Greene County ISU Extension celebrated the end of Extension Week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony of a new space on Friday.

The event started with the Java and Juice program with Jefferson Matters. Greene County Extension Director Lori Mannel acknowledged the Extension Council members who were in attendance, including the chair Scott Weber and secretary Shari Minnihan. She also introduced the Extension staff with Office Manager Cyndi Adamson, 4-H and Youth Coordinator Samantha Hardaway, Regional Director Rich Wragge, Family Financial Specialist Ryan Stuart, and Field Agronomist Mike Witt.

A $500 donation check presentation was made to the Jefferson Kiwanis Club for their willingness to help Extension with any project or program. 

A ribbon-cutting ceremony then took place as Mannel gave her appreciation to Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation and the Greene County Community Foundation for their respective grants to help pave the north parking lot, as well as a shelter house structure and picnic tables. Hardaway explains the primary plans for the new outdoor classrooms are for the summer youth workshops and camps.

“This just allows us to get outside with the kids, do activities outside with the kids, and then also just have some messy fun. For example, we’re doing ‘Ooey Gooey Science.’ That’s going to be full of fun, messy science activities and we can go outside and do those, in the outdoor classroom and not worry about making a mess because we can hose that down later. It just allows kids to get even more creative and get outside and enjoy that fresh air in the summer too.”   

GGCGC gave $60,000 and the Greene County Community Foundation gave $2,280.