Co-Parenting for Resilience:  Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home.  A class is available for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home.  My next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 13, 2018. Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information.  This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.

Jefferson County OHCE will meet Tuesday, October 16 at 12:30 p.m. at the Jefferson County OSU Extension office located at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.  Lesson on “Essential Oils” will be presented by Pat McGriff.  Light food will be available.  Our November meeting will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 20.  The lesson “Repurposed Jars” will be presented by Tara Brown and will include a “You Make and Take” item – bring a clean empty pint-size jar.  Call 580-228-2332 for additional information.   Deborah Farrar is our Treasurer and is accepting dues at this time.

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

“October 2004 was the first National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. At that time, Facebook was less than a year old and neither the iPhone nor the Samsung Galaxy existed. In 2018, cybersecurity is more than just remembering to update antivirus software and recognizing a phishing attempt. Cybersecurity attacks continuously threaten our nation’s critical infrastructure, including transportation, utilities, public health, and financial services. Plus, the more that we integrate technology into our lives, the more vulnerable we become to cybersecurity threats.”

Tara Brown, Jefferson County OSU Extension Educator for Family & Consumer Sciences/4-H Youth Development recently attended the 2018 National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) conference in San Antonio, Texas.  Oklahoma had 31 delegates.  Tara is a member of the Financial Team which received three awards at the Southern Region level and two awards at the National level.  There were many workshops on using Social Media to getting information out to our public.  If you are a Facebook user, you will find Jefferson County OSU Extension at JeffersonCounty Osu Extension; Jefferson County 4-H page is JeffersonCounty Fourh.

We post information of interest – look us up!

Of course, you may contact our office at 580-228-2332 if you have questions.

JEFFERSON COUNTY FREE FAIR

Has been scheduled for Thursday, August 26 – noon Saturday, August 28.  Indoor entries are due by 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 25.  Baked items needing refrigeration may be brought in by 8 a.m. Thursday, August 26 morning – judging will take place Thursday, August 26.  Bring your creativity in crafts, arts, baked items, canned items, dehydrated foods, refurbished clothing or furniture, photography, Vintage items, Quilts, home grown fruits and vegetables, etc.  A fair book will be available prior to August.  There will be a Pet Show, Best Pie Maker and Best Cookie Jar contests!  Come join the fun!

Co-Parenting for Resilence: Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home.  A class for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home.  My next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, August 14, 2018 (there will be no class in July). Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information.  This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.

Jefferson County OHCE:   The 83rd Annual OHCE State Meeting will be held at the Embassy Suites/Downtown, Oklahoma City, Sunday evening July 8 through Tuesday, July 10.  Tara Brown, Jefferson County OHCE Advisor and others are planning to attend and will bring back educational materials and other information to share later.

Jefferson County Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service through Oklahoma State University offers researched-based programs and information.  Call 580-228-2332 or come to 802 East D’ Street (Jefferson County Fairgrounds and visit with Leland McDaniel, Extension Educator, Agriculture/ 4/H Youth Development and Tara Brown, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H Youth Development for questions you may have relating to Agriculture and/or Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H.

Ten Safety Tips for this 4th of July

Release date:    June 30, 2016

Release Number:   RV-NR-2016-05

CHICAGO –Ensure your Independence Day weekend is filled with celebration and not regret with these 10 fire safety tips, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region V office in Chicago:

1. Be sure fireworks are legal in your area before using or buying them.

2. Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities and never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks. Sparklers alone account for one quarter of emergency room fireworks injuries.

3. If you set off fireworks, keep a bucket of water handy in case of malfunction or fire.

4. If fireworks malfunction, don’t relight them! Douse and soak them with water then throw them away.

5. Never ignite fireworks in a container, especially one that is glass or metal.

6. Use your grill well away from your home and deck railings, and out from under branches or overhangs.

7. Open your gas grill before lighting.

8. Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below your gas or propane grill so it cannot be ignited.

