February 12, 2008

Robin's February 2008 Update

Direct Teaching

1. Picky Eaters for Children's Foundation parents

2. Month of January...Blues, Blahs and Bouncing Back programs. Well received.

Pantagraph/ Community News "In the Kitchen" columns

  1. January ... New Year Food and Exercise Promises
  2. Car...Leftovers and Car Temperatures
  3. Kitchen Psychology and Marketing. It Works.
  4. Cast Iron Cooking
  5. Fasting
  6. Chocolate Thoughts to Savor Valentines Day
  7. Citrus Fruits All Year
  8. Work Now...Eat Later
  9. Food Science and Yeast Dough

Web work

  1. Updated the Nutrition In-service Telenet announcement as information came in...also a home page feature
  2. Added FAQ...Frozen Canned Goods
  3. New Year– What are Your Food and Exercise Promises to Yourself? (In the Kitchen Column update)
  4. Updated the Welcome to the Kitchen teaser and column.
  5. Fasting Does Not Promote Good Health
  6. Updated Nutrition Page features.
  7. Added Front Page Feature... Diet Resolve Fading? Science Supports Making Small Changes.
  8. Your Guide to Diet and Diabetes link posted as a feature on home page.
  9. Happiness...Researchers Seek Routes to Happier Life
  10. Blues, Blahs and Bouncing Back Feature on home page.

Coordination in General Nutrition and Food Safety

Coordination

  1. Chuck Blystone from the Pantagraph newspaper called about putting my column in the Pantagraph. The first column was on Dec. 19, my birthday! This is a big increase in exposure. I'm excited! For the past 13 years I have had a column in the Community News with a shrinking circulation.
  2. Coordinated the set up of the Jan. Nutrition for Professionals inservice.
  3. Jan 29 & Feb 7...Attended planning meetings for the first Hungar Awareness Day in McLean County in April 2008.
  4. Interviewed by Mary Ann Ford from the Pantagraph for their year long endeavor on "Fit Kids"
    1. They will feature U of I Extension Healthy Snacks with Nutrient Analysis with each recipe.
    2. They are also featuring Healthy Meals for Kids. I sent her information on my Picky Eaters program
    3. I also sent her information on how to get to the MyPyramid Blast off Game from our web site.
    4. During the interview we spoke of "peer influence" and how to control "out of control" portion sizes. 5) The recipes will be posted on Pantagraph.com

