club.
The Junior Homemakers program currently has thirty active members while the St. Elmo club currently has twenty-nine active members. Those two clubs combined have increased the Christian County Homemakers total membership from 97 to 156, an increase of 38 percent. At the 2023 KEHA Annual Meeting the Christian County Homemakers were awarded second place in Largest Overall Increase in Membership and were recognized as one of only eleven counties statewide having an increase of twenty-five or more members.
While growth in numbers is an exciting accomplishment, of even more importance is the level of participation of which these new members have joined the organization. A large majority of the fifty-nine new members have already begun fulfilling the mission of KEHA by their active participation in monthly meetings, county events, leadership opportunities, and volunteering. The edition of these new Homemakers ensures a bright future for the Christian County Homemakers organization for years to come.
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