Coneuch

The first project proposed is for HIPPY/PAT Group Meeting supplies. These are family events sponsored by HIPPY Conecuh and Parents as Teachers Conecuh for every enrolled family every six weeks. Therefore, we will host six group meetings and an End of the Year Program. These events are held to help bring the families together to educate them further on topics such as Money Management, Behavior Studies, and developing literacy in the home. A meal and a program are provided to the families. Adult programs are held for the parents and there are separate activities for the children. Each event is given a special theme. This funding will help provide decorations, props, books, and a small care package for each family attending. In the past three years, our HIPPY group meeting attendance has increased from an average of 12 in 2017 to 75 plus currently. With the addition of the Parents as Teachers Program, we are expecting even more families to attend. The amount in funding we have requested will help to provide these families with programs that they would not be able to experience without HIPPY Conecuh and Parents as Teachers.

The second project is for the Conecuh County 4-H Program. We would like to offer little/no cost summer day camps to our youth. These day camps are a highlight in Conecuh County. Unfortunately, at this time, there are no other summer camp programs offered in Conecuh. Therefore, day camp numbers each week exceed 60 youth. Activities consist of S.T.E.M. (Robotics, Virtual Reality, Drones, Ozobots), JMG, Archery, Cooking, Sewing, Art, Copper Tooling, Basket Weaving, Dog Training, Painting, Sign Language, Self-Defense, Entrepreneurship, etc. These are topics that our youth are not typically exposed to, and we are excited to be able to provide outreach in these areas. Each day we feed the youth one snack and lunch. We will need to purchase materials for these day camps/enrichment programs as well as snacks for the youth and adult volunteers.

Garden beds are in the process of being installed at Repton Junior High School.  These beds will be utilized in all grade levels and managed by a trained Master Gardener, provided by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.  The garden will consist of 14 raised planter boxes, which will grow vegetables from seeds provided by the students.  While engaging in this gardening project, students will receive lessons in agriculture (4-H) and healthy eating (Snap-ed).  When harvested, the vegetables will be used in the school cafeteria, as well as utilized in the Grow More, Give More Extension Program.  This program allows students to give back to their community by weighing out their harvested vegetables and providing them to people who are food insecure.

The soil and water along the roadsides and streams in Conecuh County are in a dismal state. Trash (bottles, bags, & various subjects) is thrown out regularly. The visual pollution is bad. However, other pollutants often leak out into our soil and water.

Conecuh County SWCD would like to join our County leaders in cleaning up our roadsides. This will involve partnering with our County Commission and landowners in protecting our soils and water from roadside and stream contaminants.