Sampling of Questions on Nutrition and Food Safety

  1. Q: I have a recipe that calls for a food processor but I was wondering if the functions of the food processor and a blender are interchangable. Would it work if I used the blender as a food processor? A: The blender is for liquids & the food processor is used for solid foods. They work best when used for the purpose intended.
  2. Q: Once a year elderly regular visited with canning questions. Rhubarb, pears etc. He's looking forward to the 3 digit birthday in a number of years.
  3. Q: I was trying to find out what the name of the wax used on rutabagas. I was just wondering if you could what kind and where you could buy it?
  4. Q: I have a turkey I didn't use last year at Thanksgiving. It's been frozen all this time. Is it safe to use? A: Yes, but you don't want to keep it any longer for quality reasons.
  5. Q: When I buy eggs on sale sometimes the expiration date is within just a few days. Are they safe to use after that date? A: Yes, the packer allows 4-5 weeks beyond the date for maximum freshness and you may keep them longer if you wish. Just keep them refrigerated.
  6. Q: Do you have a good illustration picturing the proper and improper temperature taking for food service? I need it to train my workers in one region of my organization. A: I e-mailed the nutrition team while checking my files. I also left a message at the Health Department and contacted Food Talk newsletter. None of them had such an illustration.
  7. Q: I've had my peanut oil for a year stored in the basement. We used it last Thanksgiving. Is it ok to use it this year? A: BASICS....Strain it with cheesecloth. Do not mix it with other oils. Combining different types of oils also lowers the smoke point. Store it in a cool dark place. Smell for rancidity. Use a thermometer to get it to 375F. If it smokes before it reaches 375... it has lost it's quality beyond what you should use.
  8. Q: (Tuesday)... How long will it take to thaw a 17 lb. turkey? A: about 4 days. Are you planning on serving it for Thanksgiving? If so you can use the cool running water the day you serve to finish the thawing. (she is serving it on Sunday so she will have ample time to thaw it afterall.)
  9. Q: Do you have the recipe for sanitizing solution with bleach? My basement flooded and I want to treat it before mold & mildew set in. I've gone through this before but lost the recipe proportions of bleach to water.
  10. Q: I want to use bleach in limited amounts and have questions about laundry, refrigerators, and septic tanks.
  11. Q: I found a smoked fully cooked ham that had been in my freezer for 6 years. Is it safe to eat?
  12. Q: I left a roast to thaw and decided not to use it. Can I refreeze it? A: If it still has ice crystals. Some of the quality will be lost but it will be safe.
  13. Q: I have sugar cookie dough in my refrigerator since before Christmas. Is it still ok to use? A: No, it has raw eggs in it and should only be kept in the refrigerator for a few days.
  14. Q: I have canned Salmon I left in the car for two days. Is it ok to use? A: No, it has frozen and can seams are not stable as foods freeze and thaw. Don't use it.
  15. Q: I have a Kitchen Aid Mixer and need to find which screw to turn to adjust the beaters. They are too high. A: Fortunately I just bought one about a year ago and also needed to adjust mine so I could tell her.
  16. Q: How do I prepare spaghetti squash? A: I referred them to our Solutions web site and put a search in for our fact sheet. Also went over boiling, baking, preparing like spaghetti with tomato sauce.
  17. Q: Kudos for Cast Iron Cooking article in Pantagraph. Further questions on preparing OLD cast iron cookware. Also a question on avoiding stringy beef in a cast iron dutch oven. I had Lodge Mfg. send her an e-mail as well as an acquaintance who does classes using cast iron cookware.
  18. Q: Can you freeze cottage cheese? A: no, the liquid separates from the cheese... not recommended.
  19. Q: What is the shelf life of home canned foods? A: About 12 months is longest recommendation. For commercially canned foods... 2-3 years.

Coordination in Caregiving Relationships Programs

  1. Wrap up meeting for CDO, Caregivers Day OUT.
  2. Request... "I work part time for the YWCA Homebased services, have a mother and brother-in-law with Huntington's Disease and have working with others who are caregivers. Would you send me a set of Caregiving Relationships so I may make copies to have on hand?"
  3. Arranged Blues, Blahs, and Bouncing Back program for Parkinson's Support Group with Sondra Knobloch for March 18.

Coordination in Healthy Family Relationships programs

  1. Assisting a mother with parenting classes for her daughter. A judge ordered she attend classes before Jan. 31. I also suggested Children's Foundation, Health Dept., and Partners in Parenting.
  2. Assisted a financial office with obtaining a replacement copy of Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate. Their original had worn out!
  3. Attended training for "Blue's, Blahs, and Bouncing Back"
  4. Attended training for "Finding Your Get Up and Go!"
  5. H.C.E. coordination with meetings, 90th Anniversary Celebration plans, and their big Brighten Your Holidays program.

Working with Volunteers...ISU Nutrition intern

Stephanie attended...

  1. FCS meeting
  2. Staff meeting
  3. Nutrition Telenet in-service
  4. 2 Hunger Awareness meetings

She helped with a Healthy Kids programs for Child Care Providers.

Professional Development

Nutrition Team Meeting face to face in Galena. Each team member took 3 examples to share of what other teams are doing. Bob Reber talked on Metabolic Syndrome. Cheryl Reidenauer talked on the Arthritis, Nutrition and Wellness program. We spoke on Jennifer's survey for all Nutrition audiences to start in the spring. Powerpoint on Consumer handling of fresh produce: Are we placing ourselves at risk? (from Rutgers University Dept. of Food Science.) Another Powerpoint on Food: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Outbreaks in Illinois. Brenda Derrick spoke on locally grown food.

