Beech Tree News Network

The Butler County Rural Development Annual Awards Meeting was held on Saturday, November 5, at the county extension office.  All four clubs, Big Bend, Little Muddy, Provo and Reedyville, were represented. Members were treated to a potluck dinner, followed by entertainment by Caleb Smithson, a local WKU student.

 

The awards meeting is held each year in order to recognize and encourage the spirit of volunteerism that is the foundation of each club.  The Rural Development, as an organization, was established in 1957.  It was, and still is, a non-profit volunteer organization that does fund raisers in order to improve communities and assist their citizens.

Money from fund raisers help organizations such as the Red Cross, the Morgantown Mission, the Search and Rescue Unit, and the Cancer Assistance Program, just to name a few.  Rural Development also makes donations to organizations that focus on the youth of the county.  The 4-H Club, Project Prom, and the Butler County High School band all benefit from the generous donations.

Mary Joe Franklin, president of the steering committee, presided over the Saturday night meeting, which recognized the outstanding club of the year.  The honor went to the Little Muddy club.  The award was presented to club member, Danny Dye, by extension agent, Greg Drake, II (pictured above).  A donation was also presented to the Butler County 4-H for camp scholarships.  Lloyd Saylor was on hand to accept the donation.

Mr. Ben Brown, Butler County extension agent during the early and mid 1960’s, was also in attendance.  The retired agent remarked that it did his heart good to visit the county again and see the clubs still going strong.  Butler County has the only remaining Rural Development Clubs in the United States.

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Story and photos by Cheryl Hughes, Beech Tree News.