JULY/AUGUST 2001 Newsletter; Edition Number 85

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Epsilon Sigma Phi               The Cooperative Extension Professionals' Organization

Milan A. Rewerts, Colorado State University, has been selected to receive the 2001 National Distinguished Service Ruby Award. He will deliver the prestigious Ruby Lecture at this year's Epsilon Sigma Phi National Conference in Albany, New York.

The Distinguished Service Ruby Award is the highest and most prestigious award presented by Epsilon Sigma Phi and is designed to recognize truly outstanding thinking, performance and leadership in Cooperative Extension. His ESP colleagues in Colorado wrote... "Commitment to excellence, innovation, and leadership exemplify Milan Rewerts in his role as Director of Cooperative Extension. He is respected for his administrative skills and communication style that fosters productive work among staff."

As Director for Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, he has consistently demonstrated leadership and support for teamwork within the organization, as well as at state and national levels. His efforts have been guided by the vision he has for CSUCE--that Cooperative Extension will provide excellent, relevant educational programs on issues of critical social and economic importance to Coloradoans and be a "local campus" of Colorado State University in communities throughout the state. To this end he initiated CE2000, Building a New Foundation, a system-wide initiative to strengthen Cooperative Extension's organizational structure and function and focus on critical issues affecting Coloradoans into and beyond the year 2000. Mr. Rewerts has spent his 35-year Extension career in the state of Colorado. After serving as Interim State Director for five years, he was name Director of CSU Cooperative Extension in 1995. Previous Extension positions include two years as Personnel Director, eight years as District Director and thirteen years as a 4-H agent. He served in the Army for two years as an Ordnance Officer and in the Army Reserve for 27 years retiring with the rank of Colonel in 1993. He holds a BS in Agricultural Science from the University of Illinois and a MEd in Adult Education from Colorado State University. He has completed 58 credits past the MEd in educational administration and management.

Leadership positions he has held include the ECOP Executive Committee and Chair of ECOP/PODC and Chair for the Western Region Extension Directors. Because of his reputation as an innovative and effective leader for Cooperative Extension, he has been asked to present to the ESP National Conference, the New Extension Directors/Administrators National Conference, the USDA CSREES Administrative Management National Conference and various other leadership development conferences.

Milan has received three University distinguished service awards at Colorado State University during his career. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Agriculture and Rural Leadership Council and the Colorado 4-H Youth Fund, Inc. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Fort Collins.

Letters of congratulation can be sent to Milan A. Rewerts at Cooperative Extension, I Administration Building, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-4040.

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ABSOLUTELY ALBANY!
JC Shaver and New York Local Arrangements Committee

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Absolutely Albany! That is the Convention and Visitor's Bureau catch phrase and it is quite appropriate for this old/new city by the Hudson River. In addition to Albany itself, a short drive gets you to:

• The mountains (New York's Adirondacks and Catskills, Vermont's Green Mountains and the Berkshires of Massachusetts).
• The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
• New York City and all it has to offer.
• Historic places such as Fort Ticonderoga or Hyde Park (FDR Home and Vanderbilt Mansion)

Invitation! If you weren't in Salt Lake last fall, you missed the invitation to participate in the ESP 2001 Conference in Albany, New York this September 19-22. On reading this, you are now officially invited.

We have taken the nickname "Empire State" and turned it into the theme Empire Builders: Extension's Bole in Developing a Civil Society for this first ESP conference of the new millennium. What could be more appropriate? We have the advantage of looking back at what is essentially the first century of Cooperative Extension in the United States. A quick glance reveals that our predecessors built what is arguably the most effective agricultural production system in the world. They created things like rural electrification, the soil conservation service and a life that was significantly more economically viable than what had preceded them. At the end of this century, what will people say we have built? Will we have built a society that puts a higher value on life so children don't kill other children? Will we have found a way to sustain present lifestyles without destroying the environment? Will we have reduced the gap between haves and have nots, between rural and urban, between people of different races? In essence, will we have created a more civil society than we live in today?

Keynote speakers are vital to any conference and the three scheduled for Albany are top quality. They include:

• James Garbarino, nationally recognized for his expertise on child and family issues.
• J.L. Chestnut, Selma, Alabama's first black attorney who will speak about building a more civil society during the 1960s.
• Scott Peters, whose work provides him a unique perspective on civic responsibility and community building.

