Thanks to a law passed more than a century ago, the University of Illinois Extension program is offering 10 courses on topics that include such areas of community interest as horticulture and agriculture.
The Smith Lever Act of 1914 established the funding for land-grant colleges to establish the national Cooperative Extension System to inform the public on an array of topics ranging from agriculture to economic development to youth development, a Milan Chamber of Commerce bulletin said.
For Rock Island County residents, the nearest of the 27 extension offices across the state offering classes is in Milan at 321 W. Second Ave.
In Illinois, some 1.5 million people annually attend extension classes, with over a quarter of those being involved in the 4-H program.
“Developing programs that benefit the local community is one of the best aspects of working at Illinois Extension," Program Coordinator Becky Buckrop said in the bulletin. "We get to bring university research to help local families, farmers, businesses and homeowners."
Upcoming extension courses being offered include Horticulture: Attracting Pollinators and Treating Garden Diseases; Nutrition & Wellness: Preventing Chronic Disease and Adopting Healthy Lifestyles; Agriculture: Using Life Science and Crop Science Research and Discovering Local Consumers with the Illinois Market Maker; 4-H & Youth: Becoming an Effective Leader and Gaining Real-life Experience Through Volunteerism; and Community & Economic Development: Developing Resilient Downtowns and Building a Comprehensive Plan.
For more information, go to the University of Illinois Extension website.
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