'If I can reach one person, I feel like I’ve done my job'
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HALEY PAYNE ROBERTS
MCO Senior Staff Writer
The saying goes, “If you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Brenda Hannah, Moore County’s UT County Director, is the very embodiment of this ideal.
In her own words, Brenda says, “It’s not really a job. It feels more like a hobby.”
Hannah has a long, vibrant history in the Extension Office, joining in 2005 under now-retired Director Larry Moore-head. She started as a split agent between 4-H and Family Consumer Sciences, allowing her to have a broad reach and create cherished connections with our youth along the way.
Upon Moorehead’s retirement in 2023, Hannah stepped up to fill his shoes, earning a Master’s degree in a year and a half through UT Knoxville’s ALECs program before filling the County Director seat.
Brenda Hannah
It’s evident that Hannah takes immense pride in her work and is staunchly devoted to fulfilling the county’s needs in any way she can. And she has certainly succeeded.
Hannah has a long list of accomplishments, including fostering our beloved 4-H program. If you attended Lynchburg Elementary in the past 20 years, you most likely have fond memories of 4-H and its wide range of opportunities with activities like archery, chick chain, grilling, baking, speech, and the adored weekend camp. Hannah’s work has crafted these offerings with care, and she cherishes their lasting impact.
“I’m so proud of the life skills we can offer our youth. That’s why I don’t want to let my kids go. I can see the impacts as they graduate high school,” Hannah says. “People think that Moore County is a hick county; we don’t go anywhere.
"I have seen some of our kids work at the state capitol or Washington or as bank presidents. That’s the impact I see from 4-H on them.”
Her most recent addition to the 4-H lineup is the Raider Bank, which, in partnership with Jack Daniel’s Federal Credit Union, allows first= and second-graders to create and interact with a real savings account that they get to keep as they move through school. The program was such a hit that it earned its own feature on Tennessee Crossroads. Hannah plans to pitch it soon to the Family Consumer Sciences board at the state and national level so that even more kids have access to education in financial literacy.
She attributes these successes to her trust in her kids from years past: “I like this small county because we have those parents who enjoyed 4-H and now push their kids to do it, too. We try to find something that every kid likes. Not every kid is athletic. We like to work with them.
“We also like to work with the athletes and show them they can do more than one thing,” Hannah adds. “Some kids don’t get to go on vacation. Weekend camp is their vacation. It’s all a point of excitement for the kids and offers an opportunity to everyone.”
However, Hannah’s impact doesn’t stop at our youth: “I do love my FCS side, especially my Matter of Balance class. It’s a class teaching about falls and trying to see what makes you fall. We talk about health and homes and other things. I do it at the Senior Center every year, and by doing it three times last year, I’ve had a repeat of participants because they love the exercise parts.”
In Hannah’s hands, the Extension Office is far more than just a resource for the county – it’s a place where life skills are honed, diverse interests are valued, and taking care of your neighbor is the ultimate aspiration.
“If I can reach one person, I feel like I’ve done my job,” Hannah says, perfectly capturing her heartfelt commitment to serving Moore County. Brenda Hannah’s story is one of service, pride, and a deep love for her community – proof that when work feels like a hobby, its impact can be limitless.
