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1 February - April 2011, Volume 3, Issue 1 Judy Corbus Living Well in the Panhandle Newsletter Editor Washington and Holmes Counties JLCorbus@ufl.edu Welcome to the first 2011 issue of Living Well in the Panhandle! As a new year begins, you may have set goals to eat better, exercise more, or save money. “Love Your Heart” offers practical tips for a healthy lifestyle to reduce heart disease risk. If the drop in temperature has caused a rise in your electric bill, check out “Saving Energy During the Winter Season.” “America Saves Week” encourages individuals to become regular savers to reduce debt, build wealth, and save for the future. A new feature this year is “Small Steps to Health and Wealth.” We will share strategies for making small changes in your health and money habits that can yield big results!  is issue also includes information on choosing a tax preparer, sustainabil- ity, keeping your food safe from store to home, and keeping you and your family safe while on the road. We encourage you to contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension Office to find out about local events and programs. If you have additional questions about the information you find here, feel free to contact the author or your local UF/IFAS Exten- sion Office. Sustainable Floridians Launches in Leon and Marion Counties Heidi Copeland Family and Consumer Sciences Agent Leon County CopelandHe@leoncountyfl. gov e fall of 2010 marked the advent of a groundbreaking UF/IFAS Extension program on sustainable living. e newly created Sustainable Floridians course is designed to help individuals and communities become more resilient in the face of increas- ing demands on water, energy, and other natural resources. Pilot classes took place this fall in Marion and Leon Counties, with 41 participants completing the 6-week Sustainable Floridians Pilot course. While the full assessment of program outcomes has not been completed, early results are encouraging. Timely February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1 Sustainable Floridians Launches in Leon and Marion Counties 1 Food Safety Begins at the Market and Ends at Home 2 Tips for Choosing a Tax Preparer 3 Cell Phones and Driving: What’s All the Fuss About? 4 Love Your Heart! 5 Saving Energy During the Winter Season 6 Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ 8 America Saves Week: February 20-27 9 University of Florida IFAS Extension Needs You 10 UF IFAS Subscription Management System 10 Calendar of Events 11 In This Issue
Transcript
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February - April 2011, Volume 3, Issue 1

Judy CorbusLiving Well in the Panhandle

Newsletter EditorWashington and Holmes

[email protected]

Welcome to the first 2011 issue of Living Well in the Panhandle!

As a new year begins, you may have set goals to eat better, exercise more, or save money.  “Love Your Heart” offers practical tips for a healthy lifestyle to reduce heart disease risk.  If the drop in temperature has caused a rise in your electric bill, check out “Saving Energy During the Winter Season.” “America Saves Week” encourages individuals to become regular savers to reduce debt, build wealth, and save for the future. 

A new feature this year is “Small Steps to Health and Wealth.”  We will share strategies for making small changes in your health and money habits that can yield big results!  This issue also includes information on choosing a tax preparer, sustainabil-ity, keeping your food safe from store to home, and keeping you and your family safe while on the road.

We encourage you to contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension Office

to find out about local events and programs.  If you have additional questions about the information you find here, feel free to contact the author or your local UF/IFAS Exten-sion Office.

Sustainable Floridians Launches in Leon and Marion Counties

Heidi CopelandFamily and Consumer

Sciences AgentLeon County

[email protected]

The fall of 2010 marked the advent of a groundbreaking UF/IFAS Extension program on sustainable living. The newly created Sustainable Floridians course is designed to help individuals and communities become more resilient in the face of increas-ing demands on water, energy, and other natural resources.

Pilot classes took place this fall in Marion and Leon Counties, with 41 participants completing the 6-week Sustainable Floridians Pilot course.  While the full assessment of program outcomes has not been completed, early results are encouraging. Timely

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

Sustainable Floridians Launches in Leon and Marion Counties

1

Food Safety Begins at the Market and Ends at Home

2

Tips for Choosing a Tax Preparer

3

Cell Phones and Driving: What’s All the Fuss About?

