How sweet it is…County Extension office looking for a few good desserts

by By Cristin Parker news@thecherokeean.com

Fancy yourself a blue-ribbon baker?

The Cherokee County AgriLife Extension Agency is offering the chance to prove it during the local office’s dessert bake-off, to be held in conjunction with a chili luncheon scheduled for Friday, Feb. 1.

“This is the first time I will be a part of this chili luncheon and dessert bake-off contest,” said Jennifer Pearman, Cherokee County Extension Agent-Family & Community Health.

“The previous Family and Community Health Extension agents did this several years ago, and the TEEA clubs of Cherokee County and I thought we would bring it back as a little fundraiser for them.”

The contest is open to adults and youth and the top three desserts will receive ribbons. Entry is free; desserts submitted become the property of the Extension office.

Any and all desserts are welcome and participants may enter as many desserts as they like. Desserts should be dropped off between 7:30-9 a.m., Feb. 1, at the Cherokee County Extension office, 165 E. Sixth St., downtown Rusk, and judging will begin shortly thereafter. Label dishes for pickup after 2 p.m.

The community will get the chance to sample desserts as part of the Extension’s chili luncheon fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 1, at the TEEA office, 165 E. Sixth St., Rusk. Lunch is $5 and includes a bowl of chili, cornbread, dessert and tea. Dine in or carry out meals available. Proceeds benefit the Cherokee County TEEA Club, which allows the Agency to provide education programs for both youth and adults of Cherokee County.

The Texas Extension Education Association is an organization of individuals who stress the importance of family values, support education, develop leadership skills and provide service to the community.

The Cherokee County division is known as Cherokee Extension Education Association. There are two clubs that meet in Cherokee County:

- Central High meets at 10 a.m. every third Wednesday of the month at the Central High Community Center, Alto; and

- Ponta meets at 4 p.m. every second Tuesday of the month and rotates meeting places between Ponta Baptist Church and New Summerfield Church of Christ.

Club activities include the County Rally Day in October; local, state and district meetings; the County Christmas Social in December, and field trips around the county.

Call Agent Pearman, (903) 683-5416 to find out how to become a member of the Cherokee Extension Education Association.

According to the service’s website, “the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, a statewide network of professional educators, trained volunteers and county offices, reaches into every Texas county to address local priority needs. Some of our major efforts are in mitigating drought impacts; conserving water use in homes, landscapes, production agriculture; improving emergency management; enhancing food security; and protecting human health through education about diet, exercise, and disease prevention and management.

“Collaborative programs enable extension educators and their partners to extend resources and prevent duplication of services. In total, extension personnel and extension-trained volunteers achieved nearly 23 million direct teaching contacts, including distance education via the Web, in fiscal year 2015.”