Nutrition and Aging Conference at Decatur Conference Center.

Teen Diabetes Telenet in-service

Developing Local Food Systems...Supporting Locally Grown Foods

Posted by Robin Bagwell at 3:11 PM

November 12, 2007

Pat's November 2007 Update

Update for November

The theme for November was "What Should your Plate Look like?".

We drew a place setting including the dinner plate, a small plate for fruit and a glass. Then, step by step we broke down how this meal should look. I had the kids share their favorites in each food group and wrote them on the "dinner plate". Then I showed them how they had planned a menu and encouraged them to go home and share their ideas with the main grocery shopper in the family.

I also did a consumerism lesson for a BHA evening group. I did the Peach taste/price lesson where participants taste peach samples to try to determine which brand is which. We talk about cost vs. taste.

We also had staff and FCS meetings, and a training in Champaign.

Posted by Robin Bagwell at 3:23 PM

November 6, 2007

Robin's October 2007 Update

Direct Teaching

  • Presented Train the Trainer on Food and Fitness to be later presented to 350 program participants.

Marketing

  • Food Safety Display for ISU students and staff on the quad.... Luckily prepared everything to be water proof. We got rained out just as it was to begin!

News releases sent to media

  1. Unsafe Canning Methods
  2. Canning, Acidifying Tomatoes, Recommendations for Green Beans
  3. Extension nutrition ed. Programs planned for fall
  4. Food Preservation Industry Contacts
  5. Pears
  6. Pumpkin Blossoms
  7. Healthy Halloween Treats
  8. Cranberries...Year Round
  9. Pumpkin Delights
  10. Promo. for Dec. 4 program on Brighten Your Holidays
  11. Cranberries Year Round
  12. Web links promo. for Turkey for the Holidays
  13. Teens Can Handle Their Emotions
  14. Promo for Nov. 9 Caregivers Day OUT!
  15. Serving Safe Holiday Food

Interviewed by newspaper

  • Interviewed by Sun Times about the "We Should Eat Cranberries Year Round" article I put on our web site.
  • Bob Holliday from the Pantagraph interviewed me about the FDA working on a possible mandated food packaging label for the "front" of packages. I shared with him about the 5 star system that one supermarket tried and succeeded. Article appeared on the Front page of the Pantagraph on 09/11/07!

added to the Web site

  1. Homemade Noodles
  2. Diabetes: Dealing with the Holidays
  3. Kids as Helpers in the Kitchen

Coordination in General Nutrition

  1. Prep for Food and Fitness Community Education Workshop
  2. Many additions to FAQ on county web site in Nutrition & Food Safety.
  3. 3. I was contacted by Hope Danielson, new Health and Wellness Advisor for Niemann Foods (County Market, Cubs, etc.) in central Illinois. She met with Carrie Edgar at the U of I extension office in Quincy and was told me to introduce herself to me. She indicated she would be interested in any group meetings we might have in regards to health and wellness.
  4. Met with Dr. Jim Painter from EIU about nutrition program in general.
  5. Made contact with internship director at EIU, Dr. Mary Lou Hubbard, about sending EIU nutrition interns to our office.
  6. Prepared online job recommendation for former intern to Michigan State University Extension.
  7. Coordinating with ISU for spring semester intern.
  8. Helping Vermillion county secretary access the Healthy Desserts program materials for H.C.E.
  9. Sampling of Questions......
  10. Q: Gluten-free flour leaves my baked product flat. How can I make it puff up more and stay that way. A: I referred them to a Gluten-Free Expert.
  11. Q: I have a vacuum sealer for my green beans. Do I still have to blanch them before I prepare them for the freezer?
  12. Q: "I want to substitute applesauce for oil in a cake recipe. How do I do that?"