4

Love Your Heart! 5Saving Energy During the Winter Season

6

Small Steps to Health and Wealth™

8

America Saves Week: February 20-27

9

University of Florida IFAS Extension Needs You

10

UF IFAS Subscription Management System

10

Calendar of Events 11

In This Issue

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outcomes include the formation of a Marion County community “green team” and a planned spin-off discussion group focused on sustainability and health for neighbor-hood associations in Leon County.  In addition, the City of Tallahassee, Leon County Board of County Commissioners, Sustainable Tallahassee, and many others are working together to present a combined effort focused on both personal and community sustainability.

WHY?

Sustainability is often identified as one of the great challenges of our time.  To complicate matters, the word “sustainability” has many definitions and interpretations.  Simply put, though, living sustainably can help improve the quality of human life now while not compromising our earth systems or the lives of future generations.  The Sustainable Floridians course, in turn, responds to the pressing need to provide Floridians up-to-date, reliable, specific information and recommendations to assist in meeting this need.  The Sustainable Floridians course materials were cooperatively developed between the Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences

and the Program for Resource Efficient Communities at the University of Florida.  The course combines fact-based education with lively discussion, resulting in a successful and enriching experience for course participants as well as facilitators.

If you would like to learn how to shrink your “eco-footprint,” while saving money and resources at the same time, contact your local Extension office. 

Food Safety Begins at the Market and Ends at Home

Dorothy C. Lee, CFCSFamily and Consumer Sciences Agent

Escambia [email protected]

A refrigerator can be full of surprises. Wilted lettuce, dried out cheese, apples which have lost their crispness, and other similar surprises inhabit the very best refrigerators.  All are victims of improper food storage, and they represent thousands of dollars unwittingly thrown away by consum-ers each year.

Cash in on proper food storage by giving groceries a little extra care when you bring them home from the supermar-ket.  You’ll save money and the food you buy will stay fresh longer, retain more nutritional value, and remain safe to eat.

Proper food storage begins at the supermarket.  The way we shop can affect food quality.  Many shoppers remember to put fragile fruits and vegetables on top of sturdier items in the grocery cart, but then let the ice cream melt while they wait in line at the deli or bakery.  A better solution would be to put frozen and refrigerated foods into the cart last, particularly if you have a lot of shopping to do.  You also can ask the person bagging your groceries to put refriger-ated and frozen foods in the same bag.  These items will keep each other colder on the trip home, plus putting the groceries away becomes less of a chore if everything that belongs in the refrigerator or freezer is in the same bag.

The trip between the checkout counter and your kitchen needs to be as short as possible.  When perishable food

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

Photo Credits: Kathryn Ziewitz, UF/IFAS Dept. of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences

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items sit in the car for any length of time, they lose quality and can begin to spoil.  It’s a good idea to stop at the dry cleaners and post office before doing the grocery shopping.

At home, “think cold.”  Under the right conditions, bacteria can grow rapidly.  The refrigerator temperature won’t kill bacteria, but the cold will slow the growth of most bacteria.  Frozen and refrigerated foods require the most care and should be put away first.  Dairy products, poultry, meat, fish, eggs, and most fresh vegetables and fruit, plus custards and whipped-cream-filled pastries are a few of the grocery items that need to be refrigerated promptly.

Some food items require special handling.  Taking care of these foods before you store them in the refrigerator will save time as well as money.  Iceberg lettuce, for example, keeps better if you remove the core and store the head in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.  Fresh meat, poultry, and fish which are not pre-packaged need to be re-wrapped and stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator or freezer.  Meats should always be stored in the meat keeper

drawer or on lower shelves to prevent cross-contamination with other foods.

Storage times still vary even when groceries are carefully wrapped and refrigerated promptly.  Berries and other fragile fruits, for example, have the best flavor and texture when eaten within a few days of purchase.  Apples and citrus fruits can be stored for several weeks or more in the refrigerator.  Most fresh meats will keep several days.  Fish, poultry, and ground meats, however, should be cooked or frozen within one to two days.

