The year, 2020, may be the year no one ever forgets. COVID-19 is likely to be etched in the minds of Kentuckians for the rest of their lives. The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service has had to completely revamp the way it provides education to all of Extension’s clientele. Drop boxes were made, grab and go kits became very popular, Facebook was now an educational portal to all local clientele and Zoom trainings/meetings were now the norm not the exception. The McLean County Cooperative Extension Service adapted to all of the newly accepted avenues of getting educational material out to the public but the agents in the McLean County Extension Service also relied on old fashion hard work and common sense to help the community get through the pandemic that was thrust upon the country. The 4-H agent, Lindsey Alvey, and the ANR Agent, David Fourqurean began by looking at ways that the Extension service could use their resources to help aid local community members.

The ANR agent was contacted by the McLean County School Superintendent about the shortage of PPE supplies they were experiencing at the McLean County School System’s Food Service Department. The 4-H agent and ANR agent worked in collaboration with the McLean County Judge and McLean County School Superintendent to get the word out and utilize Homemakers groups as well as other community groups to make mask’s for the workers at the McLean County School System. This proved to be a highly successful partnership as the school has not experienced any more shortages of PPE to date.

The safety of all McLean County residents is certainly important but a much more vulnerable group reached out to Extension, through the McLean County Judge Executive, to help the Senior Citizens Center provide a meal for the Meals on Wheels program. A collaborative effort between the Extension District Board, 4-H Council, Senior Citizens Center, McLean County Judge Executive, 4-H Agent and the ANR Agent embarked on a project to provide a meal for the McLean County Senior Citizens Center. The Group fixed 150 meals to send out to the Meals on Wheels program participants. These participants include many of the county’s most vulnerable citizens to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is just another example of how the McLean County Extension Agents help facilitate programs and projects that have lasting/meaningful effects on the citizens of McLean County.