UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County honored a suite of high-performing volunteers at a March 19 ceremony, ahead of global volunteer month in April.

At the event, held in the Sarasota County Commission chambers and including volunteers with other county departments, Extension staff highlighted five of its volunteers for outstanding achievement in 2023:

• Linda Collins
• June Haley
• Jill Halman
• Susan Hutson
• Cindi Nemitz

These five volunteers are part of an Extension volunteer corps that numbers 268 talented and giving individuals. Combined, that group gave 12,879 hours of their time to assist Extension staff with programs and expanded the ability of the Extension office to reach residents across Sarasota County. Extension honored that entire corps with an April 02 luncheon at William H. Jervey Library in Venice.

The Extension staff thank our volunteers for going above and beyond to help with a wide range of activities, including:

• Master Gardener volunteers assist residents with plant and landscape questions and maintain gardens at the Twin Lakes Park Extension office and throughout the County at libraries and parks. They assist staff with educating residents and teach Extension classes as well as informing our youth at Sarasota County schools about gardening in Florida.
• 4-H volunteers supported and guided 4-H youth throughout the year and with various projects and livestock development at the Sarasota County Fair.
• Environmental program volunteers help staff provide science-based education to youth throughout Sarasota County.

Please join us in thanking these fantastic volunteers, so essential to our success!

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