Golden shares memories from OSU Extension Offi ce
By Jen Jones
COSHOCTON - In July of 1978, Paul Golden started working
at the Coshocton County OSU Extension offi ce as the
agricultural, natural resources and community devel-
opment agent and retired as the county extension agent
almost 30 years later, on Jan. 1, 2007.
“I always felt it was an honor and privilege to work for
OSU Extension. Best job I could have ever chosen,” said
Golden. “It provided me with the opportunity to work
with the people in the community on a daily basis bring-
ing researched knowledge to the farming community
and the local citizens.”
Golden said his primary focus in agriculture was a little
of everything, but his specialty leaned more toward farm
management and safety. He worked with farm and busi-
ness organizational issues, estate planning, farm part-
nerships arrangements and family succession planning.
“Th ese were among the more challenging and rewarding
opportunities in my career professionally and always
conducted in a strict confi dential atmosphere.”
His farm safety programming gave him the oppor-
tunity to address farm needs of the community with a
large range of educational endeavors to promote a safe
and healthy environment. Local needs assessments were
completed and the extension offi ce developed programs
for diff erent agronomic and livestock issues, along with
natural resources.
“Th rough the eff orts of our local volunteer citizen
committees, we developed an extension economic de-
velopment task force to address the needs of the com-
munity over the next 20 years. In addition, citizens and
local offi cials presented an updated and viable long term
comprehensive land use plan to our local county com-
missioners,” said Golden.
Contributed
Contributed
In 2005, Golden was awarded a distinguished service award by the
National Association of County Agricultural Agents.
“I miss working with the people and clientele in Co-
shocton County. I knew every day I would learn some-
thing new from their concerns, questions and input. I
miss working with the other educators, coworkers and
offi ce staff . I knew I could always count on them for sup-
port, their knowledge, transparency and integrity,” said
Golden.
In 2005, Golden was awarded a distinguished service
award by the National Association of County Agricultural
Agents. He was fi rst selected by agricultural educators in
Golden
Ohio for the service award presented by the Ohio Exten-
sion Agents Association and that selection earned him a
nomination for the national award. Golden said it was an
honor to walk across the stage to receive his award.
He also said he misses the OSU Extension State Spe-
cialists and administrators on the university level that
taught him so much. “Th e high point of my career – every
morning I went to work, I loved it! Th is is all about the
people we serve.”
SNAP-ED program gearing up in Coshocton
COSHOCTON -Th e Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Ed-
ucation Program (SNAP-Ed) is a free nutrition education
and obesity prevention program serving low-income
adults and youth. It is funded by the Food Nutrition
Service (FNS) branch of the United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA). SNAP-Ed operates in 52 states
and territories, and its focus audience is individuals and
families eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assis-
tance Program (formerly known as food stamps). In
Ohio, SNAP-Ed has developed as a partnership between
the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services and Ohio
State University Extension.
SNAP-Ed facilitates voluntary adoption of healthy food
and physical activity choices and other good nutri-
tion-related behaviors. SNAP-Ed teaches people to shop
for and cook healthy meals. It also helps people learn
how to make their SNAP dollars stretch. SNAP-Ed works
with partners to make the healthy choice the easy choice
Th is program will soon be off ered in Coshocton Coun-
ty to qualifying agencies. Collette Burdette has been
hired to work in the Coshocton County Extension Offi ce
as a SNAP-Ed Program Assistant, and she will begin of-
fering the program to schools and agencies that meet the
income guidelines. If you are interested in learning more
about this program, contact Burdette at 740-622-2265 or
at burdette.26@osu.edu.
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APRIL 17, 2019