Get Involved

Virginia Cooperative Extension relies on volunteers to accomplish its mission. We believe that active citizen involvement in our programs makes a difference in our success. The work of volunteers at the local level helps us leverage our paid faculty and staff resources into a much greater impact for the people of Virginia.

There are many ways you can get involved with us. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss available opportunities.

We Want to Hear From You!

Virginia Cooperative Extension is interested in listening to your ideas of local issues and needs that VCE could address. Your input is valuable to us, as it helps us stay in touch with the pulse of the community. We are constantly striving to keep our educational programs relevant to citizens needs. We invite you to contact any of the Extension Agents or any of the county ELC members to share your ideas.

Halifax County Extension Leadership Council

Virginia Cooperative Extension enables people to improve their lives through an educational process that uses scientific knowledge focused on issues and needs.  Extension facilitates an approach to education that involves people and communities in the identification of their own needs and participation in their own solutions. The primary means for Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) to facilitate community participation in Extension education is through a representative group known as an Extension Leadership Council (ELC).

The mission of an Extension Leadership Council is to develop and implement a program plan that will direct Extension’s resources toward the resolution of identified issues and concerns.  The ELC assumes responsibility not only for identifying the needs and concerns that exist in their planning area, but share a commitment to determining solutions, implementing them, and evaluating and reporting results.

Members of the Halifax ELC participate in the following ways:

• Identify community problems, issues, and concerns which Extension can and should address, and prioritize according to need and available resources.
• Assess current programs and activities to decide which ones should be continued, eliminated, or modified in order to more effectively address the needs of the community.
• Monitor program efforts and make adjustments when needed.
• Report program results, issues, and concerns to the appropriate group (i.e., area planning group, State Extension Council, funding sources, community members, etc.).
• Be an advocate for Extension, our programs, and the results of our programs.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can become involved with the Halifax Extension Leadership Council, contact our office at 434-476-2147.

Halifax County Extension Leadership Council Members
Malinda Crawley, Cliff Sommerville, Jason Parker, Jay Reese, Letha Garner Coleman, Elizabeth Overton, Joe Griles, Peyton Ferguson, Dave Snyder, Bridgett Fallen, William Abbott, Wallicia E. Lacks, Robert Brooks

Extension Master Gardener Volunteers

Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners (VCE-MGs) are volunteers with Extension dedicated to working with the community to encourage and promote environmentally sound horticulture practices through sustainable landscape management educational programs.

To earn the title Extension Master Gardener, individuals complete 50 hours of training in all aspects of horticulture education and must pass a written exam. As a condition of the training program, within the next year, each participant must contribute 50 hours of volunteer time in horticulture programming to the community. To maintain the title of Extension Master Gardener in subsequent years, volunteers must contribute a minimum of 20 hours. Activities include answering citizen’s questions on gardening and diagnosis of plant problems, conducting winter gardening workshops, staffing information booths at various community events, maintaining educational gardens, and much more.

Becoming a Master Gardener will provide unlimited opportunity to increase your horticultural knowledge and experience through fun and exciting activities. Secure your place in our next training class (usually starts the second Tuesday in January) by calling Virginia Cooperative Extension-Halifax at 434-476-2147.