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VALLEY — Chambers County Extension Coordinator Rachel Snoddy talked to members of the Kiwanis Club of Valley on Wednesday on what the Extension system is doing to provide impactful, relevant educational resources to help advance both urban and rural areas in Alabama with the goal of enhancing the quality of life for those being served.

Snoddy connects local communities with regional Extension agents to help meet their needs. Her main emphasis is 4-H where she leads and assists with several programs such as Your Money, Your Life and STEM education. She also leads workforce development programs such as Hometown Hospitality and Job Success. In addition, she partners with local groups for economic and community development projects and supervises center operations at the Chambers County Community Health and Wellness Center.

With their former office being damaged in a flood last fall, the local Extension staff has a new location in a former law office in downtown LaFayette.

Along with Snoddy, others in the office include Angela Reiff, an administrative support agent; Katie Hill, 4-H youth development coordinator; Candace Allday, 4-H agent assistant; Kara Hall, who works in the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and Regina Meadows, a human nutrition, diet and health agent.

Snoddy is enthused with the early success of the Chambers County Community Health & Wellness Center. Located at 404 Ninth Avenue SW in LaFayette, the well-attended TeleHealth Station was started as a rural health initiative by Auburn University.

Several more such centers have been targeted for Alabama’s Black Belt region. Two have opened in Wilcox and Greene counties and two more will be opening soon in Sumter and Hale counties.

“Come and visit us and try out OnMed,” Snoddy said. “The Telehealth Station offers convenient and affordable healthcare. It’s presently being provided at no cost to those who are coming by.”

It’s a walk-in service with little or no waiting time. It’s open every Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. till 8 p.m. CT and on Saturdays from 1-6. Those coming to Telehealth receive diagnoses, referrals, e-prescriptions and treatment. All ages are welcome and you don’t have to have insurance.

Some healthcare events have been planned for the fall at the Health & Wellness Center. Speech screenings will be taking place there from 9-11 a.m. CT on October 25 and November 22, and hearing screenings are set for  September 23, October 7 and 21, November 4 and 18 and December 2. These screenings will be taking place from 1-4 on each day.

Primary Care Clinics and Vaccination Clinics are planned for October 2, November 13 and December 4. They will be going on from 8 a.m. till noon on those days. Covid, flu and Tdap vaccinations will be offered on those days. Call (334) 459-8911 for an appointment. Insurance will be taken or the cost of the vaccinations can be covered by self-pay.

A free Inter-Professional Education (IPE) Healthcare Clinic will be taking place at the Health & Wellness Clinic from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, October 18th. Call (334) 459-0188 to sign up for an appointment or to ask for further information.

The Center offers free blood pressure screenings every Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. CT.

Snoddy discussed the Extension Service’s commitment to helping Alabamians be healthy and financially secure and to experience improved family relations. The research-based information being offered by Extension programs include financial literacy, workforce development education, nutrition, diet, health and wellness along with family and fatherhood relationships.

Snoddy went on to say that these quality-of-life programs are offered in person and virtually, when possible.

“Our educational opportunities, most of which are free, build healthy people, strong families and elevate communities,” Snoddy said. “These efforts are affiliated with Human Sciences Extension in the College of Human Sciences at Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.”

For more information, email aceshse@auburn.edu.