By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia
Peggy P. Bledsoe, a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension coordinator in Houston County, received the D.W. Brooks Faculty Award for Excellence in Public Service Extension on Oct. 2 in Athens, Ga.
The award includes a framed certificate and $5,000. It’s given in honor of D.W. Brooks, founder of Gold Kist Inc. and Cotton States Mutual Insurance Companies. Brooks was an advisor on agriculture and trade issues to seven U.S. presidents.
Other D.W. Brooks honorees this year are Adam Davis in teaching, Terence Centner in research and Dan Horton in extension.
Since 1975, Bledsoe has seen Houston County rapidly transformed from a rural county to a fast-growing urban area. She focuses on improving the quality of life in her community, using university research to address issues.
In 2003, Bledsoe launched Operation Eatery, a food-safety education program designed for food service employees. A $48,000 grant allowed more than 800 employees to complete this nationally recognized course.
Bledsoe integrated New Connections to Work into a work-force preparation curriculum with the local technical college. She teamed up with County Environmental Health to train more than 700 restaurant managers in food-handling techniques.
She worked with the Houston County Library System to get an $18,500 grant to develop 300 teaching tool kits for people working with young children. “Kits for Kids” supports the principle of reading early and often to children.
Bledsoe responded to the family stresses of military deployment by developing Camp Robins, a five-day camp for 11- to 14-year olds with deployed family members. After two seasons at Robins Air Force Base, the camp was incorporated into the 4-H youth development program and offered statewide.
As a member of a district task force, Bledsoe was also awarded $42,000 to carry out programs to fight persistent poverty in southwest Georgia.
Bledsoe’s UGA Extension career spans 29 years in Talbot and Houston counties. She has led the Houston County Extension staff since 1996. She and her husband Sidney have one son.