Storing refrigerated foods properly and for the recommend-ed times may not be enough, especially if your refrigerator gets too warm.  It is a good idea to keep a refrigerator thermometer on a shelf in the fridge.  The thermometer should always register 40ºF or less. In the summer, it is a good idea to keep the refrigerator colder than usual because this is the time of the year when family members make frequent trips in and out of the refrigerator.

Often, we remember to protect foods when we picnic away from home, but tend to forget that refrigerated foods still require special care when carried only as far away as the backyard.  A few simple precautions will ensure these foods are as safe to eat as they are delicious:  For backyard barbeques, leave meat, poultry, and fish in the refrigerator until the grill is ready, then grill just what you think you will need and serve promptly.  Wait to bring out salads and other cold accompaniments until you are ready to begin serving.

For more information regarding food safety and other related topics, go to the University of Florida’s Solutions for Your Life website:  http://www.solutionsforyourlife.com.

Tips for Choosing a Tax PreparerJudy Corbus

Family and Consumer Sciences AgentWashington and Holmes Counties

[email protected]

If you pay someone to prepare your tax return, the IRS urges you to choose that preparer wisely.  Taxpayers are legally responsible for what’s on their tax return even if it

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

Pick up pershable items last at the grocery store; refrigerate promptly at home.Photo Credits: Judy Corbus, Washington and Holmes Counties

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is prepared by someone else.  So, it is important to choose carefully when hiring an individual or firm to prepare your return.  Most return preparers are professional, honest, and provide excellent service to their clients.

Here are a few points to keep in mind when choosing someone else to prepare your return:

• Ask if the preparer is affiliated with a professional organization that provides its members with continu-ing education and resources and holds them to a code of ethics.  New regulations require all paid tax return preparers, including attorneys, CPAs, and enrolled agents, to apply for a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) – even if they already have one – before preparing any federal tax returns in 2011.

• Check on the preparer’s history.  Check to see if the preparer has a questionable history with the Better Busi-ness Bureau and check for any disciplinary actions and licensure status through the state boards of accountancy for certified public accountants; the state bar associations for attorneys; and the IRS Office of Professional Respon-sibility for enrolled agents.

• Find out about their service fees.  Avoid preparers who base their fee on a percentage of your refund or those who claim they can obtain larger refunds than other preparers.

• Make sure the tax preparer is accessible.  Make sure you will be able to contact the tax preparer after the return has been filed, even after the April due date, in case questions arise.

• Provide all records and receipts needed to prepare your return.  Most reputable preparers will request to see your records and receipts and will ask you multiple questions to determine your total income and your qualifications for expenses, deductions, and other items.

• Never sign a blank return.  Avoid tax preparers that ask you to sign a blank tax form. 

• Review the entire return before signing it.  Before you sign your tax return, review it and ask questions.  Make sure you understand everything and are comfortable with the accuracy of the return before you sign it.

• Make sure the preparer signs the form and includes their PTIN.  A paid preparer must sign the return and

include their PTIN as required by law.  Although the preparer signs the return, you are responsible for the accuracy of every item on your return.  The preparer also must give you a copy of the return.

You can report abusive tax preparers and suspected tax fraud to the IRS on Form 3949-A, Information Referral, or by sending a letter to Internal Revenue Service, Fresno, CA  93888.  Download Form 3949-A from http://www.irs.gov or order by mail at 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). 

Source:  IRS Tax Tip 2011-06, www.irs.gov.

Cell Phones and Driving: What’s All the Fuss About?

