Members of some local FCE Clubs celebrated earth day by getting their hands dirty in some good tilled earth.
The Family and Consumer Education Clubs, which are sponsored through the UT Agricultural Extension Office here in Carter County, celebrated the holiday by planting a new flower garden around the sign at the Extension Office.
The mission of the FCE Clubs is to promote education, leadership and community service and they do so by taking part in a variety of projects throughout the year that give back to not only the local community but sometimes the global community as well.
Working together President of the Carter County FCE Council Caroline Bales and UT Extension Agent Vickie Clark, who works with the FCE Clubs, came up with the idea of planting the new flowers for Earth Day.
Members of the FCE Clubs were asked to bring flowers from their own gardens to share for the new flower bed. Bales said several members stopped by on Friday to bring flowers. Clark specifically noted club member Alice Sturgill who donated some beautiful Japanese Lanterns for the project.
A new sign is on order to replace the existing sign at the Extension Office and Clark said the new flower bed will provide the new sign with a lovely home, noting that a number of the flowers will bloom orange, which is of course appropriate for UT.
Locally, Carter County has three FCE Clubs which all meet at different times once a month to enjoy the company of their fellow club members and to work on community service or education projects.
• The Keenburg FCE meets the 1st Thursday of each month at 1 p.m. Meetings are held in the homes of the club’s members.
• The Elizabethton FCE meets the 4th Thursday of each month at 3:30 p.m. at the Elizabethton Senior Citizens Center.
• The Pinecrest FCE meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. Meetings are held in the homes of the club’s members.
The FCE Clubs are involved in many activities including Books for Newborns, recycling, teaching crafts at the Elizabethton Senior Citizens Center plus many others, Clark said.
Over the years, membership in the clubs has seen a decline, Clark said.
“So many families are two-income families and the women have to work so they don’t have time,” she said.
Another obstacle could be the times for the current clubs’ meetings, which are weekdays during normal business hours.
Clark said she is considering launching a new club that would meet on Saturdays which could allow those who work through the week to join and take part in activities.
Membership in an FCE Club is open to both women and men, Bales said.
“It can be people of any age,” she said.
For more information on the existing FCE Clubs or meetings, or to express interest in possibly joining a new FCE Club that would meet on Saturdays, please contact Vickie Clark at 423-542-1818 or by e-mail to mclark@utk.edu.