Coordination in Food Safety

  1. Added 30+ FAQ in Food Safety and Nutrition to county web site in a new area of the site. Easier to find for me than the Blog.
  2. Worked on creating and updating Food Safety Handouts for ISU Wellness Fair.
  3. Sampling of typical canning questions on tomatoes..."How much lemon juice do I put in?" ---"Can I pour the hot liquid into the jars and just let them seal?"--- "I've been using my own recipes for canning & I saw somewhere that isn't recommended."
  4. Q: "I just put the hot liquid in the jars and let them seal. It just seemed too easy. So I called you. The sad thing is...everyone I know cans like this!"
  5. Q: "I have lots of green peppers. How do I freeze them, such as stuffed green peppers?"
  6. Q: "I can spaghetti sauce with meat, then I heard you shouldn't use your own recipes. Is that right?"
  7. Q: "As far as you know, do all Chinese Restaurants use MSG in their food? Is that approved by the FDA? Have you heard of people who have bad reactions to it?"
  8. Q: 'Who do I contact to get a food handlers certification?"

Coordination in Healthy Family Relationships Programs

  1. Consumer question on how to make your laundry smell fresher when you already have allergies to dyes and perfumes. Referred to Kathy Sweedler.
  2. After fair / pre-planning next year for Young at Heart Day.
  3. Belinda Kennedy called from FCRC ...inquiring about the Home Management Instruction/ Parenting Instruction Seminar. I forwarded to Pat.
  4. Cammy Seguin presented "Stories From Your Past--Legacies For The Future" to 18 member of the McLean County Genealogical Society at the courthouse museum in downtown Bloomington.
  5. Searching and discussing speaker possibilities for Caregivers Day OUT.
  6. Consumer Question: "All these toy items made in China have been recalled. How about the dishes that we buy that are made in China?"

Coordination in Caregiving Relationships Programs

  • Caregivers Day Out...Caregivers Day Out meeting and coordination.

Working with Volunteers

  1. Coordinating dates, location & directions to Young at Heart Committee meeting at the new Luther Oaks senior living.

Professional Development

  1. Elizabeth Andress, specialist Univ. of Georgia Extension, gave in depth update on preservation for the Nutrition Team. Excellent!
  2. Teen Brain...NEAFCS pre-conference intensive all day... Excellent!
  3. Boomer Educators and Net Gen clients... Technology past, present and future...also Excellent.
  4. Creating Effective Boards and Committees ... pretty good... speaker had driven through a tornado to get there late and was a little flustered. Came home with a great manual to read.
  5. Toured the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis. They served lunch and gave us several sit-down presentations. Very well done.
  6. Our state hosted the Friendship Event with Wisconsin and Minnesota at the Science Museum.
  7. I attended several General Sessions, State's Night Out, and helped at our Illinois National President's, Carol Schlitt, reception before the Awards banquet.
  8. McLean County FCS dept. meeting w/ Don, Pat, and Judy.
  9. State Nutrition Team meeting
  10. IEAFCS PDO on workplace violence and a visit from the Attorney General's office.
  11. IEAFCS spring meeting
  12. Staff meeting...1 hour affirmative action

National Committees

  • I was on a National Committee for Tri-State Hosting of National Conference in Minnesota in Sept... I'm gathering volunteers from Illinois for various positions prior and during the Friendship Event.

Posted by Robin Bagwell at 4:02 PM

October 12, 2007

Pat's October 2007 Update

Update for October

The theme for October was "What is a serving?". I took several examples of single servings vs. multiple servings to my programs and we talked about what a serving is. Examples of what I took included a 20 oz. bottle of pop, a 12 oz. can of pop and an 8 oz. glass that I poured pop into so the kids could see the difference; a 99 cent bag of chips you find at the checkout and a 30 cent individual bag; and a huge apple and a medium apple. I took about a dozen items total. One of the things I also touched on was instead of eating just pizza, eat a serving of pizza and have a salad or veggies and dip with it.

I took this program to my school, after school and senior programs.

I think the most surprising item for the kids was the larger bag of chips and that it served 2.5 people. One kindergartener wondered where you find a half person. I suggested he find a whole person and the three of them could share the bag of chips. He thought that sounded like a good idea.