Ginny HintonFamily and Consumer Sciences/Family Nutrition

Program AgentSanta Rosa County

[email protected]

In December 2010, in Northwest Florida, a 21-year-old mother driving a 4-door Honda ran into the back of a parked truck while texting on a cell phone.  Her 5-year-old daughter in the front seat was thrown into the windshield.  The little girl lived only long enough for the hospital to harvest her organs.  Similar crashes involving texting, hand-held, and hands-free phones happen all over the

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

Review your tax return carefully and ask questions before signing it.Photo Credits: Judy Corbus, Washington and Holmes Counties

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U.S. every day.  In fact, the National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that more than 1 out of every 4 crashes is due to cell phone use. 

Cell phone driving is a serious public health threat.  While 83% of people surveyed say that drivers using cell phones is a “serious” or “extremely serious” problem, over half of those people said they used a cell phone while driving during the past 30 days.  The NSC reports that even when people are aware of the risks, they usually believe they are more skilled than other drivers and better able to multi-task.  People also believe that hands-free phones greatly reduce driving risk.

Unfortunately, that belief is wrong.  While vision is critical for safe driving, drivers using all types of cell phones tend to “look at” but not “see” objects.  Researchers call this “inattention blindness” and compare it to tunnel vision.  Drivers look out the windshield but don’t process everything they see.  Because the brain subconsciously decides which information to filter, the driver is usually not consciously aware of information that is screened out.  This is why people often miss critical cues while talking or texting and driving.  The whole process occurs without drivers realizing what’s happening.

Cell phone use has grown by more than 75% in the last 15 years.  Driver distractions have joined alcohol and speed-ing as leading factors in crashes causing injury or death.  Don’t let driving and cell phones become your deadly combination.

Love Your Heart!Jo Shuford-Law

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Agent

Leon [email protected]

Listen to your heart.  Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States.  Many factors can increase our chances for heart disease. Some things impacting our heart health cannot be changed: heredity, gender, race, increased age, and body type.  However, we do have control over other factors that can have positive effects on the health of our heart and the hearts of our family members.

Here are some heart disease risk factors over which you can have influence:

• Smoking

• High cholesterol

• Physical inactivity

• Obesity/overweight

• Diabetes

• High blood pressure

To take care of your heart, start today to reduce your risk for heart disease with small, simple actions like these:

Celebrate with a checkup. Let each birthday remind you it’s time for your yearly checkup and a talk with your doctor about how you can reduce your risk for heart disease. Make sure to ask for your numbers – your readings for LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure.

Get off the couch. Step, march, dance or jog in place for at least 30 minutes daily or most days of the week.

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

It is estimated that more than 1 out of every 4 crashes is due to cell phone use.Photo Credits: Ginny Hinton, Santa Rosa County

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Quit smoking. Can’t go “cold turkey?” Cut the number of cigarettes you smoke each day in half, then cut that number in half; cut it in half again. Finally, cut down to zero!

Aim for a healthy weight. Cutting out just 200 to 300 calories a day – about one candy bar – can help you lose up to two pounds a week and gradually bring you closer to a heart-healthy weight.

Eat less fat.  Be moderate in the total amount of fat you eat.  How?  Choose low- or no-fat dairy products and lean meats. Instead of frying, bake, broil, microwave,

roast, steam, grill, or lightly stir-fry using small amounts of vegetable oil or chicken broth. Limit processed foods and commercially baked goods, such as pastries, muffins, cookies, doughnuts, and French fries.

Limit foods high in added sugar. This includes beverages and that means soda and tea sweetened with sugar.

Eat plenty of fruits and veggies.  Strive for five or more each day.  Select a variety of colors and keep preparation simple.  Fruits and veggies are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber and they are low in calories. 

Eat more fiber.   In addition to fruits and veggies, choose brown rice, oatmeal, and whole grain breads and pastas.  Other high fiber foods include dried beans, peas, and other legumes.

