BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE – The UF/IFAS Bradford County extension office is stabilizing after an unsuccessful search for a new 4-H agent and the departure of the previous director.
Cindy Sanders has taken over for Samara Purvis as interim director of the Bradford County office. Sanders is a livestock agent and the director of the Alachua County Extension Office.
Sanders has been in the Alachua County office for 22 years, but she told county commissioners last week that she is not exactly new to Bradford County. The served as interim director in 2019-20 as well, helping to get the office fully staffed.
Sanders said that is the priority once again. The application period for two staff positions closed at the beginning of June, and Sanders said they would start interviewing as soon as possible. With 20 applicants for each post, she said they should have a good pool to choose from. The search for a new agent will follow.
“Thank you all for having me. We’re going to try to get back on track,” Sanders said, discussing the importance of the relationship between the university extension and the county.
“That’s one thing I believe in as an extension agent and director is that relationship with the county, because we know you are very important to make an extension a successful program in each and every county,” she said.
There is an extension program in all 67 Florida counties. Sanders, who grew up in 4-H, said the extension program is in her blood. For every dollar a county invests, the return is $10 to $15 to the citizens of the county, she said.
She acknowledged the work of Luke Harlow, the county’s horticulture and small farms agent, and Lizzie Whitehead, the agriculture and natural resources and livestock agent. Their work over the summer includes participation in summer camps, including the 4-H day camp they will put on in July.
A meeting for 4-H volunteers has been scheduled for the end of June, and while they don’t have a full-time 4-H agent on board, they are working together to keep the program running.
“You all have a strong 4-H program and two good agents, fairly new agents in the county, that can do great things,” Sanders said.
For more information, please call 904-964-6224.
