Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Shonda Johnston

October 10-16, the Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (KEHA) is celebrating KEHA week across the state. Established in 1932, the state organization’s 13,455 members are dedicated to learning, leading, serving. It is a volunteer organization that works to improve the quality of life for families and communities through leadership development, volunteer service, and education. KEHA operates in partnership with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, specifically the County Agents for Family and Consumer Sciences who work closely with members to provide educational programming and coordinate community activities.

Volunteer service is a strong emphasis in KEHA. Members annually report more than 411,000 volunteer hours in support of Extension and community projects with a value that exceeds $9.1 million dollars to the Commonwealth. Since 1977, KEHA has actively supported the University of Kentucky Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

Donations in the forty-four-year history of this project total more than $1.5 million.

Our local Clark County Homemakers have over 200 members who serve their community in a variety of ways. Homemakers sponsor RDC and GRC food bag program, organize the home economics entries at the Clark County Fair, encourage awareness about Ovarian Cancer, donate to Operation Happiness, Clark County Community Services programs, and much more. Homemakers provides a space to learn and teach heritage skills and cultural arts, serve the community in variety of ways, as well as fellowship with other individuals who share common interests.

To celebrate KEHA week, the Clark County Homemakers will be hosting a free open house at the Extension Office on Thursday October 14th from 5:30-7:00pm in the back parking lot at 1400 Fortune Drive. Come eat and take time to learn about the 10 current homemaker clubs as well as how to become a Clark County Homemaker. The weather is supposed to be great and the food and company will be even better.

If you have any questions or would like additional information about the Clark County Homemakers, please call the office.

Shonda Johnston is the Clark County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences. She can be reached at 859-744-4682 or by email at shonda.johnston@uky.edu.