Cooperative Extension volunteers honored at Volunteer Appreciation luncheon
April is National Volunteer Month and Forsyth Extension Center celebrated the month by treating its volunteers and supporters to lunch.
Volunteers are at the heart of N.C. Cooperative Extension, many of whom were honored during the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, on Monday, April 15.
April is National Volunteer Month and Forsyth Extension Center celebrated the month by treating its volunteers and supporters to lunch. County Commissioners Richard Linville, Don Martin, Tonya McDaniel and Gloria Whisenhunt helped extension staff present awards to ten volunteers and celebrated the impact of volunteer service with nearly 130 program volunteers in attendance.
Susan Kelly, district extension director with NC State University, and Lonnette Marsh, regional extension director with NC A&T State University, both spoke on the importance of volunteer support for Cooperative Extension.
“Volunteers are the heart of your team,” said Marsh. “Volunteers give a little, but they change a lot. Volunteers deserve praise every day in every way.”
Kim Gressley, county extension director, said volunteers help Cooperative Extension create prosperity for North Carolina through programs and partnerships that are focused on agriculture, health and nutrition, and 4-H Youth Development. She said she was impressed with their diligence and talent.
“I am in awe of all of you,” she told the volunteers.
Gressley said volunteers contributed 52,812 hours to the Forsyth Extension Center, which she said is worth a breath-taking $1,303,928 of in-kind service volunteers donated to Cooperative Extension in 2018.
The awards announced at the luncheon were:
*Soil & Water Conservation Award – Ed Wall
*4-H Volunteer Award – Jesse Anderson
*Forsyth Community Gardening Volunteer Award – Peter Dunlap and Angela Rucker
*Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Award – Annie Sargent
*Family Consumer Sciences Volunteer Award – Donna Staley
*Field Crops Volunteer Award – Rod Poindexter
*Community Resource Development Award – Edgar Miller
*Friends of Extension – Samantha Winship and Vern Switzer
To see more pictures, visit the Forsyth County Facebook page.
