By Penny Vance, FCS Agent Bradley County Extension Office
LITTLE ROCK — As one of the largest volunteer organizations in the state, members of the Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council “Shine Bright”. Hundreds of members recently gathered at the organization’s annual state meeting in Little Rock to elect new officers, attend education classes, and learn new skills. The theme for this year’s event was “Shine Bright” and members shine as they fulfill their mission of community service, leadership development, and improving quality of life.
Held June 3-5 at the Holiday Inn Little Rock Airport Conference Center, members from more than 300 clubs across 60 counties traveled from all over the state to attend. The meeting’s agenda included educational skills classes on topics such as navigating healthcare-related scams, mental health and stress, heart disease, identity theft, forest fires and more.
“I really enjoyed this year’s state meeting,” said Judy Simmons, member of the Bradley County Friendship Club, “It’s always great to visit with members from other counties, and it serves as a reminder that together, we’re a powerful force in our communities.”
During the meeting, Delta, Ouachita and Ozark District directors for the organization shared project book awards for their districts. In their project books, clubs keep track of community service projects, volunteer hours and donations collected. Several EHC clubs gathered funds, toiletries, and new mother supplies for women’s crisis centers in their communities, while others committed dozens of volunteer hours to craft pillows and quilts for local veterans and hospital patients.
Arkansas EHC is part of the National Volunteer Outreach Network, comprised of member organizations from 10 states, with more than 30,000 members. Arkansas EHC is also an affiliate of the Country Women’s Council of the United States, which is in turn part of the Associated Country Women of the World, an international organization that focuses on issues impacting rural women. ACWW is the largest international women’s organization, with more than nine million members in 84 countries.
“Associated Country Women of the World is an organization of volunteer women and men like us, who want to improve their community, their life, their being,” said Karen Bell Fox, Arkansas EHC secretary. “We are represented at the United Nations. We want you to understand that you all art part of the big picture.”
Members attending the State Meeting: Judy Simmons, Penny Vance, Donna McGaha, and Tabitha Herrington
Visit the Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council webpage for more information, or contact Penny Vance at the Bradley County Extension Office.To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