Posted by Robin Bagwell at 3:15 PM

September 12, 2007

Pat's September 2007 Update

September brought an increase in activities!

Because Parent Expo was getting closer, we stepped up our meetings to work on final details. I also had additional work outside the meetings to confirm and gather information from the speakers.

I got started on another year with the Pepper Ridge students in K – 2. For 1st and 2nd grades I am expanding on what I taught last year. For the kindergartners, I am starting this month with information on what the Food Pyramid is. I did also review with 1st and 2nd graders this month the things we talked about last year. We also talked about the challenges I gave them at the end of school in May. . . which were get activity into your day every day and drink water. Students shared how they did with those challenges.

Another program that started back up is the BHA Afterschool program on Hinshaw. We also did a review and introduced the idea of taking home newsletters to the parents. We are challenging the kids to take the newsletters home, show them to the adult in their home and have the adult sign a slip saying they have seen the newsletter. The kids can then earn points for bringing the slip back. At the end of the semester they can shop for prizes with their points.

Miller Park Seniors are continuing but the group has been dwindling, so I am waiting to see what next month brings.

Finally, BHA is starting a new program for families and it deals with learning money management. I was scheduled to be a guest for this program with a consumerism lesson. Unfortunately, it got canceled due to low RSVP numbers. We have another program scheduled for October.

Posted by Robin Bagwell at 3:34 PM

September 6, 2007

Pat's August 2007 Update

I enjoyed starting the month off with YAH Day at the McLean County fair. It seemed to be well attended! Although I did not give away as many samples as I had hoped (stiff competition with popcorn next door!), I was able to share a lot of information and recipes.

This has been a big meeting month. I attended staff on the 14th, FCS departmental meeting on the 21 and had a couple of meetings with the Parent Enrichment Committee preparing for the Parent Expo.

I also attended a training in Champaign with Judy. The lesson was on consumerism and we came away with some great materials!

Additionally, I had some program meetings. I met with Stacey Wiggins and her associate from BHA and we scheduled the fall semester at Holten. Because they have received new grant money, Stacey was able to hire an additional person and is going to be offering additional programming. We scheduled a couple of events that will be for families.

I also met with Vicky Hightower of the YWCA and we successfully scheduled an inservice event in December, then I will also be doing an event in the beginning of 2008. Additionally, we talked about offering programming for their summer camps at three different locations! I am looking forward to the new opportunities that exist here.

I have been in contact with Pepper Ridge and will get them scheduled for this year soon. Teri needed a few days to get things rolling.

Coming up!

September will bring:

The start of the BHA after school program

Continuation of the senior program at Miller Park

The start of Pepper Ridge school program

Training in Champaign

New programming for BHA families

Posted by Robin Bagwell at 4:13 PM

August 22, 2007

Robin's August 2007 Update

Direct Teaching

  1. Judged a Cooking/Baking contest for Miller Park Seniors...Some really great cooks!
  2. Nutrition and It's Effect on the Sense of Well Being in the Elderly...presentation for the Aging Coalition. This is a great group I really enjoy being involved with.

Coordination in Healthy Family Relationships Programs

  1. Young at Heart Day --- went great. 620 in attendance. We again had our Healthy Foods booth but can't seem to compete with the donuts and pastries! A new entertainment group...Pop 'n' I did very well. Seniors were singing along and dancing. A visit from the King and Queen followed by the Dynamics duo. New added this year was the opportunity for seniors to display their hobby collections. Prior coordination---Exhibitor display organization mailing converted to e-mail distribution list; calls and coordination directly to additional organizations.

