Success Stories
Table of Contents:
Annie's Project
What Marcellus Shale Means for Pennsylvania, Communities, and Citizens
Gas and Oil Expo Proved to be a Valuable Resource for Local Business Owners
Different, helpful, and inclusive are all fitting adjectives for Annie’s Project. Originally developed by University of Illinois to assist mid-west farm women, this curriculum received a "new breath of life" when a team headed by Dr. Kathryn J. Brasier, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology adapted the materials to fit the needs of Northeastern farmers, whose farms tend to be smaller with more specialty crops. Primarily focused on female adult learners, Annie’s Project introduces a set of tools and strategies that can be used to proactively lessen the effects of risk on farms so that female farmers can make the decisions that are right for their respective farms. This is a highly participative program, allowing learners to simultaneously develop large and small-scale networks, share stories, and get to know fellow agricultural producers as they work together through the challenges of farming.
"Although the 2008/09 pilot was conducted on-site with a dozen women, we anticipate conducting some sessions in 2010 by video conferencing," says instructor and curriculum team member Winifred McGee (a Lebanon County-based Extension Educator). In this model, there will be one overall facilitator, with a number of networking groups at 3 to 5 sites across the state. The major messages will be delivered over the Internet, with site-level groups breaking off to work amongst themselves on hands-on activities and listen to local guest speakers with their site sub-facilitators.
What makes Annie's Project different from other risk management workshops is the amount of group interaction. The program includes a lot of hands-on activities and storytelling, as opposed to other programs, which may depend largely on lecture. In this way, it creates the student-helping-student environment in which many women learn best.
One of the most important outcomes of this program is the women’s realization that taking risks is not always a bad thing. If the research is conducted, and the tools selected are managed effectively, positive growth and diversification can occur. From the first week of this six-session workshop, Annie’s Project focuses on being comfortable with taking certain risks. Throughout the sessions, each farmer is challenged to develop her own plan for growth and change, in order to manage their farms in a more confident way.
Annie’s Project is a good example of an innovative Extension program because it allows for diversity of learning styles and educational environments. To reach out to the broadest range of audiences, it is important for extension education to offer a wide range of learning opportunities that are tailored to have the best impact over the largest number of people. Annie’s Project is just one of many programs offered by the extension department that explore and experiment with types of learning.
The program sessions for Annie’s Project should be available sometime in mid-November. For more information on Annie’s Project, please contact Winifred McGee at (717) 270-4391 x108 or at wwm1@psu.edu.
by Dawn Gannon
What Marcellus Shale Means for Pennsylvania, Communities, and Citizens
In a presentation given in Wayne County on Wednesday the 14th of October, Township Officials learned about the impacts of Marcellus Shale on their communities. An important goal of the presentation was to deliver information about important topics like the possible effect Marcellus natural gas will have on water resources, pipelines, and economics—in those parts of Pennsylvania that sit above the Marcellus shale including Wayne County.
What many people don’t know is the amount of different types of jobs required in the natural gas process. Every new well site generates a host of new jobs (both near and more distanced from the site) for the surrounding area. Commercial Driver’s Licensed (CDL) and Heavy Equipment operators are two of several jobs needed at the actual site. Outside of the well site, the needed positions include but are not limited to lawyers, realtors, inspectors, engineers, paralegals, and geologists. Most of the positions (75%) require no more than a high school diploma or specialized training degree, however, a lot of the positions also require ITS (information technology services) or technical training.
The presentation also focused on the natural gas impact on forests and wildlife, and tourism. There could be major effects on timber and some controversial habitat disturbance depending on the drilling area. As of now there is no mechanism to monitor wildlife in the chosen areas. The cultural change of the areas with well sites effect population, housing, development, and infrastructure—things that can seriously alter a community. Local businesses could benefit and new businesses could be brought in to take advantage of providing services to the Marcellus shale companies. Residents and workers could have useful skills or be able to be trained in these skills, aiding in the search for the number of aforementioned jobs.
The scale of the natural gas boom may be vast, but townships officials are advised to think over every detail before climbing aboard. Many of the effects are very beneficial, but there is no doubt that this process could also negatively affect a community. It is important for township officials to have continuing discussions and to communicate with each other, gas industry and other agencies. They should be prepared to get task forces together and to be able to educate the public. With the right choices, Marcellus Shale will become an advantageous endeavor.
For more information about this program, please contact Peter Wulfhorst at (570) 296-3400 or at ptw3@psu.edu.
by Dawn Gannon
Gas and Oil Expo Proved to be a Valuable Resource for Local Business Owners
Networking definitely helps get business and at the Central Susquehanna Gas and Oil expo on Sept. 19th 150 local businesses were given a platform to network and make many valuable connections with the Marcellus Shale Exploration industry.
Matt Henderson, business consultant for the LHU Small Business Development Center, was one of the main organizers of the event along with collaborative efforts from the Independent Oil and Gas Associations, the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce and the Penn State Cooperative Extension. Their efforts put together an expo which over 1,000 people attended. The expo allowed them to promote the benefits and employment opportunities that will certainly boost our local economy within the next ten years.
Over 130 vendors and 150 business owners were spread through the fairgrounds. "It was the perfect location to exhibit heavy equipment," said Henderson. "The equipment displays were amazing and many of our heavy equipment companies took advantage of showing to our many attendees exactly how their equipment is used."
Local vendors continue to contact Henderson to let him know the value that expo brought to their small businesses. "It has proven to be worth the time and effort in planning it," said Henderson. If only one good contact was made that day for each business owner, it was worth it!" And that it was!
courtesy of Lock Haven University Small Business Development Center