Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association is a membership organization dedicated to education, leadership and volunteer service.

KEHA was originally developed in cooperation with the UK Cooperative Extension Service.

Across the state, county Family and Consumer Sciences agents work closely with KEHA members and clubs to provide educational programming and coordinate community activities.

Clark County Homemakers has nearly 250 members with 12 clubs and one specialty group.

Several of the Clark County Homemakers attended KEHA’s 86th annual State Meeting at the Crowne Plaza in Louisville May 14-16.

More than 575 attendees from across the state, including 95 first-time participants, took part in the three-day meeting celebrating the theme “The Sun Shines Bright.”

The annual state meeting provides a time for training, networking, recognition and celebration.

Attendees participated in educational seminars addressing topics ranging from physical activity to email scams to volunteer service.

A series of concurrent workshops provided training in each of KEHA’s eight educational program areas of emphasis.

It was also an opportunity for our Area Cultural Arts winners to have their items showcased in the state competition.

Eleven Clark County Homemakers had pieces eligible to participate in the State Cultural Arts competition. They were Alex Barnett, Betty Bonar, Elizabeth Chalfant, Sallie Evans, Frances Hampton, Marshia Hawkins, Claudia Puckett, Pam Price Reffitt, Jean Rose and Joan Wise. Their work is simply amazing.

In addition to our cultural arts entries, we had a Homemaker who entered the KEHA Creative Writing: Poetry, Memoirs and Short Story contest. Debra Ann Revell, a long-time resident of Clark County, won the first place award with her short story titled “The Locket.”

Debra was the KEHA 2018 second-place award winner for her story “The Valentine’s Day Contest” and was also the 2016 third-place winner with her story titled “Grandma’s New Year’s Eve History Lesson.”

Debra has been a creative writer since attending Lee High School in Huntsville, Alabama. She is a member and treasurer of the Winchester-Clark County Writers organization, which meets at the Clark County Public Library on the second Tuesday of each month. We are so proud of her.

This year, KEHA celebrated 42 years of support for the UK Ovarian Cancer Research and Screening Program with the presentation of awards during the opening banquet.

Dr. Edward Pavlik, ovarian cancer screening research director, was presented with a check for $46,567.69, raising KEHA’s lifetime contribution to the program to just less than $1.5 million.

A new feature of this year’s meeting was an on-site service project.

KEHA members from across the state spent time between sessions knitting and crocheting squares to create colorful, child-sized blankets. In total, 55 blankets were completed for donation.

Additional squares and yarn were provided to members in attendance to finish comfort blankets to be donated to facilities across the state.

Homemakers love giving back to their communities in such wonderful ways.

Clark County Homemakers are involved in our community here in Winchester and we invite you to learn more about the organization by calling the Clark County Cooperative Extension or checking out the website: clark.ca.uky.edu.

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.