(La Porte County, IN) - Volunteers instrumental in carrying out the mission of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service are being celebrated this week, with individuals lending their time of all sorts across the country being in the spotlight during the 50th anniversary of National Volunteer Week, April 21st-27th.
Volunteers are involved in every aspect of the Extension Service, including determining the needs of the local residents, planning and implementing programs to address these needs, securing resources, and evaluating programs in areas of 4-H, Ag & Natural Resources, Community Development, and Health and Human Sciences, per Kelsey Guadarrama, Director of La Porte County Purdue Extension.
"We are appreciative of all of our volunteers that spend hours to help develop our local community," she said.
Guadarrama said the work of volunteers is in areas like 4-H Youth Development, Health and Human Services, Ag and Natural Resources, and Community Development.
In La Porte County, 241 adult volunteers are serving as club leaders, project leaders, committee members, and in advisory capacities for the 4-H Youth Development Program. Volunteers spend numerous hours working on tasks such as helping a child with a 4-H project, leading a project to serve the community, or helping organize an event at the county fair.
"We thank you for your commitment to our future generations," she said.
She said the local Master Gardener Association has 54 members who have provided over 2600 hours of Volunteer & Educational hours. The Extension Homemakers have roughly 85 members who have logged over 26,000 hours in helping the community, and members of La Porte County Row Crop Food Producers Association have volunteered over 600 hours teaching local youth the importance of agriculture, farming, and where their food comes from.
People interested in joining the team of Extension Volunteers are invited to contact the LaPorte County Extension Office at 219-324-9407 or online via https://extension.purdue.edu/county/laporte/ or laporteces@purdue.edu.
