Message from the district coordinator

Michigan State University Extension makes a difference in Gladwin County.

Message

Michigan State University Extension is serving the residents of Gladwin county by providing a variety of programs and resources to help people achieve their greatest potential. We offer a variety of resources through our Land Grant University. Whether it is a youth program designed to help kids learn responsibility, or disease identification for a grower’s specialty crop, we’ve got the backing of researchers and specialists on campus and across the state in each Extension office.

Our staff is trained to connect people to the resources they need to grow food for their family, to prepare food safely and efficiently, to provide nutritious meals for their family, to work together to find common goals, and to help grow our communities.

In this day and age, a simple Google search brings up “answers” to life’s many questions. It’s easy to get answers. But are they the right ones? How do we know what will work best for us? That’s a whole new challenge, and one that we are prepared to handle. We’ll help you navigate the wild frontier out there.

Along the same line, technology has provided us with opportunities to teach from a distance. It allows participants to learn in their spare time, on their own schedule, and from the comforts of their own home or farm. MSU Extension provides many opportunities for online learning, as well as the traditional classroom style, office appointment, phone call or farm visit. Throughout the years we have adjusted our methods to meet the needs of the changing world, but we hold on to some traditional values of face to face interactions and hands-on learning.

Whatever the need, we are here to serve you. We will do our best to provide you with the information you need to make your life better. Whether its health, agriculture, entrepreneurship, or teaching youth skills to carry forward throughout their lives, the cooperative extension service extends the research of the university while meeting the needs of the local community.

We thank our local governments, partners, and residents for providing us with the needed resources to maintain a local office, a strong 4-H program, and a touchpoint for local service.

Shari Spoelman, District Coordinator

Measuring Impact

Youth Served: 796
Health & Nutrition: 579
Agriculture & Landowners: 85
Career Building (youth): 123
Finance and Home: 117
Soil Tests: 82
Gardeners: 24
Food Safety: 24
Growing Communities: 21

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