Refuge, DDWS honor volunteers at annual event
The J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge and “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) celebrated their annual Volunteer Appreciation and Awards Luncheon on March 28 at The Roost at the Sanibel refuge.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of DDWS and the refuge,” DDWS Executive Director Ann-Marie Wildman said. “From maintenance and visitor services to staffing the Nature Store and assisting with biology research, they keep things running smoothly when federal budget and staff cuts pressure refuge staffing. This is the least we can do to thank them.”
Staff reported that 158 volunteers worked 13,209 hours in the past year at the refuge.
“That more than doubles our staffing,” volunteer coordinator and Ranger Tucker Phillips, who presented the awards with refuge complex leader Ranger Kevin Godsea. “I could stand here for hours and never express the importance of and gratitude for our volunteers.”
Godsea echoed his sentiments, thanking the volunteers for their dedication and hard work.
He also updated them on hurricane recovery projects, reporting the Bailey Tract would fully reopen by the end of April and restoration projects, such as the DDWS offices and Wildlife Drive improvements, will continue into 2028.
The following volunteers won awards for hours milestones:
– 250 hours: Ruth Brooks, Becky Clemens and Michele Fisher
– 500 hours: Diane Esslinger, Mary Rice and Nancy Stilwell
– 1,000 hours: Mike Rice
– 1,500 hours: Lyndon Borror, Jeff Clemens, Jon Sperry and Joy Sperry
– 2,000 hours: Bill Michels and Debbie Michels
– 3,000 hours: Nancy Riley and Jeanne Tyrer
– 3,500 hours: Greg Scherer
The refuge and DDWS also recognized Jeanne Tyrer for 25 years of service, as well as volunteer Barb Wyskowski and her Wild Weeders team for their work planning, planting and maintaining the new Pollinator Gardens at the Visitor & Education Center.
The paella lunch was made possible through the DDWS by the Is Cloak Volunteer and Visitor Services Philanthropic Fund and Tom Edgar Volunteer Endowment Fund.