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| Bernie Mason Montana State University Extension Family Consumer Science Agent, Retiree |
I would like to invite fellow FCS Extension current
employees and retirees to attend the 2016 NEAFCS Conference and visit Montana,
The Big Sky Country. Attending a
National Conference provides many benefits, both professionally and personally
and you go home with memories that last a lifetime. To introduce myself, I am Bernie Mason, and
retired three years ago from my position as the FCS Extension Agent in
Yellowstone County, with the office located in Billings. Since retirement I have continued to be involved
in many of the community activities that I was committed to as an agent,
particularly in the areas involving the well-being of children, such as
Billings Action for Healthy Kids and the School Health Advisory Committee. Upon retirement I also took on the leadership
of establishing a food pantry at our church for families in need. I help with the care of my grandchildren who
are now in elementary school, and serve as a resource person in their
classrooms, sharing some of the educational resources I used as an Extension
Agent. For the past two years I have
written a weekly recipe column for the local paper, the Billings Gazette as
well.
Once I attended a National Conference, the first one was in
Tulsa, Oklahoma I looked forward to participating again. Attending National Conferences provided me
with a great wealth of knowledge, new educational programs, and the opportunity
to meet and form relationships with fellow Extension Agents from around the
country. Whether it was the National Conference in Nashville, Baltimore, D.C.,
Portland, Rapid City, Wichita, Phoenix, Denver, Providence or one of the
others, each conference I attended had special memories. I was able to purchase Christmas ornaments
from several of the conferences, and each year when I decorate my tree and
bring out the ornaments, I think about those special moments. The conference in Greenville, North Carolina
was particularly meaningful because while on the tour of the furniture
warehouse in Ashville, I purchased a wonderful bed that I enjoy sleeping in
every night.
The conferences provide an excellent resource for new
programs to bring back to your county.
Where else can you go to have so many different trained professionals
presenting educational programs that have proven to be successful, that you can
take back to your community and share with your clientele? For instance, at the conference where the
Financial Specialist from Minnesota presented her program, “Who Gets Grandma’s
Yellow Pie Plate”, I was able to bring that program information back to
Montana, and after our Financial Specialist revised it for compatibility with
Montana law, it became one of the most successful programs I presented for
years.
The conferences are also a great way to learn more about the
different states where they are held.
Taking the opportunity to become more informed about the history and
special attractions at each of the sites has been a special benefit. One I will always remember is the nighttime
tour of the Capitol and the Monuments at the D.C. conference.
I encourage you to come to Montana and create your own set
of memories, and let us share some of the many wonders of our state. When you look at the variety of program
opportunities that will be available, it will be difficult to choose which ones
to attend, but at least with our technology, you will still be able to return
to your state with information about all of them.
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