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Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu

Impacts

Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu




Fiscal Year:
Jul 1, 2024 - Jun 30, 2025


Success StoryGardening and Outdoor Activity for Physical and Mental Healthiness



Gardening and Outdoor Activity for Physical and Mental Healthiness

Author: Lynn Blankenship

Planning Unit: Metcalfe County CES

Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

Plan of Work: Develop Individual Youth and Adults for Leadership Volunteer Roles

Outcome: Initial Outcome

This FCS Agent created a comprehensive curriculum and evaluation, for the April 2021 Mammoth Cave Area Homemakers Leader training, with the theme of Gardening and Outdoor Activity for Physical and Mental Healthiness.  This FCS Agent was the first to travel to all ten Counties post COVID, to deliver an approved, COVID safe monthly area Homemaker Leader Training in person, to 64 Homemaker Leaders.  These leader volunteers then delivered the lesson to the members of their Homemaker Clubs, in April 2021.

Program evaluation indicated that as a result of participating in this program, the majority of participants: increased awareness of mental health and mental distress issues, increased awareness of tools available to help to prepare to discuss mental health with a healthcare provider, increased ability to implement modified gardening methods or other outdoor activities to improve their physical and mental healthiness and increased their understanding of the benefits to mental and physical health of outdoor activities including gardening, walking, day hiking, deep breathing, and bird watching.






Stories by Lynn Blankenship


Family Lifestyles TV – Disaster Preparedness series

about 28 days ago by Lynn Blankenship

Western Kentucky is situated near the New Madrid Seismic Zone and is therefore likely to experience ... Read More


Move Your Way MCA Homemaker Summer 2024 Leader training

about 3 months ago by Lynn Blankenship

Being physically active is an important component to overall health and contributes significantly to... Read More


Stories by Metcalfe County CES


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about 16 days ago by Amy Branstetter

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about 25 days ago by Gary Bell

According to the 2023 state Agriculture overview published by the National AgricultureStatistics Ser... Read More