University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County Annual Report 2001-2002 Helping You Put Knowledge to Work: An introduction by Gary Bergman, Extension Educator & Unit Leader

University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County invites you to take an in-depth look at our program accomplishments over the past year.

By extending UNL's resources to urban and rural Nebraskans, Cooperative Extension strengthens individuals, families, businesses and communities.

Extension's mission of "Helping You Put Knowledge to Work" provides educational outreach through multiple delivery methods. Lancaster County Extension fully utilizes the Internet to maximize its outreach. Lancaster County Extension also leverages its resources and those of the Lincoln community by collaborating with more than 260 agencies, organizations, businesses and schools.

Here are some recent examples of the impact extension's programs make in our community:

• The Biosolids Land Application program, pesticide Container Recycling program and Composting Education workshops have saved taxpayers an estimated $556,749 this year by keeping waste out of the landfill.
• Research shows for every $1.00 invested in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), there is a projected health care cost savings of $8.82 (for each dollar spent).
• The Character Counts! character education program initiated in Nebraska by 4-H has been so successful many schools have adopted, and are implementing, character education programs. Presently, the Nebraska Department of Education is promotion Character Counts! statewide.
• In the past year, 4-H reached 25,957 youth in Lancaster County--nearly half of the eligible youth.
• Our Web site, http://lancaster.unl.edu, now has more than 3,000 pages of online resources and received nearly 1,900,000 hits last year!

We are pleased with Lancaster County Extension's program accomplishments and are proud of our role in the community.

Gary Bergman,
Extension Educator and Unit Leader