Missouri

Since the beginning of the new school year, Missouri AgrAbility implemented six 4-H Save Your Brain SPIN Clubs in three counties and reached 413 youth. Staff currently are in the process of recruiting new Save Your Brain ambassadors for this 4-H program year. Missouri also had a couple local businesses who purchased shirts for the ambassadors, volunteers, and staff members who teach the 4-H Save Your Brain curriculum authored by 4-H Missouri, BIA MO, and Missouri AgrAbility. Brad Bell Logging, Tommi Alcorn (FNP), and Windmill Hill Farms graciously sponsored these shirts and some of the supplies needed for programs this fall. Supplies included eggs, pumpkins (used in place of watermelons for the "Don't Crack Your Melon" activity), paper products, snacks, and more. Staff also offered two trainings for volunteers and teen leaders this past month and will host another training next week. Additionally, MO AgrAbility established partnerships with three new school districts to offer 4-H Save Your Brain over the next six weeks.

David Middleton, MO AgrAbility consultant, attended the Hermann FFA Farm Safety Day on behalf of MU Extension Missouri AgrAbility and educated 80 students on power take-off safety. He also participated in the Missouri AgrAbility/MU Extension booth at the Ozark Fall Farmfest, October 7-9. The Ozark fall Farmfest is held annually on the first weekend of October at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, Missouri. With over 1,000 agricultural and rural living exhibits and more than 600 head of registered livestock on display, it has become the Ozark's largest event with over 60,000 agriculture enthusiasts in attendance over three days.

Missouri AgrAbility staff participated in the "Implementing Home Modifications in a Community-Based Setting" given by Emily Somerville. Emily is a faculty member at Washington University in the OT Department. She delivered home modifications and interventions for participants in the home and rural/urban communities with a variety of health conditions. Emily addressed best-practices for the home modification process and identified community partners for home modification delivery.

Submitted by Emily Doosing, David Middleton, and Karen Funkenbusch

Lincoln University Cooperative Extension (LUCE) Innovative Small Farmers Outreach Program (ISFOP) outreach workers utilized the Jessup Wagon 2.0 to provide an extending-the-growing-season train-the-trainer workshop for the Barry County Missouri Master Gardeners. They also assisted MU Extension's Missouri AgrAbility and 2501 Program with a high tunnel workshop for an urban veteran AgrAbility client farmer in Spanish Lake.

Submitted by Mary Bolling

Missouri AgrAbility was highlighted during the Brain Injury Association of Missouri (BIA-MO) Annual Statewide Conference through a presentation by Karen Funkenbusch, Missouri AgrAbility PI. Missouri AgrAbility was featured as the Rural Track sponsor with recognition as part of the conference welcome, event program, exhibit hall, and signage at these events.

Maureen Cunningham with BIA-MO shared successes of Missouri AgrAbility with brain injury program managers from across the country during an Access to Service workgroup of the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Grant federal program. Discussion included that brain injury is not a one-time event or final outcome; instead, that it can lead to and magnify various disabilities. Also highlighted was the importance of providing brain injury-related support and education for AgrAbility client farmers with diagnosed and undiagnosed brain injuries as well as marketing AgrAbility as a resource for farmers with brain injury.

Submitted by Maureen Cunningham