LUMBERTON – Seventeen years ago, Everett Davis introduced me to the county as the new extension agent. I will begin my role as a Family and Consumer Science Representative with the Robinson County Center with North Carolina Cooperative Expansion.
On July 1, 2015, I took on a new role as Robson County County Extension Director. At that time I wrote an article to introduce myself and shared a little about my family. Except for my family, he did not change much after writing that introduction. I now have four wonderful grandchildren. It is important to note this small change as you continue to read.
Today, I share with you the beginning of a new chapter in my journey! A.D. On August 31, 2021, I will be the most recently retired county extension director at Robison County Center. As I embark on this new journey into retirement, I look back with fondness on the years I have spent with Extension. I have found some of the best co-workers in the profession – compassionate, caring, talented, dedicated, and even challenging years that I use to describe them. What I have worked with since my current work team and CED can only be described as amazing! They survived as their leader, two devastating floods, and now an epidemic. Despite all of this, they always take the opportunity to further their extension mission in the county and are proud of me by calling them my staff. But they are not just my employees. I am honored to call them friends and think of them as a family.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the leadership who led and supported me on this trip – the Extension Management Team, led by Rich Bonanano and my District Director, Keith Walters, with the support and encouragement of the county Manager, Kelly Blue, and her team. The partnership between County and Land Grant Universities, North Carolina State University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a unique and incredible resource in this county.
The past 17 years have been more meaningful than my 30-plus years. It is my honor in this country to follow the long line of CEDs and extension professionals who have taken on the mission of this university and extension. I hope I did my part to make them proud!
Although I am civilized, I am happy to share it with you, leaving you in the most deserving hands. Duncan “Mac” Maloi, who is currently representing the county in the county, will serve as a temporary CED from September 1, 2021. Mac has worked with Extension since 2011 and is well known in the agricultural community, both personally and privately. And by a professional. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from NC State University and a master’s degree in agricultural education from NC&T State University. I know that they will join me in welcoming and supporting Mac as he temporarily plays his part in leading this wonderful team.
As I close this chapter and begin the next part of my journey, I look forward to a new chapter with four grandchildren I mentioned earlier, gardening, crafts, and much, much more. While I look forward to all of this, I look forward to my staff and NC Cooperative Extension work. I will always be a supporter of the extension and great work being done. Somewhere along the way, I wrote, “I love extensions.” I described the many great things we do as extension professionals and how much I loved everything about my work. The important thing is, I still feel that way. I love the extension! Thanks for the great chapter!
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For more information, contact NC Cooperative Extension, Robson County Center, at 910 671-3276, or visit our website at http://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu.
Christ Strickland is a retired North Carolina co-founder and director of the Robinson County Center. She can be reached at 910-671-3276, or [email protected]