Lorri Winters Departs Greene County Extension After 10 Years

June 1 will be Lorri Winter’s last day as office manager for Greene County Extension. After 10 years, she is starting a new chapter in her career/life by pursuing other options.

“During this time, Lorri has managed our office, maintained our  financial records, answered customer calls, worked with clients to enroll in classes, worked with members of Master Gardeners program, and operated our office during the frequent absence of the specialists,” said David Burton, county program director. “Lorri has been an ambassador for extension with the park board. She has a natural ability to talk with strangers and make people feel comfortable. She will be missed.”

Maggie Black, a resident of Ozark and member of Friends of the Garden, will begin working as the Greene County Extension Administrative Assistant on May 27. She has 30 years of clerical experience and is looking forward to learning more about MU Extension, meeting clients, and learning new things, including how to package a soil test!

Extension staff are hosting a private going away lunch for Lorri on May 28. Members of the public have until May 29 to wish her well.

Tickets on Sale for “Dinner in the Orchard” June 20; Event Benefits Greene County Extension and Features Locally Produced Foods

Contact: David Burton, civic communication specialist
County Program Director - Greene County
Tel: (417) 881-8909
E-mail: burtond@missouri.edu

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A special upcoming event being billed as “Dinner in the Orchard” will benefit Greene County Extension and feature locally produced foods deliciously prepared on a Midsummer Night’s Eve. But you only have until June 10 to purchase the limited tickets available for this memorable evening.

This second annual event begins with a welcome at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 20 at Sunshine Valley Farm Café, 8125 E State Highway AD, Rogersville, Mo. Proceeds from the event will benefit programs funded by Greene County Extension.

This year, Chef Craig von Foerster of From Table to Farm, will put together a micro-local four course menu that will begin with appetizers in the orchard. Dine inside or on the porch with views of the Orchard. Local wine and beer and music will be part of the evening. After dinner, attendees will have a chance to take home a homemade pie with a fun “pie pull.”

MU Extension specialists and staff from Greene County will attend along with Greene County Extension Council members who have organized and planned the event.

The event is a match with MU Extension’s mission and program focus according to Dr. Pam Duitsman, a nutrition and health specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

“Greene County Extension specialists are heavily invested in promoting and educating the public about locally produced foods, helping people produce their own food, teaching about good nutrition and helping local businesses succeed,” said Duitsman. “This event will showcase the impact of those efforts in one location.”

Seating for this event is limited to 80 individuals and the first event did sell out.

Advanced tickets must be purchased before June 10 and are available at a cost of $75 per person.

Tickets can be purchased by cash or check at the Greene County Extension office, 2400 S. Scenic Ave., Springfield, Mo. 65807 or easily and safely online at http://extension.missouri.edu/greene or directly at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1565247.

Individuals with questions about the dinner can email chef@fromtabletofarm.com.

Since 1914, Greene County residents have sought help from Extension in areas related to agriculture, gardening, 4-H youth, nutrition, families, business and community development. Members of “Friends of Greene County Extension” contribute financially to make it possible for Extension to continue having a positive impact on the quality of life in Greene County.
###

Practical PR Suggestions for the Real Word

by David L. Burton

I attended and helped to organize the Southwest Missouri PRSA Chapter's Spring Boot Camp on April 28 in Springfield, Mo.

I've heard it said that if you leave a workshop with one good take away sentence then your time has been well-spent and the workshop was a success. Here are my take-away sentences for the day!

CUSTOMER SERVICE

What is your companies plus one? What are customers wanting from you? Answer that question and then do something extra.

WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Because of mobile access to web, writing lean is essential. Treat it word like it costs a $1 and spend as little as possible.

PDFs do not load well on mobile devices. Who knew? This changes everything for me if my goal is to make our website more mobile friendly.

Google prefers blogs of 1500 words or less. Keep it updated.

STORYTELLING TACTICS

Tell a specific story with a specific point of view. Start In the middle of the action. Start when story begins. Use details to convey meaning. If possible, subvert expectations. If possible, establish and resolve a conflict. If possible, set up a puzzle or mystery.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Social media does not do magic. Social media does not maintain itself. It is extremely hard to use social media to convert a follower to a customer. Social media does not replace your website or blog.

Six words are a good length for headlines. Brevity is crucial on social media.

In news, the readers and viewers are the product and they are sold to advertisers.

POWERFUL STORYTELLING

Keep the ego out of stories. If you are telling a story, it is not about you.