As the Guthrie County ISU Extension and Outreach office is closed to the public and its staff can’t physically interact with the community in the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re engaging the public online during Extension Week.

Program Coordinator Krista Downing says it was unfortunate for them to cancel all of the programming they had planned for this week as ISU Extension and Outreach has cancelled in-person events through May 31st. Downing adds they would also typically visit their community partners this week to thank them for their collaborations to best serve residents for their pillars of agriculture and the environment, business and community, families and healthy living, and 4-H & youth programming. Instead, Downing explains that they have been posting trivia questions on their Facebook page for prize giveaways, and are holding a coloring contest with the County’s elementary schools and assisted living facilities, for which they emailed materials to participants, “We’re still trying to show our support and our ‘Thank you’ and gratitude towards all of our partners. It’s just trying to be shown in a different way I guess, virtually versus in person.”

Guthrie County Extension has also tried to serve the needs of local 4-H and youth by sharing online resources and activities on their website and social media. Downing reminds residents that while their office doors are locked to the public, staff are still on hand to answer questions and assist those through phone or email at 641-747-2276 or xGuthrie@iastate.edu