But more important than keynoters are conference participants. Make plans now to bring your knowledge and ideas to make the 2001 ESP Conference a success. See you in Albany!

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WHAT'S NEW? - THE GLOBAL RELATIONS LINK
JoAnn Mathis Ross, Chair, National Global Relations Committee

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Even though the Global Relations Link (http://www.uwyo.edu/ces/esp/espinternational.htm) is in its infancy, ESP members are invited to visit this web site for accessing international work opportunities. This database, a work in progress, will eventually be used internally and externally to: 1) advertise agencies offering international work opportunities, 2) list opportunities and/or experiences for Extension educators on diversity and multi-cultural training, and 3) post names of Extension professionals experienced in international work.

As this web site grows and matures, it should be a valuable networking vehicle. In expanding this database, each chapter president is asked to designate a Global Relations Representative who will serve as a liaison between their local chapter and our national committee. Each representative will then complete a Global Relations Survey that will help identify those individuals with international work experience. If your chapter has not designated a Global Relations Representative, please send name and B-mail address to Jo Ann Mathis Ross, Global Relations Chair at joannmr@ext.usu.edu.

For more information about the Global Relations Link or international experience, plan to attend a concurrent session at this year's ESP National Conference in Albany, New York. Nancy Crago, Phillip Rosenlund and Dale M. Johnson will discuss, "International Experience - An Ultimate Opportunity for Personal and Professional Growth. " This concurrent session is sponsored by the Global Relations Committee.

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2001 REGIONAL EPSILON SIGMA PHI AWARD WINNERS

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Northeast Region

Regional Distinguished Service Award--James E. Welshans, Pennsylvania
Regional Distinguished Mid Career--Cathleen Martin Sheils, New York

Human Development Implementation Team Regional Distinguished Team Award--New Jersey
Maryilou Rochford Anne-Michelle Marsden Cheryl Stamato Roberta Moseley Nancy Scotto-Rosatto	Jane Herman Ann Rhinesmith Elizabeth Levin Sylvia Ridlen Maria Young

North Central Region

Regional Distinguished Service Award--Charles H. Bell, Ohio
Regional Distinguished Mid Career--Sharon Strouse, Ohio
Regional Distinguished International Service--Dale Safrit, Ohio

Consumer and Family Economics Work Group Regional Distinguished Team Award--Illinois
Susan Taylor Kathy Sweedler Lois Smith	Pat Hildebrand Evie Prasse Barb Cooper

Southern Region

Regional Distinguished Service Award--Bernadette Watts, North Carolina
Regional Distinguished Mid Career--Joan E. Marsh, Georgia
Regional Distinguished International Service--Satish Verma, Louisiana

Video Training for Landscape Management Employees Regional Distinguished Team Award--Georgia
Joan E. Marsh Marco T. Fonseco Mark Banta	Gary L. Wade E. Randall Drinkard Judy Sharpton

Western Region

Regional Distinguished Service Award--Neil Larry Meyer, Idaho
Regional Distinguished Mid Career--Terry Egan, Montana

Planttalk Regional Distinguished Team Award--Colorado
Jim Klett Barbara Bates Megan Gross Nan Mejia Mary Small Roberta Tolan Anthony J. Koski Steve Newman David Whiting	Kerrie Badertscher Robert Cox Joe Julian Laura Pottorff Jim Smith Carl Wilson Dell Rae Mollenberg Milan Rewerts Ruth Willson

• Duane Johnson, Membership Recruitment & Retention
• Lawrence Madsen, Public Issues
• Pat Tengel, ESP Foundation Board of Trustees

• Duane Johnson, Member Services
• Lawrence Madsen, Public Issues
• Pat Tengel, ESP Foundation Board of Trustees
• Eleanor Wilson, Professional Development & National Conference

• Mary Ann Genson, Alpha Sigma Chapter, Wisconsin
• Duane Johnson, Gamma Chapter, Oregon
• John Peterson, Pi Chapter, Minnesota

ESP Professionalism Scholarships
have been awarded to:

• Chris Boleman, Alpha Zeta Chapter, Texas
• Barbara Lupo, Alpha Phi, South Carolina
• Donna Woitaszewski, Eta Chapter, Wyoming

Bob served on the Epsilon Sigma Phi National Board as Regional Vice President from 1996 to 1998, serving as Chair of the Public Issues Committee. He was on the National Professional Development Committee in 2000 and is currently active on the Galaxy II Planning Committee. He served as President, Vice President and Secretary of Theta Chapter between 1992 and 1996.

