Blog Posts

Support your local grocer
Want to know a secret? Your local, independent grocer loves you. Truly. They love your hometown, your traditions, your Friday-night ballgames, and...
Scrabble pieces spelling the word Leadership
Community Leadership for Rural Illinois
In the realm of community development, discussions about creating leadership opportunities in rural American communities abound. Some advocate for...
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Take advantage of living in a small pond
For young adults or their parents, small towns may not seem like the most exciting places to live compared to the big city. However, they offer...
Two people at a meeting table with a laptop.
Turning to-do lists into success strategies
Some people like lists; I am one of those types of people. I have daily, weekly, and monthly lists. I have lists for home, for work, for my children...
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News Releases

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Ogle County 4-H youth turn small ideas into major community support effort
OREGON, Ill.— “Hands to larger service” is one of the four H’s that 4-H members strive to live by. Members give back to their communities in many ways, and sometimes those ideas grow into one big project.Last fall, three different ideas were presented to the 4-H staff that led to one...
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Elmwood gears up for increased tourism with Illinois Extension
PEORIA, Ill. - Elmwood is a small town in west central Peoria County, with a population close to 2,000 people. It has a wealth of cultural arts and natural assets that attract tourists. Students in the Sustainability and Rural Tourism course in the University of Illinois Department of Recreation...
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Workshop highlights tourism marketing strategies for rural communities
SHABBONA, Ill. - The benefits of small-town living seem apparent for those who live in a small town. However, it can be challenging for rural communities to market those benefits to a larger audience and increase tourism traffic. To address these challenges, University of Illinois Extension has...
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Staff

Laura Payne

Laura Payne

Professor, Extension Specialist, Director of the Office of Recreation & Park Resources (ORPR)
Nancy Ouedraogo

Nancy Ouedraogo

Extension State Specialist, Community and Economic Development
Zachary Kennedy

Zachary Kennedy

Extension State Specialist, Community and Economic Development
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