The Indiana AgrAbility Project/Breaking New Ground exhibited at the 2011 Indiana-Illinois Power Machinery Show at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, December 13-15. The exhibit included an AgrAbility tabletop display, an arthritis and agriculture tabletop display, resource materials, and a John Deere tractor with a Life Essentials lift and TommyJohn Quick Hitch. Also in the booth space was a map of Indiana displaying farm fatality numbers by county from the last 30 years and a grain entrapment display with a rescue tube supplied by the Purdue Health and Safety Program.
The Bridging Horizons Community Service Contest was re-launched at the beginning of January. Previously just for FFA chapters, the contest is now open to any youth or adult service organization in Indiana. Each entrant should complete a project that helps people with disabilities overcome physical barriers in their lives and communities. The groups receiving first, second, and third place will be rewarded with a cash prize (from non-AgrAbility funds). AgrAbility staff members are working with FFA, 4-H, and community service organizations around the state to try to raise awareness of the contest and encourage others to get involved in helping others in their communities.
Two Indiana AgrAbility clients were featured in the January issue of the Indiana Prairie Farmer magazine. The stories can be viewed as pdf documents from the Prairie Farmer website, http://magissues.farm progress.com/ipf/IN01Jan12/IN01%20to17.html, by clicking on pages 1, 6, and 7.
Submitted by Kylie Hendress
Amber Wolfe, AgrAbility coordinator for the Arthritis Foundation, gave a 90-minute presentation on Arthritis and Agriculture at the Indiana Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, December 9-10. In addition to her presentation, she also hosted an educational display table and gave a brief interview to the Hoosier Farmer magazine staff.
Submitted by Amber Wolfe