December 10, 2019
The Holiday Season Part 1: The People We Serve
The holidays are a time of giving. Giving to those less fortunate. Giving to those who have cared for us and enabled and empowered us to become the people we are. Giving to those we love and care about.
There have been times in my life when I have been told by a participant in one of my Extension programs or one-on-one advisory sessions that “You have made a difference in my life!” They then go on to explain how the education you gave them enabled them to improve their lives. If you have not received this type of complement yet, keep working. It will happen.
Now, some of you may be focusing on what I, the Extension professional, gave the participant. I would encourage you to consider the gift the participant has given the Extension professional. After all, they enabled us. They enabled us by:
• Seeking ways to improve their lives, livelihoods, and communities;
• Expressing, in one way or another, their needs of K-State Research and Extension;
• Participating in our K-State Research and Extension programs;
• Telling their friends and families about the good work we do; and,
• Paying for our services through taxes and program and registration fees with their hard earned dollars.
Then, after that, they further give the Extension professional the greatest gift an Extension user and believer can bestow, saying you made a difference in their life. For those of us who have received the praise of our constituents, there is no better feeling.
I ask that you thank the people we serve this holiday season. Their desire to improve their lives, livelihoods, and communities enables us to engage in the greatest of professions. On top of that, they sometimes even thank us for the opportunity they gave us!