Become a salt detective. Check out the Nutrition Facts panel on packaged foods to see how much sodium foods contain. According to Dr. Linda Bobroff, University of Florida IFAS Extension Nutrition Specialist, the newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommend that adults aim for a total intake of no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium (about a teaspoon of salt) per day. For African Americans, individuals with hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, children, and adults ages 51 or older, the recommendation is to further reduce sodium intake to about 1500 milligrams of sodium (about ½ teaspoon of salt), for good health. We will need the help of the food industry to reach toward that goal since so much of the sodium in our diets comes from processed foods and foods eaten outside of the home.

Sources:  Consumer and Family News; Jan/Feb/Mar 2008, Purdue University, Floyd County Extension Service; RightBite!  A Newsletter for Healthy Eating, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service; SNAP http://www.arfamilies.org/news/right_bite/Listen_To_Your_Heart.pdf.; Healthy Heart Beats, 7-9, 2006, Colorado State University Extension.

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

30 minutes of daily physical activity can reduce your heart disease risk.Photo Credits: Les Harrison, Leon County

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Saving Energy During the Winter SeasonElizabeth T. Gorimani

Family and Consumer Sciences AgentGadsden County

[email protected]

With energy and food costs seemingly always on the rise, the diligent homeowner can keep a few extra dollars in their pocket by practicing some simple home energy efficiency practices.  Heating your home is a necessity for the north Florida winter, but it can be expensive to keep it warm and cozy.  Yet with a little preparation, you can cut your heating bills and still be comfortable. Remember, energy flows from warmer air and objects to cooler ones so your winter goal is to keep that heat from escaping to the outside of your house.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Install and learn to manage a programmable thermo-stat.  Though every household occupant has unique comfort preferences, a programmable thermostat allows you to experiment until you find those perfect temperature set points.  In the winter, the lower you keep those temperature set points, the more energy you will save.  Are you comfortable moving around the house at 68 degrees Fahrenheit? Can you sleep with the temperature at 62 degrees Fahrenheit? If not, try wearing thermal underwear and slippers, or moving around the house a bit more (a little house cleaning gets the body warmed up), or sleeping with a down comforter on the bed. Remember, personal comfort is the key and comfort is a combination of your physiological and psychological feelings as well as the heating and cooling system in your home.  The air temperature is less important than how your body feels so think wisely and be creative!  In the summer, start your experimentation at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and move up or down as comfort levels dictate.

• Insulate or increase the amount of insulation in your home.  Wall insulation is not typically a good retrofit investment in Florida, so focus on your attic and raise the R-value to R-30 or higher.

• Weatherize your home by caulking and weather-stripping all doors and windows. Also, cover wall-mounted air conditioners to prevent cold air from leaking into your

home. Other places where air escapes from the home are holes, cracks, and other penetrations in raised floors, walls, ceilings, ducts, fireplaces, doors, windows, fans, vents, and electrical outlets.

• The U.S. Department of Energy also recommends leaving drapes and blinds on the south side of your home open during the day to allow sunlight to warm the house and then closing them at night to keep the heat in.  A similar approach can be used in the morning for east-facing windows and in the afternoon for west-facing windows.  Keeping window coverings closed all day and night on the north-facing windows also can help, as the sun cannot shine into these windows in the winter.

• Keep your radiators or heating vents dirt- and dust-free and don’t block their airflow with furniture or draperies.

• Have your heating system serviced once a year and regularly replace filters, preferably every 30-90 days. 

• Turn your water heater down between 110 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to save money on your energy bill. If you have children in the house, this is also a safety measure, as it can minimize the risk of scalding.

As we go through the winter season, keep your family warm and your energy bill down by properly maintaining your home and making a few alterations to your behavior. For more tips on saving energy, refer to FCS3267 Energy Efficient Homes: Easy Steps to Improving Your Home’s Energy Efficiency on the Electronic Data Information

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

Service your heating system once a year to maintain optimal performance and save money on your electric bill.Photo Credits: Elizabeth Gorimani, Gadsden County

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Source (EDIS) of the University of Florida/IFAS Extension website (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu) or any of the other Energy/Climate Awareness Fact Sheets on the Florida Energy Systems Consortium website (http://www.floridaenergy.ufl.edu/?page_id=273).

