BY ALETHEA BRUZEK

Boyle County Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences

Oct. 10-16 is Kentucky Extension Homemakers Week! Of course, you’re probably wondering who Kentucky Extension Homemakers are and what they do. As the contact advisor to the Boyle County Homemakers Association, I’d be happy to share more about this service organization.

When you hear the word “homemaker” you immediately think of a certain set of words. Housewife, cook, mother and maid could be used to describe a homemaker, but they are much more than that. Homemakers are strong leaders, willing volunteers, skilled educators, family and friends.

The Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association is a volunteer organization that works to improve the quality of life for families and communities through leadership development, volunteer service and education. Boyle County Extension Homemakers have been an active part of KEHA since before it was officially founded. For many years, Boyle County Extension Homemakers have been actively serving this community through volunteer service work. Annually, they find ways to give back such as sewing pillowcases for Hospice or lap quilts for the hospital. They also support Ovarian Cancer Research by donating $1 of each member’s dues every year. Extension Homemakers also annually award $500 scholarship to a college-bound student seeking a degree in agriculture, family and consumer sciences or any Extension-related field. As a matter of fact, the scholarship award has increased from $500 to a solid $1,000.

Boyle County Extension Homemakers highly value family, friendship and fun. Each year, they participate in different social events such as the County Annual Meeting, providing fun opportunities for fellowship. Even through the pandemic, Extension Homemakers found ways to meet safely through virtual platforms like Zoom and Facebook. They also attend educational programs each month that address universal topics such as food, health, money management and family life. This year, those lessons have been shifted from in person to online. This month’s leader lesson is a virtual lesson on “Your Best Brain” on October 26th at 11 a.m. at the Boyle County Extension Office watch party and on Zoom.

Heritage skills such as knitting, sewing and quilt making barely scratch the surface of what Extension Homemakers are capable of. They compete in annual cultural arts contests with many members winning blue ribbons at the state level. They also enter handmade items in Floral Hall in the County Fair. What a wealth of talent there is in this county. Like us on Facebook to see this as well as previous lessons.

KEHA welcomes members no matter what their age, race, color, national origin, creed, marital status or sex. The program is of interest to all income levels. Any full or part-time home-maker, male or female, rural or urban, teenager or senior citizen and in-between, may belong to KEHA.

The Boyle County Extension Homemakers consist of five clubs that meet each month. Any and everyone is welcome to join. If you are interested in learning more about this exciting organization, please feel free to stop by the Boyle County Extension Office for a free membership kit. This kit includes all the information about Boyle County Extension Homemakers, how to join, what they do and more. If you have any questions, please call 859-236-4484 for more information.