On November 5, 2018, eight Union County Family & Community Education (FCE) members and 1 guest (Joyce DeRoy, not pictured) met at the UT Extension Office in Maynardville, TN to make flannel baby blankets to donate to the NICU in Knoxville. The group made 15 baby blankets before running out of material.
Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs, organized under the direction of the University of Tennessee, are dedicated to the purpose of helping persons become better homemakers and community members. Home Economics activities are carried out through monthly meetings, special interest activities, workshops, mass media, and individual contacts. Union County currently has two very active FCE Groups, Big Ridge FCE meeting on the second Thursday monthly and Sharps Chapel FCE meeting on the third Thursday monthly.
It is tradition to ring in autumn with trips to the fairs across East Tennessee, especially as a 4-Her. This year the Tennessee Valley Fair was held from September 7-16 with much participation from Union County 4-Her’s. On Thursday the 13th, Union County sent two teams of 4-H members to the Kerr Building to bake biscuits for fair goers all the whilst learning themselves, cooking together, kitchen safety, mannerisms, and more. The teams were assisted by volunteer leader Elizabeth Tindell as well as a few parents who stayed to help as needed.