Small Steps to Health and Wealth™Shelley Swenson

Family and Consumer Sciences/ EFNEP and FNP Agent

Wakulla [email protected]

Several years ago, two Extension Specialists from Rutgers University, Dr. Barbara M. O’Neill and Dr. Karen M. Ensle, published a curriculum entitled Small Steps to Health and Wealth™.  The curriculum included a book with 25 Strate-gies through which to implement small, practical changes in a person’s life in the areas of health and/or financial practices.  By diligently practicing their ideas, the authors feel that persons can enhance both their health and wealth.  Their curriculum spread across the United States with many University Extension FCS Agents teaching all or parts of it. 

UF/IFAS Specialists Dr. Michael Gutter and Dr. Linda Bobroff condensed the curriculum to 8 Strategies. The overall concept is that small steps can result in big changes if they are diligently pursued. The FCS Agents from the Florida Panhandle decided to share some of the Strategies throughout the year in our newsletter.  It is our hope that some of the ideas will have application to your life.     

One might ask how the issues of health and finances are included in the same curriculum.  The Rutgers Specialists found that there are many similarities and learning small steps in one area can successfully be applied to the other.  A few of the similarities are:

• Problems generally develop slowly over time and take time to address;

• Financial problems negatively affect health and poor health negatively affects personal finances;

• Disconnects exist between what people do and say they are doing in both areas; 

• Many people expect quick fixes and are susceptible to both fraudulent health and financial claims; and

• Small, positive behavior changes, such as saving $10 or cutting 100 calories a day, make a big difference over time and are always better than taking no action at all. 

I hope these short articles in this and future newsletters will be helpful to you in 2011.

Today, let’s discuss the first lesson that was offered in the UF/IFAS curriculum: Where Am I Now?   This quote is worth considering:

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all Wisdom.”  - Aristotle

Get yourself a cup of coffee or tea and consider the follow-ing two exercises:

Unload Your Childhood Baggage

Close your eyes and recall your first memory of money.  Your memories might include your remembering how you played bank in kindergarten, learning to share, willingly or unwillingly giving money to the church, earning an allowance and/or feeling that you never had quite as many financial resources as your friends. 

Now close your eyes and recall your first memory of food.  Was food used as a reward for good behavior or withheld for naughty behavior in your family?  Was your dinner time like mine where we all scrambled for the food offered because there may not be enough to go around?

All of these remembrances represent “baggage” related to food and money.

Now consider where this baggage came from.  How does each of these events or feelings from the past impact how you relate to food and manage your finances today?  Many of our childhood memories carry us far into our adulthood. Is it time to give up some of this “baggage” from the past if it really doesn’t relate to our lives today?  How can you do so? 

Here are some ACTION STEPS offered by the authors:

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

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Health

• Make a list of your “health baggage” and reflect on why you came to adopt certain false and/or negative beliefs about them. 

• Convert each example into a positive health message.  An example would be “I can’t control my bad health genes” can be turned into “I am going to decrease my risk of heart problems through diet, exercise and regular check-ups.”

• Share a positive health message with a trusted friend or family member.

Wealth

• Make a list of your “financial baggage” and reflect on why you came to adopt certain false and/or negative beliefs about finances.

• Convert each example into a positive financial message.  An example would be: “I have to work hard for money and, even when I do, I may not be rewarded for my effort” can turn into “Money is a resource for health and wealth and can be used to create my own rewards.” 

• Share a positive wealth message with a trusted friend or family member. 

Understanding your “baggage” is a critical first step on the path to better health and greater wealth.  It explains why you do what you do.  After analyzing “it,” you can set small steps of change that can result in big changes in your life. 

Sources: Portions of this article were adapted and excerpted from: O’Neill, B. and Ensle, K. (2006). Small Steps to Health and Wealth™. Ithaca, NY: NRAES.  Visit www.nraes.org or http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu.