Bob has developed Extension programs in livestock waste management, 4-H livestock programs, and farm financial management. He is considered an expert in livestock waste management and is also often contacted to provide presentations on the status of the agricultural economy in the region.

As a result of Bob's leadership ability, he has been selected to serve on numerous college-level committees. Recently, he served as the Interim District Director for Idaho Extension's District II1, composed of l I counties in the most agriculturally productive area of the state. Under his leadership, a new 5-year plan of work was developed to meet the needs of local clientele while incorporating the national Extension initiatives.

Election of the new National Second Vice President will occur at the National Business Meeting in Albany, NY on September 22, 2001.

• Invite, invite, and invite life members to continue their participation in your ESP chapter!
• Actively recruit life members to serve as officers, committee chairs and committee members.
• Plan workshops and activities especially for retirees and those close to retirement to build relationships between current and future life members. The Indiana "Nifty 50's Plus Club" is one model to try.
• Make sure that all communications sent from the chapter are sent to life members. Consider sending a special invitation to life members to participate in chapter meetings and events.
• Provide some financial assistance for life members to participate in state and national meetings and/or to support their participation on chapter committees and in leadership roles.
• Identify short-term chapter projects that life members can take the leadership for organizing and completing. For example, you might invite life members to conduct a special fund raiser for a statewide project, plan a special event to honor an individual or group of people who have supported extension, or provide training for mid-career faculty and staff as they begin to plan for retirement.
• Establish a life member leadership position on your chapter board to serve as the eyes, ears and voice of this large segment of ESP membership.
• Create a chapter award for service following retirement. Recognize a "Retiree of the Year".
• Collect e-mail addresses from life members for quick communication and add life members to your chapter list serve. Don't forget, however, that some life members will still need mail or phone communication! Keep an updated directory of all retirees, not just life members, and distribute annually to retirees.

If you have a chapter newsletter, designate a "Life Member's Comer" as a way to share interesting news and information about life members.

Life members have lots of experience, skills and wisdom and are a resource for Epsilon Sigma Phi. They can be wonderful advocates for Extension if they are kept informed about state and national needs and initiatives. Your ESP Chapter can Grow and Go when life members are actively involved!

(Note: Special thanks to the ESP Life Member Task Force for identifying ways to keep life members involved in ESP.)

These workshops are for chapter leadership teams. Nationally, ESP provides a $300/chapter stipend to help defray travel costs. The Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences is handling the arrangements and will announce further details in the near future.

From hosting a special luncheon to using a "Working with the Legislator" tool kit, Extension educators have developed a myriad of experiences to cultivate future political support of Extension programs.

Alpha Eta Chapter of Ohio conducts a legislative luncheon. Extension clientele personally invite the legislators to the function. The day begins with an orientation for the clientele, instructing them in proper ways to greet and talk to legislators. During the luncheon, clientele and Extension staff dine with legislators and discuss local programs. A program about Extension is presented and public thanks are given to legislators. Clientele follow up with a letter to the legislators thanking them for attending and for their support of Extension programs.

In Montana, requests for additional tools and guidance in what agents could and could not do in working with local, state and national elected officials to build support for Extension led to the development of a tool kit for working with legislators. Based on Michigan's "Building Support for Extension Challenge Today", this tool kit is now part of new worker training and is updated by the legislative committee. Contacting local decision makers was implemented on a statewide basis with a follow-up "MSU Day on the Hill" during the Montana legislative session in 1999. Each area of Extension had a booth in the rotunda of the state capital to educate the legislators along with their legislative assistants and employees on Extension programming in Montana. The build-up to the event and the "Day on the Hill" were evaluated highly and repeated this 2001 Legislative Session. Montana's legislature meets biennially. Extension professional organizations sponsor a lunch served in the rotunda during the event, which facilitates getting everyone into the rotunda to interact with the booths and Extension personnel. The awareness about the quality and results of Extension programming in Montana has been enhanced by the biennial event and ongoing contacts with decision makers.

