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July 2009

National AgrAbility Project News

Bill Field spent much of a week recently in Montana working with individuals representing FSA, Farm Bureau, Montana State University, Dull Knife Indian Reservation, Arthritis Foundation and other groups attempting to organize a new AgrAbility effort. More

The National AgrAbility Project participated as an exhibitor at the 2009 RESNA Conference in New Orleans June 25-27, 2009. Steve Swain also presented a workshop entitled Assessment Tools and Strategies to Assist Military Veterans with Disabilities Return to Agricultural Employment Using Assistive Technology.  More

The AgrAbility accessible tractor rolled through Goodwill Industries International’s annual  Delegate Assembly (DA) in Indianapolis, promoting it’s mission of enabling a lifestyle of high quality for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities, so that they, their families, and their communities continue to succeed in rural America. More

The next AgrAbility all-staff call is scheduled for Tuesday, July 28 at 3:00 EDT / 2:00 CDT / 1:00 MDT / 12:00 PDT. The NAP plans to send out the agenda and call-in numbers soon.

Help spread the word about the 2009 AgrAbility National Training Workshop in Grand Rapids. Direct your customers and interested professionals to the conference site at http://ntw2009.agrability.org/.

Bill Field was named an ASABE Fellow at their most recent annual conference. More

Amber Wolfe attended the SASDA Conference (Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from June 14-18. More

State and Regional AgrAbility Project News

California

CalAgrAbility staff has been updating their expertise by attending the Wisconsin Farm Assessment training in Madison and the Farm Safety Institute Conference in Louisiana. More

CalAgrAbility has continued regular meetings with Purdue to publish the Spanish version of Arthritis and Agriculture in fotonovela format. More

Along with the California Arthritis Foundation, CalAgrAbility is also finalizing the Spanish version of "Taking the Reins" a training module targeting farm workers. More

Colorado

Colorado AgrAbility conducted its 3rd annual workshop  “Rehabilitating the Colorado Farmer and Rancher.” More

Indiana

Breaking New Ground Outreach Program/Indiana AgrAbility awarded two FFA Chapters cash prizes (from non-AgrAbility funds) for their projects entered in the Bridging Horizons FFA Contest. More

Amber Wolfe and Jenny Conder staffed an AgrAbility booth from the Arthritis Foundation at the Indiana Rural Health Association Conference from June 9-11. More

Missouri

The Missouri AgrAbility Project sent six staff members representing the University of Missouri Extension, Centers for Independent Livings, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and  Volunteer Coordinator to the AgrAbility Ag Assessment Training in Madison, Wisconsin. More

Angie Fletcher, South Central Region AgrAbility Co-Coordinator presented "Protecting Your Head From Traumatic Head Injury" at the summer 4-H camp. More

During the month of June, Karen Funkenbusch presented four AgrAbility related programs across the state of Missouri. More

Nebraska

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) held its annual meeting this week in Reno, Nevada, with team members Bill Booker and Ron Yoder attending. Bill Booker, UNL Extension Educator and co-manager of Nebraska AgrAbility, presented a paper at the meeting featuring NE AgrAbility client, Eric Beckman. More

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, Vocational Rehabilitation Area A Training – Sandra Stevenson, AgrAbility Program Manager, conducted training to approximately 130 DRS Counselors on June 29, 2009. More

Oklahoma AgrAbility Extension – Changes have arrived!  The National AgrAbility Project now has a new look. So, Oklahoma does too. We are seeing green!. More

Tennessee-Kentucky

Tennessee AgrAbility is pleased to announce that Tennessee-Kentucky AgrAbility Project have formed a partnership and will be working together as a team. More

Staff Changes

Nebraska

Victoria Lipovsky has joined the Nebraska AgrAbility team and following training, will become the program manager for Easter Seals Nebraska.  Victoria is training as a Work Incentive Specialist with ESN, and will assume other duties later this summer.  We welcome her expertise and look forward to working with her.

Oklahoma

Stacy Bauter comes to the AgrAbility project as a program assistant. She is a Stillwater native and completed her Bachelor’s degree in Human Development Family Sciences with a Child and Family Services option in 2008. More

Tennessee-Kentucky

Mary Gardner will replace Michelle Morse as the Easter Seals contact, and the project would like to introduce Stephen Penick as the contact for Tennessee State University.  Stephen comes to TN-KY AgrAbility as an assistant professor with the occupational therapy department.

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Problems? Contact Clifford Racz, National AgrAbility Project, racz@purdue.edu