America Saves Week: February 20-27Kendra Zamojski

Family and Consumer Sciences AgentWalton County

[email protected]

Most Americans do not have adequate savings to meet major emergencies, let alone accumulate enough savings for retirement.  The typical American household has less than $100,000 in net wealth, including home equity and 401k accumulations, and only about $10,000 in net financial assets.  Lower income families have much fewer resources. 

America Saves Week is February 20-27, 2011.  The purpose of America Saves Week is to encourage people to save money, reduce debt, and build wealth. You don’t need to be rich to build wealth.  Start with a small savings goal and go to www.americasaves.org and sign up to be a saver.  Even small amounts can add up:

• Save your change.  Saving just $.50 a day will get you $180 by the end of the year

• Skip the latte and save $480 in a year

• Set your bank account for automatic transfers to savings

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

Photo Credits: Natural Resource, Agriculture and Engineering Service, Cooperative Extension, Ithaca, New York

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• Sign up to be a saver and gain access to all kinds of tips and resources

America Saves is a nationwide campaign in which a broad coalition of nonprofit, corporate, and government groups helps individuals and families save and build wealth. Through information, advice, and encouragement, they as-sist those who wish to pay down debt, build an emergency fund, save for a home, save for an education, or save for retirement.

University of Florida IFAS Extension Needs YouThe University of Florida IFAS Extension works towards agricultural, environmental, and economic sustainability in our rapidly growing state and communities. We accomplish this through research-based educational programs, publica-tions, and opportunities provided to you locally. Please consider donating to the UF IFAS County Extension office in your county. Your monetary gift is greatly appreciated and will be used to continue our efforts at providing information and education you want and need. To find out more about making donations and endowments to Univer-sity of Florida IFAS Extension, please contact your County Extension office, or Joe Mandernach, IFAS Development Office at 352-392-5457 or [email protected]. Thank you!

UF IFAS Subscription Management SystemDr. Pete Vergot III

District Extension DirectorNorthwest District

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February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

Photo Credits: America Saves

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“The Foundation for the Gator Nation” an Equal Opportunity Institution.

Calendar of EventsBay County

February 23: Food Safety and Quality Program

March 30: Food Safety and Quality Program

March 2 & 3: Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training

March 16 & 17: Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training

March 7 – April 25: Take Charge of Your Diabetes

Gadsden County

February 7, 8, 9: 6:00 - 8:00 pm Homebuyer Education Program

February 15, 16, 17: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Homebuyer Exit Interviews

February 26: 8:00 am - 2:00 pm Childcare Competency Exam

March 16: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Florida State Hospital Health Fair

March 26: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm Childcare Competency Exam

April 26 & 27: 6:00 - 8:00 pm Homebuyer Education Program

April 30: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm Childcare Competency Exam

Gulf County

Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday of each week from 6:00 - 7:30 pm

- Zumba/Wellness/Nutrition - Honeyville Community Center

Holmes County

April 5 & 6 – Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training – Part 1

April 19 & 20 – Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training – Part 2

Okaloosa County

February 20 – 26  Okaloosa Saves/Florida Saves Week

February 22 11:30 am - 12:30 pm  Organizing Your Finan-cial Records Webinar

February 24 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Money Tips for the “New Normal”  Webinar

March 2 & 3, 16 & 17:  Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training:  Bay/South Walton

April 5 & 6, 19 & 20:  Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training:  Holmes/Walton

Wakulla County

Monday and Tuesday evenings in February and March:  Beginning Computer Class with Hypertension Emphasis

February 19:  Food Preservation Booth at the Farmers’ Market in Sopchoppy

March 12:  Children’s Sustainability Activity Booth at the Farmers’ Market in Sopchoppy

April 2:  Wildlife Festival at Wakulla Springs State Park

Walton County

February 5 - 10:00 am – 3:00 pm – EcoNomic Living Expo, Emerald Coast Convention Center

