Mote Honors Volunteers for Decades of Service
Mote Marine Laboratory honored its volunteers — including some who have served for more than 25 years — and recognized their valuable contributions to the Lab’s mission.
“You all are really something special,” said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, President and CEO of Mote. “It has been a busy year, and you’ve been right in the middle of our growth and impact,” Crosby said. “You’ve helped us educate hundreds of thousands of people, and you’ve served every area of this Lab from science and education to administration and facilities.”
Mote kicked off its 60th Anniversary in January 2015 by publicly announcing the Lab’s comprehensive campaign for growth, Oceans of Opportunity. Now the Lab is working in overdrive to expand the world-class marine research and education efforts described in its guiding blueprint, the 2020 Vision & Strategic Plan.
“I look forward not only to growing our staff of next-generation scientists and educators, but also to expanding our volunteer team,” Crosby said. “Mote has facilities in Boca Grande and the Florida Keys, and many people there want to follow the example you’ve set here in Sarasota.”
Crosby continued with a smile: “I’m a scientist, and I like to look at the data. The people we’re honoring tonighthave contributed a total of 1,500 years of service. In 2014 you contributed 220 thousand hours of service, helping Mote save over $4 million. You deserve a round of applause.”
Mote’s Director of Volunteer Resources, Robert Rogers, presented awards to volunteers who had served for 25 years, 15, 10, five, three and one. Volunteers who had served more than 4,000 hours total during their lifetime also received the national President’s Volunteer Service Award.
Volunteer Board President Bob Cameron also announced the Lab’s new Volunteer Emeritus Program, which allows volunteers with a minimum of 10 years or 1,000 hours of service to be nominated by Mote’s Volunteer Board and approved by Mote’s President & CEO to receive special honors upon their retirement. Emeritus volunteers retain many benefits of their service at Mote — including visiting Mote Aquarium for free and attending certain special events.
Said Cameron: “Volunteers are part of the Mote family, and we’re really treated that way.”
To learn more about volunteering at Mote, visit www.mote.org/support/volunteer.
All Honorees in Mote's 2015 Volunteer Awards Ceremony:
PRESIDENT’S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD (4,000 HOURS DURING LIFETIME)
Jack DeCaprio
Nigel Mould
Mavis Ridley
Bobi Sanderson
25 YEARS
Bobby Hilbrunner
Thekla Kahn
Anita Kincade
20 YEARS
Mary Abraham-Kinney
Dolores Andrew
Jackie Nay
Sam Nay
Louise Shields
Tom Story
Lin Vertefeuille
15 YEARS
Connee Beckwith
Peter Ekstrom
Morris Emigh
Toby Etkin
Jim Fountaine
Jo Legg
Joe Malaney
Ronnie Malasky
Arnie Malasky
Joe Mathis
Carolyn Neill
Helena Noel
Mavis Ridley
Tony Ridley
Judy Williams
10 YEARS
Connie Beaupre
Eileen Brown
Mickey Callanen
Frank Dymnicki
Jerris Foote
Dick Haber
Hans Hauri
Donna Heffner
Miriam Hursey
Carol Janetzke
Dennis Janetzke
Irwin Katz
George Kinney
Jerry Miller
Ron Morris
Janet Ross
Connie Schindewolf
Jamie Schindewolf
Harry Shannon
Judy Shannon
Tim Thurman
Jim Tolley
Mary Jean Wenzel
Sally Werlinich
Jan Wroblewski
FIVE YEARS
Judy Achre
Barry Benjamin
Beth Bertsch
Bernice Bronakoski
Laura Bryg
Bob Cameron
Rebecca Cantrell
Mary Caranfa
Shannon Dell
Florence (Joy) Duff
Alan Ebersole
Barb Ebersole
Sandy Fulkerson
Bill Hamilton
