But perhaps the most personally satisfying change took place at
1 p.m.
Feb.20 when the new Parker County Agricultural Services Center
was
christened the Dona Brewer Building in honor of her service to
the
community, the county and the Extension Service. The day was
proclaimed
Dona Brewer Day in Parker County by county commissioners.
The new facility, located at 604 N. Main Street in Weatherford,
houses the
Extension offices on one end, and the United States Department
of Agriculture
(USDA) offices on the other, Brewer said.
"It will make it very nice to have all the agricultural services in one building," she said.
Weatherford and Parker County are growing at an amazing pace, Brewer said.
"Here in the Metroplex area, hundreds of families are moving in every month," she said.
Because of this growth, Extension rapidly outgrew its offices.
In fact, its former
offices now house the tax assessor's office.
Because the county already owned the property, building a new
facility for
Extension seemed like the natural thing to do.
The new building itself is about 12,000 square feet, Brewer said,
and is used for
more than Extension offices.
"Three different USDA offices in the south end of the building
pay rent and
help pay for the building," she said.
Brewer has been credited with much of the work that went in to
the design of
the new building, but she gives the credit to her co-workers.
"We all worked on
the project," she said. "I have wonderful co-workers and (the
county has)
terrific county commissioners."
But, she added, housing has always been one of her special interests.
"I've
always been interested in architectural design," Brewer said.
She enjoyed working with the architect on this one. Brewer also
helped with the
design of previous Extension office in Weatherford, she added.
Brewer may be the first family and consumer science agent to have
a building
named after her, but she wasn't completely sure – although she
does admit that it
rarely happens.
"Not very many agents get to be instrumental – through the
county commissioners' court – in building two new facilities
in the county, and
I'm very thankful (to be one)," she noted.
She loves Weatherford and Parker County, and said evidently many
other
people do too, since so many of them are moving in.
"It certainly is wonderful here," Brewer said. "I don't cry very
easily, but when
they had a signed proclamation in commissioners' court – and
they did it on the
sly – proclaiming Dona Brewer Day, it was an emotional moment."
Texas Agricultural Extension Service serves all 254 counties in
the state, with
research-based information and educational programs for consumers,
families
and youth, as well as agricultural producers and agribusiness.