Volunteers honored at banquet
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on March 9, 2004 1:59 PM
Volunteers with the Cooperative Extension Service were honored Monday night at a banquet at the Wayne Center.
Howard Scott, extension director, called them "blue ribbon champions," saying that they advance the educational role of the extension service. "We couldn't reach as many people as we do without our volunteers."
First-place ribbons and trophies decorated the tables at the banquet reminding those attending that they are blue ribbon champions.
"Wayne County is truly blessed with the amount and quality of volunteers we have here," Scott said.
Jimmie Ford was the speaker. He began by saying that "God put us here to do special things. You are going out and serving people who deserve a second chance."
He said that one out of every five Americans volunteer and that millions of Americans give their time and talents without pay. "Volunteering is a very important part of citizenship in the United States, and people who volunteer do make a difference."
He issued several challenges to the volunteers. "I challenge you to keep your dreams, hopes, expectations and volunteerism alive," he said. "As volunteers, you have and are changing life for the better.
"I challenge you that whatever you do in life, don't leave God out. Pray and ask God for guidance because prayer changes things and faith can unlock any door."
He said true volunteerism is the ability to perform day in and day out, year after year in all kinds of conditions.
"I challenge you to be a planner, a dreamer," Ford said. "Look forward with confidence and believe in what you are doing. Help others so they can achieve."
Scott concluded by praising the volunteers saying, "If you volunteered to serve on a committee, work with youths, assist in on-farm demonstrations, answer horticulture calls or help the extension service teach a program, we look to you as our blue ribbon volunteers who helped us impact people's lives."