University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension personnel have found several ways to keep Extension issues before state legislators and local stakeholders. Each year during the recess from regular legislative business, Extension educators host a breakfast, coffee, or luncheon at local extension offices, and invite area legislators. Programs are showcased and issues are addressed. Legislators and other government officials are also invited to speak during field days, conferences and workshops providing another opportunity for interaction and to see Extension at work and to learn from others who are attending and presenting at the same event. As a result of this close relationship, Extension educators are often called upon as a source of valued and unbiased information.

The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service invites legislative assistants to visit agricultural research stations around the state. The congressional aides are taken around the state. The congressional aides are taken around their congressional districts to show them what Extension is doing.

In Iowa, a writing assignment is incorporated into activities of a new intergenerational Internet program to provide an electronic connection with stakeholders. The program involves middle school kids teaching Internet skills to the elderly. One of the assignments calls for participants to write an e-mail to thank their legislators for funding Extension and the technology for the program.

To help PILD Conference participants better prepare for this year's visits to Capitol Hill, the National ESP Public Issues Committee developed an "Impact Statements" resource list to provide examples of effective county, state and multi-state impact reports. The document, which also contains several helpful resources on how to write strong impact reports, will be available on the national ESP web site at http://esp-nat.tamu.edu/impact01.htm.

Those who have been around as long as l have (32 years) will remember that not too many years ago it was taboo for an agent in a county to get involved in legislative matters, or at least it was in Indiana and Florida. I am happy to say that I have seen a total shift in administrative philosophy regarding this policy. The PILD (Public Issues Leadership Development) Conference provides an excellent opportunity for agents and educators to receive hands on learning skills to better prepare them for this new challenge and responsibility. We are seeing that the greatest lobby for our Land Grants and Cooperative Extension exists within our volunteers and program users. The best place to see this linkage is at the congressional district level. It is incumbent that we know our legislators and they know us. PILD takes us to the next level.

I think we assume "everyone" knows about Cooperative Extension and the great job we are doing in our counties in youth development, nutrition education, agricultural production and community development. 1 was amazed how little we are known (or appreciated) by those in Washington D. C., especially those within our own USDA family. The PILD conference also gives us an opportunity as participants to educate and inform those who make policy in USDA.

I urge each ESP member to take it to the next level and apply for the 2002 PILD scholarship. More importantly, I urge members to personally get acquainted with their representatives in Washington and involve them in your programs back home.

...RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY
Daniel F. Perkins, Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University

I had the wonderful opportunity of attending the PILD conference with $500 of support from ESP. Thanks ESP for your support! This was my first time being involved with PILD. Moreover, this was my first time meeting with legislators. This conference and the legislative visits provided me with an incredible professional development experience. One workshop, in particular, provide me with a hands-on policy making session that facilitated my understanding of what it is like to be a member of Congress, at least in a small way. Let me tell you that it looks easier than it is.

For the rest of this article, I would like to highlight the "lessons learned" from the trip to the HILL. First, legislators are people who like to keep informed about what is happening in their Districts. I was told by several aides that legislators like to receive an annual report (or at least read the highlights). By the way, you often meet with the aides instead of the representatives. Second, the trip to the hill facilitated my understanding of what is meant by the statement, "all politics are local." On two occasions, when I had a success story to share about a program Extension was doing in their county, the representative would perked up and was thrilled to hear it. Moreover, several representatives and aides mentioned how much legislators enjoy their constituents stopping by and visiting them in their district offices. Third, "don't be a afraid to ask," rang true as several of the representatives' aides encouraged me to think of the representative as a potential guest speaker or even a guest at a big event like an awards banquet. Lastly and most importantly, I think the PILD experience has taught me, once again, that relationships are key in our business. As Extension personnel, we need to build and maintain strong relationships with our local, state, and national legislators.

The Alpha Sigma Chapter of Wisconsin served as the host chapter. They rendered a series of most interesting songs and stunts, one of which was a Greeting Song, Epsilon Sigma Phi, with words and music by T. L. Bewick, a member of Alpha Sigma Chapter and the Boys" and Girls' Club Leader for Wisconsin. It is a beautiful melodious harmony with a lilt to it and worthy of being sung at every chapter meeting."

