The 80 year history of the Jessamine County Homemaker program dates back to 1935 when Ms. Eleanor Clark, assistant home agent in Garrard County, started making contacts in Jessamine County.

Through her work with some of the outstanding leaders of the time, she was able to organize the first Extension Homemaker program in Jessamine County.

Like most other newly-formed groups, the homemaker organization was quite small, consisting of only 10 to 12 rural women.

It wasn’t until August of 1936, that Jessamine County hired its first Home Agent, Ms. Florence Sauerbry, with a county appropriation of $600.  By the end of that year, there were 105 women in 6 clubs in Jessamine County.  One year later, that number grew to 240 women and the number of clubs had doubled to 12.

Mrs. Sherman Dean, the first Jessamine County extension homemaker president presided at the first county annual meeting, which was hosted on October 23, 1936, with 200 members attending.  That meeting was held at the Nicholasville City School.

Some of the very first educational programming conducted by the newly formed homemaker organization was canning meat, jelly making, canning fruits and vegetables and

Extension Homemakers focus their efforts in the community through education, leadership development, and community action.  Clubs continue to meet monthly just like in 1936, where members can participate in leader trainings and discuss pertinent topics that effect our daily lives.  

    The Jessamine County Extension Homemakers Association is proud to make a difference in their family’s lives and in the community in which they serve and live by offering incentives such as 4-H scholarships and college scholarships.

If you are interested in being a part of the Jessamine County Homemaker Association, you can call or stop by the extension office or talk to Jane Ball, Jessamine County president.