Office of Communications

Valid Through January 11, 2010

For Immediate Release

With the holidays approaching and the economy struggling, it’s more critical than ever for families to budget their money, monitor their spending and avoid credit card debt.

In today’s economic environment—where interest rates are increasing as much as 500 percent— credit purchases can cost double the original purchase price and take years to pay off completely, according to Ron Hatfield, family financial specialist with West Virginia University Extension Service.

Under the pressure of today’s financial crunch, more consumers may be tempted to rely on credit cards, but that could be a dangerous choice, he says.

To take the first step toward avoiding excessive credit card debt, do not charge anything that will be gone before it’s paid off. That means pay cash for fast foods, gas and similar purchases.

Make and follow a plan. Set your spending limits. Track your actual spending by using only one credit card and by keeping a spending log and all receipts in one place

It’s easy to get caught up in the moment, Hatfield says, which is how many consumers get into trouble. People often have good intentions of paying off credit card charges at the end of each month, but because of a variety circumstances, most don’t.

One way to begin the holiday shopping season, he advises, is to make a list of all the things you are likely to spend money on. Include not only gifts but also such items as decorations, cards, stamps, special food and clothes.

Then determine how much money you have available to spend and the approximate cost of the items on your list. If the estimated cost calls for more money than you have available to spend, look for items you can remove from your list.

Another way to avoid overspending is to have a specific amount of cash in hand and not withdraw more money when that cash is gone.

After creating a holiday budget, Hatfield says, it’s important to stick to it.

Although you may find it difficult to stick to your plan during the holidays, it may be helpful to think about what overspending could do to you and your family in the long run, Hatfield says.

To cut costs, your family could draw names for a gift exchange, rather than each member buying a gift for everyone.

Finally, families can focus on ways to celebrate the holidays that cost very little or nothing. You can find many ways to celebrate beyond buying gifts.

Spending quality time together doing activities that everyone enjoys could be the best gift your family receives this holiday season.

For information about family activities and family finances, call 304- __________________ to contact ______________, WVU Extension agent, at the _______________ County Office of the WVU Extension Service. Also learn more by visiting www.ext.wvu.edu.

—WVU-ES—

fsm—10/09

Resource: Ronald K. Hatfield, Family Financial Specialist, WVU Extension Service.
This article was adapted from a Purdue University article published Dec. 4, 2008.

Valid through Nov. 2, 2009

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Agents—Please adapt this article for your media channels.

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For Immediate Release

If you work with diabetes patients and their families, plan to be at the Embassy Suites in Charleston Oct. 28-30 to learn the latest about diabetes treatment and prevention.

You are invited to be among health educators, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, social workers and other professionals from throughout the United States who will participate in West Virginia University’s Bridging the Gap with Education Diabetes Symposium and Workshop.

In pre-conference workshops and symposium sessions, experts will cover the latest diabetes developments related to vitamin D research, bariatric surgery, community outreach, tobacco, pregnancy, foot care and behavioral interventions.

WVU Extension educators are inviting health professionals to benefit from the symposium’s targeted learning objectives. They say that the sessions will help participants be able to:

• Identify current trends and recommendations in diabetes control.
• Describe successful strategies to reach underserved and at-risk populations.
• Recognize the role of medical nutrition therapy in diabetes management.
• Describe effective psychosocial and behavioral interventions in diabetes management.
• Identify challenges and opportunities available to diabetes educators.

A national award-winning program, the diabetes symposium is sponsored by the WVU Extension Service, WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center and the West Virginia Diabetes Prevention and Control Program.

The program can provide continuing education hours for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, dietitians, dietary managers, social workers, community heath education specialists, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences members and other health professionals.

For registration details, continuing education credits and program information, visit the symposium’s Web site (www.ext.wvu.edu). For other project details, contact Judy Cowell at judy.cowell@mail.wvu.edu or at 304-293-2796, ext. 3599.

For information about diabetes education and nutrition programs and activities available to the lay public, contact _________________________, WVU Extension agent, at the _______________ County WVU Extension Service Office at ___________________ or call 304- ______________.

—WVU-ES—

fsm— 10/8/09

Valid Through Oct. 14, 2008

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Note to Agents: Please adapt this article to complement your programs and media opportunities.

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For Immediate Release

Forest landowners, farmers and educators are among those encouraged to participate in the free West Virginia Woodland Stewards Workshop Oct. 9-12 at Camp Caesar, near Cowen in Webster County.

Designed to be an information-packed, three-day learning experience, the seventh annual workshop will provide broad exposure on forest and wildlife management topics.

Room, meals and educational materials are free to participants. Open to everyone, the workshop is funded by the West Virginia Division of Forestry to promote forestry education and wise use of forest resources on private lands.

More than 120 people have been trained in the six previous West Virginia Woodland Stewards programs.