Coordination in Caregiving Relationships Programs

  1. Caregivers Day Out...Our planning committee had their first meeting on July 12. Looking for motivational/ inspirational speakers. Event will be November 9, 2007. Site has been secured.
  2. We discussed location; date; duration; motivational speakers; pampering businesses (chair massage, manicures, hot wax hand dips etc)
  3. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren run through at St. Pat's church was June 27; set up June 29; actual conference June 30. Session one-- "Legal Issues Grandparents Face Raising a New Generation of Children" by Stacey Tutt, Prairie State Legal Services; Session Two--"Love & Logic" by Bess Desch, Partners in Parenting; Lunch with Keynote speaker and inspirational singer, Evelyn Young. Evelyn is director of local Boys and Girls Club. She spoke on "Grand Love"; after noon features were a Caring and Sharing Panel Discussion with grandparents and other professionals in the community. Heart-wrenching personal stories and sharing of resources were very well guided by our "panel mediator", Mike O'Donnel, with the ECIAAA--(East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging).
  4. Site for next year's GRG conference may be in Macon County. Theresa Adams, Macon County Extension Community Worker, has already agreed to work with the ECIAAA on that event if it is held there.

Coordination in General Nutrition & Food Safety

  1. Developed 4 Fact Sheets complete with clip art and recipes for Food Pantries. Topic: Vegetables people need help with---Turnips, Zucchini, Eggplant, and Cabbage.
  2. It's canning time! Many consumers questions on canning and freezing especially in the past month.
  3. Children's Discovery Museum...Local committee met July 13 for updates on revisions. I am the liaison from the community for the revising of the nutrition portion of the museum exhibit. There is also a paid consultant for the entire museum revisions.
  4. H.C.E. (Home and Community Education) annual meeting and program...July 10... Ewing Scholarship and Esposito Scholarships were presented.
  5. Healthy Kids program planned for a group of Family Child Care Providers scheduled in Feb.. Did some pre-planning afterward scheduling. They would like it centered on topic of childhood obesity and presented in terms of what they as child care providers can do, not necessarily what they can take back to the parents.
  6. Assisted University of Alabama Extension in accessing our materials on Healthy Moves for Healthy Kids.

National Committees

  • I'm on a National Committee for Tri-State Hosting of National Conference in Minnesota in Sept... I'm gathering volunteers from Illinois for various positions prior and during the Friendship Event.

Sampling of inquiries---

Q: I have a recipe that calls for 1/2 Kg of Mango. How much is that? It also calls for 250 mg ginger. The rest of the ingredients are in ounces. Why is that?

A: 1/2 kg= 1.1 lb and 250 mg = 8.8 oz. The recipe must have been written by someone not born in the U.S. is my guess.

Q: "I have a recipe for Molasses Cookies that calls for unsulfered molasses. What is the difference?

A: Sulfur is used as a preservative in molasses. Sometimes people prefer to use unsulfered molasses instead of sulfured in cookies and breads because the flavor is stronger. Unsulfered is more difficult to find--- may have to go to a specialty store.

Q: "Do I have to blanch rhubarb before I freeze?"

A: It is recommended to do so to help preserve the flavor and color.

Q: "Looking for a replacement gasket for my canner. Where can I find one?"

Q: "Can you can grape tomatoes?"

A: You can, some people don't like to deal with all the seeds and skins. Some actually dry them. Others don't mind the seeds or the skins and put them in a food processor and can or freeze them.

Q: How do you microwave corn on the cob?

Q: Can you slice larger cucumbers for dill pickles?

Q: I have an old crock that is pitted & some glazing is gone. Can I use that for pickling?

Q: We took salsa to the fair as a project, brought it home, opened it, ate some but left it out on the counter. In the meantime several of my family has eaten some too. I found it still out this a.m. (Mon.) My family won't get botulism will they?

A: If it was processed properly, probably not. But if anyone gets any of the common symptoms of eating spoiled food, diarrhea, vomiting, aching, see your doctor.

Q: I bake cookies for church. How long can they be kept in the freezer before they are too old?

A: 3 months is the recommended maximum.

Q: I'm seeing here that it is recommended to use Lemon Juice or citric acid to can tomatoes. I've never done that and I don't have either one way out here in rural McLean County.

A: To prevent botulism we need to can tomatoes with acid. There are so many varieties of tomatoes we want to be sure they are all acid enough to can. You may use vinegar if you don't have lemon juice or citric acid. 2T per pint or 4 T per quart.