Excerpts from Epsilon Sigma Phi Yearbook, 1933

EPSILON SIGMA PHI SONG

When we gather in friendly communion
Let's salute Epsilon Sigma Phi
With a song that may weld into union
A friendship that never will die.
For we know that when singing together
All the clouds disappear from the sky
So let's sing tho' it's stormy the weather
Hail to Thee Epsilon Sigma Phi.

Now appeareth some travelers before us
Whom a decade of service have seen
They are tired and true ones of the order
Who seek entrance thru what they have been.
Let's arise and bid welcome the strangers
Touch their hearts and put light in their eyes
Bid them welcome to all our dominion
Hail to The Epsilon Sigma Phi.

This year we are asking each state to bring 2 or more items valued at over $20, and we encourage higher valued items ($50 and up) to help us reach our goal. The more items we have, the more fun and funds [Some suggested items: baskets of items from your state, wine, gift certificates (perhaps from local companies that have web sites), jewelry, donations from companies located in your state, and memorabilia from Extension programs (4-H, ESP, etc).

It would help if you could let us know what items you are bringing and their estimated potential value. Send an email with information about the items and your name/state to karl4@cornell.edu. If you want to ship items in advance you can send them Att: Rosalie Pantler- for ESP National Meeting, CCE Albany Regional Office, 90 State Street, Suite 600, Albany, NY 12207.

• Hold state ESP meetings at different times during the year- fall meetings attract a limited group of people.
• Send a letter of invitation to prospective members and follow up with personal contacts for encouragement. Ask people to join.
• Share information about the benefits of joining ESP with potential members
• Invite new staff to be recognized at annual extension conference. Ask them to come as a guest to a breakfast meeting with the state ESP board so they can meet the board and learn about ESP.
• Send the total membership a blanket e-mail to remind them of the due date of their membership renewal!
• Encourage payment of dues at the state ESP annual meeting. Additional idea: Have a raffle for those who pay their dues at the annual meeting and have the raffle "prize" be a refund of ½ of their dues)
• Identify key leadership people in the state who know the work of county staff and encourage these people to nominate ESP members. Spend some time helping these key leadership people understand ESP so they promote membership.
• In states where there is an "umbrella organization" that develops a flier promoting each of the member organizations, make sure that the description of ESP is current. Encourage ESP members to have this application bandy so they can promote ESP.
• Send reminder notices to members who have not renewed.
• Invite 2 or 3 people a year to join and treat it as a special honor ...Keep informing educators about the need to have a strong state ESP.
• Make state ESP awards available to all professional staff and if the winner is not an ESP member, pay their dues for the first year. In following years involve award winners in ESP state activities.

• 2002 National Conference October 16-19, 2002 Lexington, KY
• Galaxy II
  September 21-25, 2003 Salt Lake City, UT
• 2004 National ESP Conference
  September 14 - 19, 2004 Quad Cities, IL

The first week in July, I participated in the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) in Providence, RI. It was great to see so many ESP leaders (past and present...I counted no less than three former National ESP Presidents) and many members. It was exciting to see Tahira Hira, Associate Provost at Iowa State and ESP member, installed as the 2002 AAFCS President. Additionally, the following ESP members were recognized as AAFCS Leaders: Sharon Hoelscber-Day, Kappa, Arizona; Anna Mac Kobbe, Mu, USDA; Dianne Lennon, Alpha XI, New Jersey; Joyce Jones, Alpha Rho, Kansas; and Lnanne Hughes, Alpha XI, New Jersey, was recognized as a new achiever. Congratulations!

The following are two National Board actions that you need to know:

• Life/Retiree Scholarship Changed for 2002: The Life/Retiree Scholarship will become a registration reduction for all life/retiree members attending the 2002 National Conference. This action by the National Board is based on input from the Life Member Survey and the Recruitment/Retention and Member Services Committees.
• 2004 National ESP Conference Awarded: The National Board voted on May 21 to accept the bid from Illinois to host the 2004 National ESP Conference, September 14-19, 2004, in the Quad Cities which include: Moline, IL. and Davenport, IA.

MEET ME IN NEW YORK!