The first session begins in the evening on Thursday, Oct. 9, and the last begins at noon Sunday, Oct. 12. If you are interested in participating, contact Dave McGill, West Virginia University Extension specialist (dmcgill@wvu.edu; 304-293-2941 ext. 2474), for more information.

Also check the WVU Web site (http://davis.blogs.wvu.edu/blog/2008/9/29/woodland-stewards).

—WVU-ES—

dw/fsm—10/01/08

Valid Through Jan. 12, 2009

For Immediate Release

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Agents: Adapt this article to complement your local media opportunities.

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If you can provide locally grown food in February, the West Virginia Farmers Market Association (WVFMA) needs to hear from you now.

No matter how small your farm, if you’re interested in selling eggs, honey or other foods, you should contact the WVFMA about providing food for its 2009 West Virginia Small Farm Conference Feb. 24-26 at the Ramada Inn in Morgantown.
Although the conference is expected to attract 125-200 participants, you do not have to provide large quantities of food to be a vendor. As necessary, the WVFMA will buy fresh or frozen food items from numerous farmers and pool purchases to collect the quantities needed for the conference.

How the food items will be delivered to the Ramada Inn will be determined on a case-by-case basis, according to Tom McConnell, WVU Extension associate professor and director of the WVU Extension Service Small Farm Center.
Examples of goods needed are eggs, herbs, goat cheese, meat, mushrooms, garlic, onions, beans, apples, Asian pears and winter squash. Conference organizers also are seeking value-added processed foods such as jams and honey.

Anyone who is interested should contact McConnell or Susan Sauter. Sauter is a Morgantown Farmers Market board member and WVFMA’s treasurer.

McConnell can be reached by e-mail (trmcconnell@mail.wvu.edu) or by telephone (304-293-6131 ext. 4273). E-mail Sauter at stsauter@frontiernet.net, or call 304-288-5366.

The WVFMA was founded in 2007 by West Virginia farmers with the help of the West Virginia University Extension Service, the Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences, and the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. The organization was formed to strengthen the viability of farmers markets across the state and to solve problems related to producing and marketing farm products.

Since its beginning, the WVFMA has been posting up-to-date information about local farmers markets—including vendor applications and market rules—on its Web site. The organization also provides educational activities for market farmers and consumers.

Registration information for WVFMA’s 2009 conference will be available in mid- January.
For more information about WVFMA and the foods needed for the 2009 conference, visit WVFMA’s Web site at www.wvfarmers.org.

—WVU-ES—

cmw/fsm—12/08

Valid Through March 28, 2009

For Immediate Release

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Agents: Adapt (cut from or add to) this article to complement your programs and media opportunities.

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Are you thinking about buying your first horse? Or are you already a passionate horse owner? Learn the latest information about caring for horses at Horsemen’s Educational Day Saturday, March 28, at the WVU Extension Service Equine Arena in Reedsville.

Running from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., presentations will benefit new and experienced horse enthusiasts. Veterinarians and WVU Extension Service researchers will be among the experts speaking on horse health, hoof care, nutrition, manure management and horse training.

The WVU-ES Equine Arena is part of the WVU Reedsville Experiment Farm, which is off of the Kingwood Pike near Reedsville in Preston County. The farm is less than 5 minutes northwest of Reedsville, and 20 minutes southeast of Morgantown.

The registration fee for Horsemen’s Educational Day is $10 per person. Concessions will be available for those wishing to purchase lunch.

The registration deadline is Friday, March 20.

Registration forms are available at the ____________ County Office of the WVU Extension Service at ___________________________________.

Forms are also available from the event’s organizer, Holly Spooner, Extension equine specialist, and on the WVU Extension Service Web site (www.ext.wvu.edu).

Mail registration forms and fees to Dr. Holly Spooner, WVU Extension Service, PO Box 6108, 2084 Agricultural Sciences Bldg., Morgantown, WV 26506-6108.

For more information about Horsemen’s Educational Day, contact Spooner by phone (304-293-6131 ext. 4220) or by e-mail (holly.spooner@mail.wvu.edu).

—WVU-ES—

cmw/fsm—3/09

Valid Through April 15, 2009

For Immediate Release

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Agents: The WVU Extension Service is among public and private agencies encouraging low-wage families to apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit. You may adapt this article to reflect the availability of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites in your community. For details, visit the Web ( www.wveitc.com) or call 2-1-1, which is the toll-free connection to community services in West Virginia. Please adapt this column to complement your media needs.

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It’s tax time. That means that you—and some of your friends and family—may be eligible to receive up to $4,824 in Earned Income Tax Credit from the Internal Revenue Service.

EITC is a tax credit for people who work but don’t earn high incomes. If you are between the ages of 25 and 65, you may qualify for EITC if you made less than $42,000 in 2008.

