~~Mind Bending

Jeffers Bend environmental Center is a retired water treatment plant in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  Since its retirement, Jeffers Bend has been converted into an environmental education facility that host youth and adults from the surrounding area to provide education on environmental and agricultural activities.  Each year in September community partners collaborate to host Friday Education Days as well as Nature Fest, (a Saturday event that draws people from all over the region).This year Christian County extension partnered with the Jeffers Bend steering committee and other community partners to host a stop about the impact of dairy cows and the nutrition of milk for the Friday Education Days.  During Friday Education days the youth rotate through stations that provide information from practical math to resource use and conservation. 

 In the fall of 2017 Christian County Extension was able to reach 411 youth from local schools.  Of the 411 youth that participated 85% agreed that they learned something new and interesting that made them want to come back. Nature Fest, held on September 14th at Jeffers Bend, is one of Christian County’s most well established environmental activities.  Much like the Friday Education Days, Nature Fest provides educational opportunities for youth, but also includes opportunities for adults.  2017 was a record breaking year for Nature Fest attendance with nearly 800 people participating in the Saturday activity.  Christian County Extension provided educational stations on archery and horticulture.  The archery stop alone hosted 350 youth that learned about archery equipment and safety as well as being responsible in the outdoors. 

Many you and adults today either do not have or do not take the opportunity to be involved in nature or outdoor activities.  The Christian County Extension office’s partnership with the Jeffers Bend steering committee helps provide opportunities for those youth and adults to see that being outdoors can be fun and educational all at the same time.  In the month of September alone over 1200 people were reached through Jeffers Bend.  We like to say that there is a lot of MIND BENDING going on at the BEND.