Q: Does the steam have to visible while you are exhausting your canner?

Q: "I'm looking for locally grown Tilapia fish. Can you help me locate any?"

A: Our country director directed us to a business in Flanagan IL... AquaRanch.com

Q: I have a recipe I've used before for Eggplant and can't remember whether I need to peel the eggplant or not.

Posted by Robin Bagwell at 5:07 PM

August 7, 2007

Judy's August 2007 Update

The summer months have been much slower paced than during the spring. Without the kids' programs, things have slowed down considerably. I still faithfully visit the BHA seniors, the Western Avenue seniors, and the seniors at BroMenn Adult Day Service. I'm excited that Normal Parks has also added me to their list. We have covered such topics as food safety, cool summer cooking, and serving sizes.

Earlier in the summer, I participated in the Health Fair at BHA. My focus was on how to pack a safe picnic meal for your family. My picnic basket included many items that would not spoil quickly if left out of the cooler. It held such things as crackers, peanut butter, juice boxes, carrots, celery, and fresh fruits.

I enjoyed and benefited from the Outlook and Excel classes and the MyExtension training we had during the last couple months. These classes are always helpful.

School will be starting very soon, so I will be contacting Bent and Ridgeview Schools to see if they are interested in continuing the nutrition education classes we started last year. I expect to get a positive response from both of them.

Posted by Robin Bagwell at 4:17 PM

June 15, 2007

Robin's Update

DIRECT TEACHING---

1/2 day COLORS Personality Program for students referred by Bloomington Housing Authority, Bloomington Township and/or those seeking a G.E.D. Great group. They worked hard to put what they learned to use... June 6

NEWSLETTERS--- average monthly 2,614 total mailed and e-mailed

  1. Food for Thought Newsletter...healthy ideas for preschoolers
  2. Wellness Ways Newsletter... feeding your family on a budget
  3. Your Health and You Newsletter...for seniors
  4. Parenting Again Newsletter...Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Coordinating General Nutrition

  1. Q: I've just been told I am high cholesterol and borderline diabetes. Can you help me with a diet I can eat? A: I told her she needs to talk with her doctor or his nurse and have them check to see if her insurance will pay for a dietitian. I told her about our Your Health and You newsletter and our Diabetes Lifelines newsletter.
  2. Q: I want to prepare a meal for a friend who is on a low sodium diet. What does that mean? I'm thinking of meatloaf or grilled chicken with a vegetable dish. A: A low sodium diet is generally 2gm sodium, which means 2000 mg/ day. Need to look for each item to be < 200 mg sodium.
  3. Westminster Village... Judging for their "Mock County Fair Activity". I judged 4-H Brownies & Rice Krispie Treats the seniors has entered into the competition. I even used the 4-H judging sheets!
  4. Nutrition's Effect on the Sense of Well Being in the Elderly presentation to the Aging Coalition.
  5. Helped Summer 4-H staff, Jen, with Tasty Holiday Mixes recipes for a cookie in the jar recipe.

Coordinating Food Safety

  1. Q: Saw something in the paper about you shouldn't freeze asparagus. Is that correct?
  2. Q: We are under a boil order. Can we use our ice cubes from our ice maker?
  3. Q: Unplugged freezer for 13 hours. What food is still safe? I sent them my fact sheet on power outages.
  4. Q: How can I preserve a bridal bouquet?
  5. Q: I just opened a package of dried apricots I have had for almost a year. The apricots are very dark and taste a little sour. Are they ok to eat? A: I asked her to look for a date on the package or a customer service #. She found the date.
  6. Q: . I put a partially thawed roast in a roaster & forgot to turn it on for an hour. I turned it on Is it still safe?
  7. Q: My youth group is having a bake sale. What foods am I allowed to have for sale? A: I gave them my fact sheet prepared in coordination with Extension and the McLean County Health Dept.
  8. Q: Could I have a fact sheet with letterhead on the "Safely Thawing of Meats" to take home to my wife?
  9. Worked with 4-H summer staff, Jen, on Glo Germ/Handwashing/ Jelly Bean Activities...06/07
  10. Q: etc.