In fact if you are eligible, you can claim EITC for three years back. But to receive a check in a few weeks, you must file with the IRS soon.

You don’t have to pay someone to prepare the forms for you. Free help is available.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance ( VITA) sites provide free tax preparation. The sites are located throughout West Virginia during tax season. If you wish, your return can be filed electronically and deposited into your bank account within seven to 10 days.

The IRS estimates that each year eligible West Virginians leave millions of dollars unclaimed.

For eligible families, EITC dollars could be used to pay bills, repair homes and cars, open savings accounts, increase savings and improve lives in many ways, according to _______________, an educator with the _________ County Office of the West Virginia University Extension Service.

_________ said that WVU Extension is working with organizations throughout the state to encourage low-wage individuals and families to apply for EITC.

To learn more about EITC and to locate a tax preparation center near you, visit the Web ( www.wveitc.com) or call 2-1-1, which is your toll-free connection to community services in West Virginia.

—WVU-ES—

fsm— 3/13/09

Valid Through Sept. 1, 2009

For Immediate Release

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Agents: Publish this “Stretch Your Dollars” release as one article or run it in segments. Adapt it to complement your media opportunities.

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This year, both spring and tighter budgets are reminding families to reintroduce eggs into their meal planning.

Educators with the West Virginia University Extension Service say that eggs make tasty snacks, and they are inexpensive, nutritious additions to any meal.

Eggs can be eaten plain—just hard-cooked. They can be shelled and kept in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or covered dish. However, they will last longer and be safer to eat if they are stored in the shell. If you store them in their shells, be sure to mark them in some way as hard-cooked (to avoid accidents and disappointments).

Pickled eggs are hard-cooked eggs that are soaked in a solution of vinegar, salt, spices and other seasonings. Easy to prepare, they add a refreshing taste to a meal. They can be eaten plain as a snack or as a part of a meal, either alone or with other foods in a salad. Most recipes call for using beet juice, but you might like to try other flavors.

Many recipes for pickling solutions are available, and the following are just a few examples. Peeled, hard-cooked eggs also can be placed in pickle juice—in a pickle jar—for another flavor.

Select eggs with clean sound shells. Choose eggs that are not extremely fresh. Eggs a few days old will peel better.

Cooking, Peeling and Pickling

Cover eggs completely with cold water. Quickly bring the water to near boiling.

Turn down the heat, and let eggs simmer for 15 minutes. Always cook eggs at moderate temperatures because overcooking makes them tough and causes gray discolorations around the yolk.

Cool the eggs as rapidly as possible by running cold water over them.

Crack the shell all around the egg for easier peeling. Begin peeling at the large end where the air cell is usually located. Peeling the egg under running water can help remove all the thin shell membranes.

Pack about one dozen medium-sized eggs loosely in a quart jar so the container will hold plenty of pickling solution.

Pour the hot pickling solution over the eggs; put the lid on, and place the container in the refrigerator immediately. It takes about a week or two to season eggs well. Keep the eggs in your refrigerator while you season them and until you serve them.

Preparing the Pickling Solution

For the following recipes, heat the mixture to near boiling and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour it over hard-cooked eggs loosely packed in a quart jar. Seal the jar and immediately store it in the refrigerator to season.

You can keep pickled eggs in your refrigerator for up to seven days if you keep them in the pickling solution. Drain the solution before serving the eggs.

Red Beet Eggs
½ can (No. 2) beets, sliced (or 2 to 3 cooked beets)
1 onion, sliced
2 ½ cups water
½ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
½ teaspoon salt

Dilled Eggs
1½ cups white vinegar
1 cup water
¾ teaspoon dill seed
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon mustard seed
½ teaspoon onion juice or onion powder
½ teaspoon minced garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Spicy Eggs
1 ½ cups apple cider
1 cup white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mixed pickling spice
1 clove peeled garlic
½ onion, sliced
½ teaspoon mustard seed

Dark and Spicy Eggs
1 ½ cups cider vinegar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon mixed pickling spice
¼ teaspoon liquid smoke or hickory smoke salt
½ teaspoon salt

For more information about planning and preparing healthful nutritious meals, contact the ________ County Office of the West Virginia University Extension Service at __________ ________________________ or call _______________________.

—WVU-ES—

fsm—3/09

Valid Throuugh April 15, 2009

For Immediate Release

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Agents: This article may be distributed in any county. It is particularly suited for media and audiences in Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Raleigh and Summers counties. Please adapt this article to reflect local programs and to complement your media opportunities.

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Anyone interested in learning about the commercial production of asparagus, strawberries and tomatoes should attend West Virginia University Extension Service’s free Horticulture Field Day at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, at the Kirk and Pam West Farm near Lewisburg.

