REFUGE/DDWS “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge Executive Director Ann-Marie Wildman and J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Manager Kevin Godsea thank the volunteers.

The J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge and “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge celebrated their annual Volunteer Appreciation and Awards Luncheon on March 29 at The Roost at the Sanibel refuge.

“This was the first luncheon we’ve been able to hold to honor our volunteers since COVID,” Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland said. “We gathered at The Roost for barbecue, socializing, games and awards.”

Staff reported that between the refuge reopening in April of 2023 through March, 110 volunteers worked nearly 9,000 hours — the equivalent of 375 consecutive days. Each volunteer worked an average of 81 hours during the one-year timeframe.

“Without our loyal hardworking volunteers, the refuge would have been unable to reopen after Hurricane Ian or continue to function today,” DDWS Executive Director Ann-Marie Wildman said. “As federal budgets continue to shrink, so does refuge staff. Our volunteers are our saving grace.”

The volunteers who won awards for reaching hour and year achievement levels include:

REFUGE/DDWS

YEARS AWARDS

– 30 years: Norm Honest

– 25 years: Jim Sprankle

– 20 years: Donna Adams, Mike Baldwin, Bonnie Dale, Sally Divenere and Denny Souers

– 10 years: Kathryn Allen, Judy Barbieri, Lyndon Borror, Karittha Charoensri, Jan Cohen, Larry Dean, Lee Ann Emerson, Michael Galloway, Carol Gestwicki, Barb Guidotti, Jim Jackson, Andrew Jacob, France Paulsen, Patricia Rawert, Michael Rice, Nancy Riley, Sally Stranahan, Anne Suss and Jack Waszmer

HOURS AWARDS

– 7,000 hours: Edward Combs

– 3,000 hours: Mary Jo Hobbs

– 2,500 hours: Janet Lucree and Riley

– 2,000 hours: Jim Newes and Souers

– 1,500 hours: Sally Barsley, Stan Bunsick, Galloway, Peggy Hupfeldt, Ed Sessa and Karl Werner

– 1,000 hours: Cohen, Jackson, Sharon Jones, Paul McKenney, Rice, Cindy Seaman and Waszmer

– 500 hours: Bud Dansby, Henry DeRonck, Emerson, Marc Giattini, Wendy Kindig, Lisa Kirby, Tony Kirby, Robin Kirk, Janet McLaughlin, Mary Meyer, Bill Michels, Debbie Michels, Dan Moeder, Cheryl Tice, Diane Wien and Donna Wilmot

– 250 hours: David Craun, Bill Dunn, Gary Eertmoed, Diane Esslinger, Robin Fidler, Laurie Harkey, David Jeffery, Charles Lais, Joanne Prestia, Dennis Pytlik, Cristina Shaul, Matt Shaul, Susie Wilson and Alice Wood

– 150 hours: Catherine Albert, Grega Boucher, Jeffery Clemens, Dale Hansen, Vicki Hansen, Richard Levinson, Byon Middlekauff, Kathy Sanders, Elizabeth Simler and Hellmuth Steinlin

The lunch was made possible through the DDWS by the Is Cloak Volunteer and Visitor Services Philanthropic Fund and the Tom Edgar Volunteer Endowment fund.