Throughout the years the Union County Homemakers have assisted the Agents in the Extension Office.

Retired Agents Bill and Debbie Morgan have helped with the Home School 4-H Programs. Bill has taught classes on how to make Blue Bird house and Debbie teaches sewing classes. They do so much more and our county benefits from their lessons.

Throughout the years many have stepped up to help at the Clyde Austin 4-H camps. Judy Loveday, Leslie Sharpe and Carol Pratt from the Big Ridge Homemakers Club assisted Agent Carol Sue Hunter with a week long lesson on teaching 4-H members crafts, talent shows and much more. I remember Bill Morgan teaching the kids how to make rope.

In 1972, a student at Big Ridge Elementary school named Loretta Foust won the bread baking contest with her biscuits. Her mother Georgia Foust then became involved with 4-H as a volunteer attending 4-H Summer Camp as a volunteer leader. Georgia went on to form a Home Demonstration. She became a 4-H leader and taught the girls how to bake. Loretta grew up to become a teacher at Horace Maynardville Middle School.

Also in 1972, a 4-H member Ruby Jane Cooke, age 10, won first place in “How to Make A Pin Cushion”. She now resides in Florida with her husband Ron.

In 1973 the Extension Agents had sewing classes with the new electric sewing machines.
They taught classes on how to sew and make lingerie, items like gowns, robes, slips and panties. They taught how to make pants and dresses out of the new fabric polyester.

There were clothing workshops where members made (900) items at a cost of $5.00 each. The cost was determined by multiplying the cost of the fabric times three. It was actually less expensive to sew your clothing than to purchase it like today. Clothing now is shipped in from foreign countries where labor keeps the cost down making it less expensive.