Peterson proud of collaborative efforts in Extension
By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 03/11/2010 9:09 AM
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THOMPSON, Iowa —It's the collaborating that Carol Peterson remembers most as she reflects on her 35 years with Iowa State University Extension.
"We have so many people in the counties with so many skills and we have limited resources, but when we band together we come up with wonderful projects that we hope help families," Peterson said.
Peterson, 57, like many of her colleagues, took an early retirement package when her position as Winnebago County Extension director was eliminated. While her retirement was effective the end of January, the Winnebago County Extension Council has hired her to work 25 hours per week to continue programming. She also will work 15 hours per week coordinating Winnebago County Empowerment, which develops programs for children from infancy to five years.
As she looks back over the years with Extension, Peterson likes the idea that she has worked with a broad spectrum of ages.
"We do everything from working with school groups to working with the YMCA to working with banks and businesses," she said. "It's a great way to learn yourself. People call with a question, we investigate to find the answers. I like that aspect of it."
Peterson said there have been wonderful times economic-wise in the counties, but there have been difficult times as well.
"During the farm crisis, we had lots of different meetings and processes and support groups starting as we tried to find resources to help families, the Rural Concerns hot line and getting all that information out there," Peterson said.
Recently, she and others in Winnebago County have returned to resources created during the 1980s as they respond to the downturn in the economy and major job losses at Winnebago Industries in Forest City and now Cummins in Lake Mills.
"We're banding together, agencies and concerned citizens," Peterson said. "This time we came up with the Caring Coalition, and we have everyone working on the same page."
They revamped the resource directory created during the 1980s and organized a resource fair for families to find out what services are available to assist them. Peterson said many families have left the area as a result of job losses, but Winnebago is now hiring again.
"People realize that Extension can be a neutral source for facilitating a variety of activities and groups," Peterson said. "Later today, the Community Foundation will be meeting here in our office. Extension was part of helping that process, developing that group. We collect applications for the granting process and help facilitate what needs to be done to help that board. Groups think of us as a neutral, nonthreatening partner that they can go to."