PORT ANGELES — Clallam County’s Washington State University Extension Office is sprouting programs like vegetables at its demonstration gardens, commissioners learned Monday.
Extension Director Clea Rome said the office she oversees is serving more citizens by adding programs and expanding mainstays like Master Gardeners and 4-H Youth Development.
“We have quite a few new, exciting programs,” she said.
For every dollar the county spends on WSU Extension, it gets $6 back for operations from grants and administrative support from the Pullman-based university, Rome said.
“It’s not a bad investment on your dollar, and we really, really appreciate your support and our 100-plus year partnership,” Rome told commissioners in their weekly work session.
One-year memorandum
Commissioners are expected to renew a one-year memorandum of agreement with WSU Extension next Tuesday.
If approved, the county would contribute $24,547 to the director’s salary and $14,900 for the 4-H youth development program leader. Clallam County budgeted a total of $269,478 for WSU Extension in 2016.
The county Extension office offers program areas of food and farms, health and nutrition, Master Gardeners, 4-H and youth development and waste reduction.
Volunteers with Master Gardeners and 4-H, the two largest programs, invest more than 10,000 volunteer hours per year, Rome said. That has a value of about $200,000, she said.
“Those numbers get lost sometimes,” Commissioner Mike Chapman said. “It’s important to emphasize.”
Since Rome became director five years ago, the Clallam County Extension office has grown its staff from three to seven.
“We’ve more than doubled our staff and we have quite a few new program areas that we’re operating in that are touching lives all around the county,” Rome said.
“So that’s something that we’re all proud of, and we work really hard and are committed and passionate about what we do.”
Nearly 300 students in the 4-H Youth Development program are raising animals and learning about science, math, leadership and government from a team of about 80 volunteers, Rome said.
Jenny Schmidt, Clallam County’s 4-H program coordinator, “really continues to infuse tremendous new energy into that program,” Rome said.
Schmidt was teaching a problem-solving curriculum to middle school teachers Monday.
“We don’t just educate kids,” Rome said. “We’re working with adults, too.”
Thanks to new programming and new outreach, nearly half of the students in the 4-H program joined in the past year, Rome said.
“We’re a pretty good well-kept secret, unfortunately, but [Schmidt] has been really active in recruiting new volunteers who are helping to spread the word that it isn’t just about raising a cow,” Rome said.
“It’s actually a whole wide variety of programs that kids can be involved in.”
Training for work
Master Gardeners received 100 hours of training from WSU in exchange for 100 hours of volunteer work in the past two years, Rome said.
More than 100 Master Gardeners share their knowledge at demonstration gardens at the Woodcock Garden near Sequim and the Fifth Street Community Garden in Port Angeles.
“We’re not just about pretty flowers, although we do have plenty of those at those sites,” Rome said.
Master Gardeners teach about beneficial insects and pollinators, proper use of fertilizers and pesticides, stormwater management and growing food to increase food security.
“Master Gardeners, like 4-H, have a huge, wide reach across the county and Lorrie [Hamilton] is amazing in leading that program,” Rome said.
Waste reduction is a new program that began during Rome’s tenure.
“Nearly one-fifth of what’s thrown away in Clallam County is food waste,” she said.
“One fifth. And much of it is fresh, quality usable food. And at the same time, 16 percent of the households in Clallam County are food insecure and often unable to buy food that their family needs.”
Clallam County Extension has two “highly skilled” AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) volunteers this year, Rome said.
The office, which is based in the historic Clallam County Courthouse, offers a nutrition assistance program that works with schools, food banks and community organizations.
“As you can see, we have a ton of stuff going on,” Rome said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.