Purdue Extension Weekly Update
April 30th, 2026
Thank you for an incredible Purdue Day of Giving!
Extension staff, retirees, volunteers and supporters ensured there was 100% participation from Indiana counties. The top 15 participating counties will receive bonus funds (Marshall County received at least $750 in bonus funds). A special thank you to the team members from every county who signed up to promote Purdue Day of Giving on their personal social media accounts.
All donations made to Extension will stay local and strengthen our outreach and events with families, youth and community groups across Indiana.
The College of Agriculture also had a great day. COA came in #4 in the university’s Participation Challenge with 1,967 gifts, #6 in the Donation Challenge with $4,592,537 raised, and 83% of all online College of Agriculture Purdue Day of Giving gifts were designated to Extension!
You are all heroes as we celebrate this victory in supporting Purdue Extension and our state!
Angie Abbott
Associate Dean and Director of Purdue Extension
Sleep 101 - Get Better Sleep
We could all use more sleep. But sleep isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s one of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ for heart health, meaning getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night is up there with eating healthy, being active, and not smoking for taking care of your heart. It can even help lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.
Tips For Success
Clean your room.
- Dim it. Dimming the lights before sleep helps signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down. Dim your screen or use a red filter app at night. The bright blue light of most devices can mess with your “internal clock” and melatonin production, a hormone that regulates sleep.
- Set it. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock and makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally. Set a bedtime alarm to remind you it’s time to wrap it up for the night.
- Create it. Establish a nighttime routine. Spend 20-30 minutes winding down before bed, such as reading, meditating, or taking a warm bath. Avoid screens.
- Block it. Put your phone on “do not disturb” mode to block it all out when you’re trying to sleep.
Learn more here! https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/lifes-essential-8/how-to-get-healthy-sleep-fact-sheet
Health and Human Sciences/County Extension Director
Email: krichey@purdue.edu
Website: extension.purdue.edu/Marshall
Location: 112 W Jefferson St, Plymouth, IN, USA
Phone: 574-935-8545
Facebook: facebook.com/marshallHHS
4-H Youth Development
Jayne Deaton
Email: jedeaton@purdue.edu
Website: https://extension.purdue.edu/Marshall
Location: 112 West Jefferson Street, Plymouth, IN, USA
Phone: 574-935-8545
Facebook: facebook.com/MarshallCo4H
Ag and Natural Resources
Email: brieanna@purdue.edu
Website: extension.purdue.edu/Marshall
Location: 112 West Jefferson Street, Plymouth, IN, USA
Phone: 574-935-8545
Facebook: facebook.com/marshallanr
