COLLEGE STATION – The Texas Extension Education Association, a longtime supporter of Texas 4-H, received the 2009 Partnership Award at the Texas A&M AgriLife conference at College Station in January.
The award, given by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, recognized the association for many years of “steadfast financial support,” with annual gifts frequently topping $100,000.
The money is used for student scholarships and to help defray the cost of improvements at the Texas 4-H Conference Center in Brownwood. The association’s Coins for Friendship program raised $68,000 to help the conference center develop new environmental education programs, strengthen its aquatics program and meet operating costs.
The award also praised the many association volunteers who “have provided countless hours teaching, preparing and judging 4-H members in food shows, fashion contests and more.” Volunteers, the award said, also support a variety of AgriLife Extension family and consumer sciences programs, including those focused on diabetes and family emergency preparedness.
Accepting the award for the association was its president, Una Kunkel of Austin.