Indiana AgrAbility staffed a display at the 2014 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Professional Development Conference held in West Lafayette, Indiana. The conference is the annual gathering for extension educators from the 92 counties and the campus extension specialists. The display was part of the showcase that is a way for programs to present to the educators information about their programs or departments. The AgrAbility display featured AgrAbility publications and services to veterans, in addition to USDA programs specifically for veterans.
Steve Swain, the rural rehabilitation specialist for Indiana AgrAbility, made a presentation to the Purdue University Collegiate FFA chapter about AgrAbility services and the Bridging Horizons Community Service Contest. The contest challenges organizations to conduct low cost community service projects, submit a report on the project, and win money for their efforts. Steve also met with the community service committee following the meeting to provide more specific information about the contest.
The Purdue University Ag Council hosted a pork barbeque cookout for the College of Agriculture. Prior to the cookout, there was a contest to raise money for AgrAbility by paying for a faculty member to kiss a pig. Steve Swain attended the cookout (somebody had to do it), did a short presentation about AgrAbility, and accepted a donation from the Ag Council to help further the outreach to farmers with disabilities.
Submitted by Steve Swain