Alexander County ECA

Come Join in the Fun with ECA....

2009-12-02T10:30:00.002-05:00

ECA lesson leaders shared holiday craft ideas at their November club meetings. One group has become an intergenerational club, including activities and lessons in which members and children/grandchildren can participate together – passing along life skills and creative, economical ways to enjoy the holidays. The 2010 ECA lesson schedule is now available. To view the monthly guide for ECA meeting click HERE to see what they will be doing each month. Membership is open to any area resident and visitors are always welcome!

Alexander County ECA Members Help Host Association Meeting

2009-12-02T10:27:00.004-05:00

Extension and Community Association (ECA) members put the finishing touches on the luncheon tables at their recent state meeting held in Concord. The Alexander County Association was part of the host district planning team. The local council was recognized at the Award’s Luncheon with the 2008 Volunteer Service and Activity Award. Attending from Alexander County were Katrina Jones, Margo Mosley, Ella Mae Nichols, Colene Philmon, and Wanda Stafford.

Alexander ECA Club Wins Top Honors at Dixie Classic Fair

2009-12-02T10:24:00.003-05:00

“Taste the Color-Let It Thrill Your Tastebuds!” was the theme for this prize winning fair booth highlighting healthy food choices at both Dixie Classic and Alexander County Fairs this fall. The booths were prepared by Extension and Community Association (ECA) volunteers from the Tuesday Ladies Club (TLC). The display won top honors at both fairs plus “Best of Show “at the Dixie Classic Fair in Winston-Salem. Way to go TLC ECA Club and Congratulations on a job well done.

Coming in May....Cake Decorating 101

2009-05-05T14:56:00.001-04:00

Monday, May 18, 6:30 pm. Learn the basics of using cake decorating tools to make festive and colorful cupcakes and get ideas for unique ways to create that special celebration cake. Guest leader is April Clark, Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at ACHS. Open to the public. You need not be a member to attend. Call the Extension Center to register at 828-632-3125.

Backpack Project

2009-05-05T14:53:00.002-04:00

Rocky Springs ECA members Lee Jan Waddell and Doris Wilson were among nine other members that helped assemble over 100 back packs April 23 at First Baptist Church, Taylorsville. The Back Pack Project is coordinated locally by Taylorsville Rotary Club and provides food for the weekend to children served by the free and reduced lunch program.

2008 Community Spark Award

2009-05-05T14:41:00.002-04:00

ECA Council President Katrina Jones was honored as the Association’s Community Spark winner at the annual Commissioner’s Choice Awards program March 17.

2009-10 Officers

2009-05-05T14:36:00.000-04:00

New officers for 2009-2010 were installed. They include Katrina Jones, president; Doris Wilson, first vice president; Wanda Stafford, second vice president; Melba Carrigan, secretary; Colene Philmon, treasurer and Ella Mae Nichols, advisor

Frienship ECA Club named 2008 Club of the Year

2009-05-05T14:31:00.001-04:00

That announcement was made during the annual achievement program March 19. Volunteer hours logged by the membership in 2008 totaled 483. That service translates into over $9000 worth of economic value to Alexander County!

ECA Projects

2009-05-05T14:25:00.001-04:00

Ongoing projects of the Association include collections of food for the local Christian Crisis Center and cell phones and cleaning supplies for the Domestic Violence Resource Center.

2009-01-19T19:36:00.012-05:00

State Coucil Meeting

Two Alexander County Extenion and Community Association (ECA) members represented the local organization at the annual State ECA Council Meeting held October 29-31, in Fayetteville. Local delegates were county council president Ella Mae Nichols and Wanda Stafford, council secretary. The local group was recognized with the bronze level Search for Excellence Award for their contributions to club, community and county. Service hours for 2007 totaled 635.*

*Since the Department of Labor assesses the value of volunteer service at $19.51 per hour, the group’s efforts are worth over $12,000 for the year.

September Workshops

4-H Leader and Quilt guild member Micki Earp demonstrates basic quilt stitches to ECA members Martha Brown and MaryLynn Watt.

Amanda Burgin works with Joan Johnson and Ella Mae Nichols in creating fall arrangements.

Foster Care Literacy Project Photo
In recognition of the national “Make a Difference Day” celebration, Alexander members joined members from across North Carolina to collect over 2000 new books for youth in foster care. Books collected locally will be distributed by the foster care program staff at the Department of Social Services.

Throws for Hospice

Over 18 fleece throws were collected by ECA volunteers for local Hospice patients.
Club representatives gathered recently at the Hospice House in Taylorsville to make their donation.

2009 Program Plans

2009-01-19T19:32:00.001-05:00

Topics for ECA educational programs and workshops have been confirmed. Educational lessons will include team building, food safety, money management and fall prevention.
The workshop schedule includes a variety of heritage skills, like soap making and cake decorating to be led by trained volunteers.

Train to Become a Volunteer Tax Preparer

2009-01-19T19:20:00.002-05:00

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) offers free preparation of federal and state income tax returns to low-income families in Alexander County. The project is sponsored by the IRS, Cooperative Extension and the Alexander International Center. The VITA filing season runs from February through April 15.

What difference will I make? You will assist low income families and individuals by helping them to claim every tax benefit to which they are entitled. You can help boost a family’s yearly income by up to 30%. The most valuable tax benefit is the Earned Income Tax Credit, which can be worth over $4,000 and is paid directly to taxpayers even if they owe no tax. Taxpayers may also be able to claim the Child Tax Credit and college tuition credits. Without quality tax preparation assistance, many people fail to claim these tax benefits.

Do I have to be a professional tax preparer to participate? NO!! Free training is provided by the IRS. No prior tax experience is required! For information, contact the Cooperative Extension Center at 632-3125.

Interested in an Extension Quilt Club?

2009-01-19T19:15:00.003-05:00

Attention all quilters and those who’d like to learn: Interest has been expressed in having a quilt focused ECA (Extension and Community Association) group in Alexander County. You need not be an experienced quilter, just interested in learning more about this heritage skill or have a passion for the skill and want to share that with other like minds! The newly revised ECA structure provides the flexibility for such a group. There needs to be at least 6-8 for such a group to function. If you are interested, please contact the Extension Center, 632-3125, by January 5. An information session will then be scheduled to discuss the possibilities.