9. Declare a three-foot “kid and pet-free zone” around the grill to keep them safe.

10. Avoid loose clothing that can catch fire when cooking on the grill.

You can find more information and tips on being fire safe this Fourth of July, by visiting www.usfa.fema.gov and be sure to download the FEMA app, available for Apple, Android and Blackberry mobile devices. The app includes home fire safety tips and reminders users can set to test smoke alarms (monthly), change smoke alarm batteries (yearly), and practice fire escape plans (every six months).

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Media Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf, 312-408-4455

Jefferson County Day Camp was held on Friday, June 29, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Jefferson County OSU Extension office.  Abby Davis, Ally Thomas, Heather Poage and Hannah Williams each painted and decoupage two flower pots; they each took one of their flower pots home and left the other to be entered into Jefferson County Free Fair.

Jefferson County OHCE (Oklahoma Home and Community Education) meet the 3rd Tuesdays in the Waurika Sr. Citizens Center unless otherwise noted. Tara Brown, Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development presented a “Slow Cooker Meals” program on Tuesday, April 17.  The program included Slow Cooker recipes for Zucchini Bread, Scalloped Potatoes and No-Frill Potato Soup.  Tara prepared and served Cinnamon apples which she had prepared in a slow cooker. The next meeting will be May 15 at 12 noon at Waurika Sr. Citizens’ Center.  Dr. Lynn Null, Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development, CED Comanche County will present “10 Minutes to the Table”.  Membership to OHCE is open to any individual. Contact Tara Brown for additional information. 

Upcoming lessons:  Tuesday, June 19: “Home Invasion/Self Defense” 

Upcoming events:    July 8-10: 83rd Annual OHCE meeting

Co-Parenting for Resilience:  Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home.  A class for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home is available monthly. Our next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information.  This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.

Open House:  Jefferson County Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Services staff is scheduled for Friday, May 18 from 11 a.m.  – 2 p.m.  Come meet your County Extension staff who are ready and willing to assist you with your questions concerning livestock, soil, forage, Food and Nutrition and more! Information is available on our website oces.okstate.edu/Jefferson and on our Facebook pages JeffersonCounty Fourh and JeffersonCounty Osu Extension.

Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Higher Education Act), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, genetic information, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, or status as a veteran, in any of its policies, practices or procedures.  This provision includes, but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. The Director of Equal Opportunity, 408 Whitehurst, OSU, Stillwater, OK 74078-1035; Phone 405-744-5371; email: eeo@okstate.edu has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies.  Any person who believes that discriminatory practices have been engaged in based on gender may discuss his or her concerns and file informal or formal complaints of possible violations of Title IX with OSU’s Title IX Coordinator 405-744-9154.

Save More at the Store

The smartest shoppers know that saving money is more than luck. When shopping for groceries, it’s about having a game plan and making smart decisions about what to put in your cart.

1. Ask for advice. Grocery stores, ethnic markets, dollar stores, retail supercenters, and wholesale clubs can offer good deals. Ask friends and family where they shop and find their best bargains!

2. Eat before you shop. Grocery shopping hungry can lead to impulse buying and unhealthy food choices.

3. Read the sales flyer. Sales flyers are usually released mid-week and can be found at the store’s entrance, in the newspaper, or on their website.

4. Use coupons – but only for items that you know you’ll use. If you don’t need an item right away, save the coupon and see if it goes on sale.  For more on couponing, check out Save More at the Grocery Store.

5. Look up and down for savings. Stores often stock the priciest items at eye level. You can save big by looking at the upper and lower shelves too.

6. Check for store brands. Most stores offer their own brand of products that often cost less than name brands.

7. Grab from the back. Stores typically stock shelves from back to front, placing the newest items behind the older ones. Reach in the back for the freshest items especially in the produce, dairy, and meat aisles.

8. Ask for a rain check. If a sale item has run out, ask the store for a rain check. This allows you to pay the sale price after the item is restocked.

9. Join your store’s loyalty program. Most stores offer a free loyalty program. Get special offers and discounts that non-members do not.

10. Think outside the store. Farmers markets and farm stands can be great options for picking up fresh produce at a discount.  Check the National Farmers Market Directory for locations near you.