A job with purpose: Extension agent enjoys travel, helping families

Because of their unique needs, rural and urban areas usually require separate programs and resources. In some instances, however, the needs are the same. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System knows this, so even though the organization employs different rural and urban agents, sometimes those agents can cross over and help in other areas.

Darlene Minniefield is one of those special agents.

Minniefield is the Regional Extension Agent for Urban Affairs and Nutrition Education in Colbert and Lauderdale counties. By special request, she will be working with Franklin County on a couple of the programs she facilitates.

"I've noticed over the years that Franklin County is growing. I've wanted to get more involved here for a while," Minniefield said.

One program she plans on introducing to Franklin County is CHAMPION, a Nutrition Education Program for adults. She explained it is a five-week program, with classes once a week, that focuses on topics like diabetes and chronic diseases. She has already rolled out the program at places like The Arc of the Shoals and Freedom House, as well as senior centers.

"For Franklin County, I plan on starting with the senior centers and working with those people," she said.

Working with people is one of the main reasons Minniefield said she enjoys her job so much. Minniefield said she has a wonderful supervisor and bosses, and the citizens she works with are the best people. "Helping them makes it all worthwhile," she said.

Part of her job includes helping families through her program FACES. It focuses on helping families with communication, strength, conflict resolution and stress. "I'm planning on partnering with the Franklin County DHR for this program," Minniefield said.

Family is important to Minniefield, who spent several years taking care of her mother. She was an Extension Agent Assistant part of that time and didn't accept a promotion so she could focus on her mother.

"A lot of people can take care of your family," she said, "but nobody can take care of your family like you can."

Eventually she took a position as an Urban Nutrition Education Program Agent in the southern part of the state and worked there for more than 10 years before applying for her current position in Lauderdale.

"I fell in love with the people up here," she said. "I thank God for my job every day."

Minniefield gets to meet people from many different areas across the state and some out of state. She said she loves the travel aspect of the job. She has been to conferences, banquets and other types of meetings in Alabama, Nebraska, Idaho and Montana, just to name a few.

The versatility and variety of the people and places brings her joy, Minniefield said. She gets to work with churches, seniors, schools and many other places and organizations year-round, which is the purpose of Extension ? extending education to the whole community.