What: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Duval County Open House.
When: Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: UF/IFAS Extension Duval County office, 1010 N. McDuff Ave., Jacksonville, 32254.
About: UF/IFAS welcomes visitors to UF/IFAS Extension Duval County’s inaugural open house, a showcase of programming, workshops and resources available to local residents.
“This is an opportunity for the community to meet us and learn about all the hands-on activities we have for strengthening family relationships, managing finances, preserving food and taking care of the natural environment,” said Stephanie Toelle, director of UF/IFAS Extension Duval County. “And we hope visitors come back to participate in the future.”
UF/IFAS Extension Duval County is offered through a partnership between UF/IFAS, the City of Jacksonville and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is one of 67 UF/IFAS Extension offices in the state, each of which provides research-based education through trained professionals and volunteers specializing in agriculture, youth development and family and consumer sciences.
Open house visitors will hear presentations from experts in a variety of fields, including gardening, pesticides, beekeeping and money management. Tours of the Duval County Canning Center, which regularly hosts educational programming for adults and children, are also scheduled.
Kid-friendly activities include treats for sale, presentations and giveaways from the Duval County chapter of Florida 4-H, a youth development organization for children between the ages of 5 and 18. A bounce house will also be on site.
“We’ve never hosted an open house before, so we thought it was time,” said Tracy Akers Williams, UF/IFAS Extension Duval County marketing manager. “The center is the best-kept secret many residents don’t know about, and we want to make everyone aware of what’s available to them.”
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ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
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