The field day will focus on planting asparagus, producing strawberries in high tunnels and grafting tomatoes. The four-hour session will include hands-on demonstrations.

Lewis W. Jett, commercial horticulture specialist with the WVU Extension Service, said the field day will help anyone considering commercial vegetable production and small fruit production.

From Lewisburg, use these directions to the Kirk and Pam West Farm: From the Interstate 64 bridge at Lewisburg, take U.S. 219 north for 5.7 miles. Turn left on Savannah Lane. Turn right onto Carroll Hill/Unus Road and travel approximately 3 miles. The farm is on the right; the high tunnels are visible from the road.

For more information, contact Jett (304-293-6131; Lewis.Jett@mail.wvu.edu) in Morgantown or call ____________, WVU Extension Service agent, at WVU Extension’s _____________ County office in ______________________

at 304- ____ – _______.

—WVU-ES—

fsm— 4/02/09

Valid Trough May 17, 2009

For Immediate Release

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By Mary Beth Bennett, WVU Extension Agent, Berkeley County

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May 16, residents of West Virginia have the opportunity to attend a free training workshop on how to properly manage their home’s private water well.

Water resource experts will conduct the training from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 16, in the Exhibit Hall at the Berkeley County Youth Fairgrounds in Martinsburg.

Applications must be submitted by Friday, May 1.

Residents who rely on private water systems as their home drinking water supply may be at risk of drinking contaminated water. In West Virginia, public drinking water supplies are the only water supplies regularly tested and protected against contamination.

The management of private water systems (including maintenance, testing and treatment) are the voluntary responsibility of the homeowner. So, residents need to take the proper measures themselves to ensure that their drinking water is safe for consumption.

This free workshop is offered as part of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Master Well Owner Network, a program designed to teach volunteers from across the mid-Atlantic region about proper management of their own private water system.

In return, the volunteers must go out into their local community to educate others about the importance of proper management of private drinking water supplies.

All volunteers will receive a handbook of educational materials, a certificate for completing the training workshop and access to regional water experts.

For more information, please contact Stephanie Clemens (814-865-2250 or mwon@psu.edu).

Visit the Master Well Owner Network Web site http://mwon.cas.psu.edu/Regional.htm for a workshop application.

—WVU-ES—

Prepared by Mary Beth Bennett, WVU Extension Agent, Berkeley County

fsm—4/22/09

Last modified April 24, 2009

Valid Through September 1, 2009

For Immediate Release

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Note to Agents—Adapt this article to complement your local media opportunities and
educational programs. Cut the article to meet your needs.

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The current swine flu scare is underscoring the critical need to regularly and effectively wash your hands.

The quest for “clean” hands is leading some people to wonder when or if they should use antibacterial hand sanitizers. What works best? Antibacterial hand sanitizers? Or just plain soap and water?

The answer is: “It depends.”

The two methods perform different functions and achieve different results, according to health educators with West Virginia University Extension Service.

The best way to remove dirt and soil from your hands is to lather your hands with soap and warm, running water. Rub your hands vigorously for about 20 seconds (that’s equal to singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” twice). Rinse with warm, running water; dry with a paper towel; and finally use the paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the bathroom door.

The soap suspends the dirt and soil. The friction motion helps free your skin of dirt and greasy or oily soils. Warm, running water washes away suspended dirt and soils that trap germs.

The final friction of wiping your hands with a disposable towel removes more germs. After you follow this procedure, your hands should be clean.

Hand sanitizers, however, perform a different function, according to the WVU Extension specialists. The sanitizers work within seconds and kill most common germs. They may work beyond the effectiveness of handwashing.

However, be aware of this major stipulation: For sanitizers to be effective, your hands first must be “clean” — free of visible soil.

Alcohol-based sanitizers are not as effective as soap and water if, for example, your hands were soiled because you touched an animal, coughed, sneezed or used the bathroom.

Food handlers in restaurants and schools—along with doctors, nurses and other medical personnel—are encouraged to wash their hands with soap and water before applying hand sanitizers. This method allows both processes to work and achieve their different results.

So, what should you do?

If at all possible, wash your hands using soap and warm, running water. If that is not possible, use sanitizer hand wipes. In either case, keep your hands away from your mouth, nose and eyes.

Spread the word about proper handwashing. Download free instructional handwashing signs and cards from the “Swine Flu and You?” section of WVU Extension’s Web site (www.ext.wvu.edu.)

For more information about health and safety practices, contact the ____________ County office of the WVU Extension Service at __________________________, or call 304- ____________________.

—WVU-ES—

This article was revised in 2009 to include handwashing instructions from WVU Extension’s 2005 handwashing campaign and to update references to swine flu. The original article and related materials were prepared in 2005 by Guen Brown, Ph.D., WVU Extension specialist.

fsm—4/29/09