Sevier County FCE Clubs Gave 7,000 Volunteer Hours to Community this Year

Family Community Education Clubs, formerly Home Demonstration Clubs – Extension Homemakers, may have changed names, but their mission to strengthen individuals and families through fellowship, learning, and community service – still remains strong. Join Sevier County FCE Clubs in celebrating National FCE Week October 9 – 15, 2018. Visit a club meeting! Make new friends, have fun, and become involved in your community!

Sevier County is home to two FCE Clubs, Midway and Seymour, which meet monthly. Even though it is called a club, anyone may join the groups at anytime. Members enjoy monthly educational programs as well as planned activities, with local club leadership., Linda Hyder, UT Sevier County Extension Agent, serves in the advisory role and promotes opportunities at the FCE Regional and State level.

Community involvement is important to the FCE Clubs and the individual members. This year, individual members volunteered 7,000 community service hours, totaling an economic impact of $153,860 to Sevier County.

Midway FCE members Marti Agler, Judy Williams, Laura Bales and Joan Saas represent Sevier County at Eastern Region FCE Conference.

Seymour FCE members Alice Dickinson and Judy McQueen share calcium benefits at Farm School Day

Joan Saas of Midway FCE always entertains students at Farm School Day!

Midway FCE members and the crafts they made after a meeting!

Learning about honey from Savannah Bee Company. FCE Monthly meetings typically include educational programs.

Several local community agencies have benefitted through FCE members donating time, money, or other resources. Such agencies include CROSS, Sevier County Food Ministries, Head Start, King and Seymour Libraries, Family Resource Center, Pets without Parents, Salvation Army, Pigeon Forge Fire Department. The Seymour club has also assisted with mats for the homeless through use of recycled plastic bags.

This year the FCE Clubs established a Rowena McFalls 4-H Scholarship Fund, in memory of Rowena, an active and beloved member. Money for this scholarship will enable children to attend 4-H Camp, whose families cannot afford camp. Anyone may donate to this scholarship fund, by contacting Glenn Turner, 4-H Agent with Sevier County UT Extension, 865-453-3695.

For more information, you may visit the National FCE website www.tafce.org. For local club meetings, contact Linda Hyder, UT Extension, 865-453-3695 or lhyder@utk.edu. Membership is open to anyone regardless of age, race, disability, or gender or national origin.

May the values and impact of Family Community Education Clubs membership continue to be strong for the future. Come and be involved, enjoy the meetings and projects of Sevier County FCE Clubs.

Feature Photo: Members may participate in Cultural Arts Day, showing off their handmade crafts and quilts. Laura Bales, Terri Butler, and Linda Lubke won with their craft/quilt entries at the 2018 Regional Cultural Arts Conference.