February 15 & 22 - 6:00 - 9:00 pm – Homeownership Class

February 22 – 11:30 am - 12:30 pm – Organizing Your Financial Records Webinar

February 24 – 11:30 am - 12:30 pm – Money Tips for the “New Normal”  Webinar

March 2 & 3 – Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training – Part 1: Bay/South Walton

March 16 & 17 – Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training – Part 2: Bay/South Walton

March 19 – 8:00 am - 2:00 pm – Homeownership Class

April 5 & 6 – Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training – Part 1: Holmes/Walton

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

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“The Foundation for the Gator Nation” an Equal Opportunity Institution.

April 12 & 26 – 6:00 - 9:00 pm – Homeownership Class

April 19 & 20 – Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training – Part 2: Holmes/Walton

April 23 – Walton County Earth Day Festival – Topsail Preserve State Park

Washington County

April 5 & 6 – Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training – Part 1

April 19 & 20 – Master Money Mentor Volunteer Training – Part 2

February - April 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1

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“The Foundation for the Gator Nation” an Equal Opportunity Institution.

SANTA ROSA OKALOOSA WALTON

ESCAMBIA HOLMESJACKSON

WASHINGTON

BAY

CALHOUN

LIBERTY

GULF

GADSDEN

LEON

WAKULLA

FRANKLIN

JEFFERSON

NW District Extension OfficesContact us for More Information or if you Have Any Questions

Bay CountyMarjorie Moore, [email protected] East 14th StreetPanama City, FL 32401-5022(850) 784-6105http://bay.ifas.ufl.edu

Calhoun CountyJudy [email protected] Central Ave E.Blountstown, FL 32424-2295(850) 674-8323http://calhoun.ifas.ufl.edu

Escambia CountyPamela H. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Stefani RoadCantonment, FL 32533-7792(850) 475-5230http://escambia.ifas.ufl.edu

Franklin CountyBill [email protected] 4th StreetApalachicola, FL 32320-1204(850) 653-9337http://franklin.ifas.ufl.edu

Gadsden CountyElizabeth [email protected] West Jefferson StreetQuincy, FL 32351-1905(850) 875-7255http://gadsden.ifas.ufl.edu

Gulf CountyMelanie [email protected] North 2nd StreetWewahitchka, Fl 32465-0250(850) 639-3200http://gulf.ifas.ufl.edu

Holmes CountyJudy [email protected] E. Highway 90Bonifay, FL 32425-6012(850) 547-1108http://holmes.ifas.ufl.edu

Jackson CountyAmanda [email protected] Pennsylvania Ave.Marianna, FL 32448(850) 482-9620http://Jackson.ifas.ufl.edu

Jefferson CountyKristin [email protected] North Mulberry StreetMonticello, FL 32344-2249(850) 342-0187http://jefferson.ifas.ufl.edu

Leon CountyBetty [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Paul Russell RoadTallahassee, FL 32301-7060(850) 606-5203http://leon.ifas.ufl.edu

Liberty CountyMonica [email protected] NW Theo Jacobs WayBristol, FL 32321-0368(850) 643-2229http://liberty.ifas.ufl.edu

Okaloosa CountyElaine [email protected] Old Bethel RoadCrestview, FL 32536-5512(850) 659-5850http://okaloosa.ifas.ufl.edu

Santa Rosa CountyGinny [email protected] Dogwood DriveMilton, FL 32570-3500(850) 623-3868http://santarosa.ifas.ufl.edu

Wakulla CountyShelley [email protected] Cedar AvenueCrawfordville, FL 32327-2063(850) 926-3931http://wakulla.ifas.ufl.edu

Walton CountyKendra [email protected] N 9 Street Ste BDeFuniak Springs, FL 32433(850) 892-8172http://walton.ifas.ufl.edu

Washington CountyJudy [email protected] Jackson Avenue Ste AChipley, FL 32428-1602(850) 638-6265http://washington.ifas.ufl.edu


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