Coordination of Healthy Relationships Programming

  1. Planning Young at Heart Day for Seniors at the fair
  2. Continued mentoring of a former Job Partners mentee. Office meetings and writing letters of reference while she attends and finishes ISU.
  3. YAH... Young at Heart / Senior Day at the Fair coordination.
  4. YAH... Mailed 2,600 Young at Heart Flyers with newsletter mailings.
  5. YAH...Organized list for name badges.
  6. YAH...Organized June meeting.
  7. Responded to Family Community Resource Center about Illinois Extension's Hispanic/Latino programs
  8. Finished H.C.E. distribution list for e-mailing
  9. WEB...updated June KIOSK...Calendar of EVents for Families with Young Children
  10. Q: Stored baby clothes in suitcases. How do I get the mildew smell out?

Coordination for Caregiving Relationships

  1. GRG... Grandparents Raising Grandchildren conference coordination. Made notes of to-do list after meeting. a) brochures mailing b) contact Kate Arthur at Pantagraph c) mediating plans for guiding the panel discussion d) June 11th teleconference of committee @ 11:30 a.m.- 12:00p.m. e)will meet at 2pm wed. June 27th @ St. Pats f) Will also be preping on Thurs the 28th and Friday the 29th g)Master G's...table favors for Conference?
  2. GRG...Mailed 200 Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Conference brochures.
  3. GRG...Conference Call for planning conference
  4. GRG...Contacted Pantagraph for coverage
  5. Caregivers Day Out planning has begun for November. Vicki Hightower from YWCA and Kathryn Johnson from PATH will help plan.

Various Professional Development

  1. State Nutrition Team face to face 2 days at Allerton Park

................Discussed Current Topics Inservice Telenets for next year. System will be changing in future so the world can access online. Pod-cast? Possible partnering with Purdue in this endeavor.

...............Also discussedthe Good Samaritan acts for Food Pantries

..............Arthritis and Senior Wellness Exercise training. Cheryl Reidenaurer and Lynnette can train us.

..............Evaluations of FNP programs

..............Women's Heart Health... #1 killer for women. The NEXT day Martin Luther King Jr's daughter, Yolanda, died at age 51 of possible heart disease!

..............4-H level 1 manuals will not be in publication form anymore. Notebook &/or DVD so can be easily updated. > Skill-a-thons discussed too.

2. EC IEAFCS meeting in Urbana. I volunteered to be secretary for next year. Excellent Tour and time spent at the Family Resiliency Center ---Doris Christopher Hall...June 8, 2007

3. Computer Training on Outlook and Access...June 13 & 14

Upcoming .....

Nutrition's Effect on the Sense of Well Being in the Elderly...June 18

Nutrition Team Telenet...June 19

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren conference ...June 30

Society for Nutrition Education Training...Chicago... July 27

Food And Fitness Community Workshop...August 20

Illinois is one of 3 host states for NEAFCS (National Extension Association for Family & Consumer Sciences)...Sept. 17-20

IEAFCS PDO...here...Topic TBA...Oct. 4

Posted by Robin Bagwell at 4:16 PM

June 15, 2007

Robin's Coordination

Recent Programs

  • Trans Fats...Expanding Your Horizons in Math, Science, and Technology Conference...ISU
  • Barbeque Safety (Picnics & Outdoor Grilling)...For Delta Kappa Gamma Teacher's Sorority
  • Food and Fitness...for State Farm's 50 Million Pound Challenge Walk-a-Thon
  • Speakers Bureau Panel on Parenting...at Little Jewels Day Care... "How to talk so kids will listen/ Positive Parenting/ Discipline.

Upcoming Programs

  • Nutrition and It's Relationship to a Sense of Well-Being in the Elderly...for the Mental Health and Aging Coalition.... June 18
  • Health Literacy ...Future Aging Coalition Program
  • Food and Fitness...Community Workshops

Posted by Robin Bagwell at 1:55 PM

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