Sandy Hayes
Jan Herman
Elizabeth Holly
Herb Jones
Richard Kiegler
Julie Klick
Elliot Koffman
Melissa Kojic
Joanne Kuivila
Diana Love
Michael Love
Laura Mahler
Lisa Markunas
Mary Moonen
Tara Morningstar
Martha Noyes
Scott Pasawicz
Denise Perreca
Janet Ray
Bob Ray
Rande Ridenour
Nancy Shinneman
Don Slate
Sara Slate
John Sommer
Beth Spencer
Bob Spitzer
Cindy Taliaferro
Pat Taylor
Joyce Thompson
Nicole Valentine
Michael Walsh
Cass Weisman
Rick Wheeler
Sherry Wheeler
Barry Zahnd
Stanley Zinnamon
THREE YEARS
Andrew Abshier
Judy R. Allen
Barb Ancona
Tammie Averso
Joe Baker
Robert Ballard
Michelle Barbato
Jody Bedard
Sherry Bencini
Brooke Bennett
Liz Bourne
Angela Briguglio
Nick Bruno
Cecelia Burnett
Lore Caldwell
Keith Calucci
Rebecca Cantrell
Brittany Capra
Kelli Carter
Carol Cissel
Catherine Clark
Dennis Clear
Linda Clear
Dennis Clear
Debbie Cohen
Tiffany Conner
Bill Cook
Lynn Cook
Nina Cook
Mallory Cooley
Ralph Corse
Courtney Cox
Dennis Crawford
Debra Crawford
Nikki Cronen
Sharon Crosby
Clinton Croswell
Karen Croswell
LeeAnn Dalton
Ron DiLonardo
Bob Duff
Keri Duff
Carrol Dzina
Dean Eisner
Erica Elliott
Dolores Elsasser
Nancy Elwell
Barbara Esslinger
Yvette Estepan
Jeanne Ezcurra
Lisa Faron
Lisa Faron
Jim Ferri
Barry Friedman
Margo Friedman
Tracy Garza
Shelley Gentile
Tracie Giuffre
Diane Glasel
Linda Gnass
Frank Grasso
Rhyan Grech
David Griese
Claire Grove
Holly Gruntman
Janet Gurskis
Dawn Hann
Sarah Heuer
Sara Heuer
Keet Hornbuckle
Maggie Hughes
Bill Irish
Tiara Johnson
Darla Kane
Nancy Kaniewski
Mike Kilbride
Antje Kingman
Liz Koubaroulis
Mary Kukainis
Jennifer Lampl
April Larson
Austin Lindquist
Gloria Long
Kirk Malcolm
JoAnn Mancuso
Michael Mancuso
Judi McCullough
Jane McDaniel
Merrilee (Misty) McDuffie
June McIntosh
Debra McKenna
Connie McManus
Martha Michals
Sherry Moore
Melissa Moore
Valerie Morris
Julia Nichols
Caitlin Olson
Helen Owens
Sara Qayyum
Ian Ramsbottom
Hunter Rieth
Dennis Riley
Lillian Riley
Patti Robinson
Stanley Rodak
Tari Rose
Joan Rotenberg
Sid Rothschild
Ellen Rothschild
John Russert
Reva Sagal
Anne Salamone
Noella Santerre
Robert Saum
Pat Saxon
Merrilee Scarano
Tamara Schells
Bill Sgro
Abby Smith
Anna-Malin Stenlund
Vicki Stevens
Karyn Straus
Ann Swanson
Deborah Swanton
Paul Swanton
Stephen Tarragon
Roger Thibault
Susan Tone
Brad Trajnowski
Patty Tuff
Kymberli Veith
Greg Watson
Carol Weisberg
Gary Wetherill
ONE YEAR
Arlene Abbott
Beth Ahern
Lucrecia Alburquerque
Allison Aldrich
Harold Ashby
Vince Attisano
Camille Attisano
Paige Bakhaus
Adele Bankert
Michael Barbour
Barry Bartholomew
Jerry Burrell
Phyllis Burrell
Eve Busse
Richard Carlson
Melanie Clarkson
Lindsay Conrad
Diane Dahlberg
Becca Dahmen
Deborah Davis
Harrison Davis
Dawn Difoggio
Nick Difoggio
Sam Digiammarino
Erica Downs
Jeffrey Driver
Terri Driver
Darralene Duggins
Lisa Faron
Juliana Ferraz
Linda Fisher
Jack Flores
Lillian Foncellino
Annie Fry
Aldo Fulgenti
Chuck Fuller
Bianca Fullwood
Chester Galyon
Pam Garlock
Andrew Garrett
Hank Gesek
Linda Gesek
Esther Gille
Diane Glaesel
Bill Glass
Melody Glover
Sheryl Goffman
Cassandra Gonzmart
Kiley Gray
Ginny Griese
Frankie Grover
Pat Hinger
Robert Hitte
Coquina Homer
Doris Howland
Vicki Iovino
Paul Jaffe
Charlie Jefferson
Amelia Kallaher
Molly Keels
Denise Kempf
Joseph Kempf
Melvin Kestner
Tammy Kitt
Bernice Koepke
Wayne Koepke
Ann Kotrich
Nora Krasowski
Robert LaBarbera
Brenda Lee
Allison Lehti
Trudo Letschert
Beth Lloyd
Angela Lowe
Linda Lynch
Donald Mahalik
Bette Maniscalco
Vicki Marinangel
Kimberly Markiewicz
Tina Marrelli
Nancy Martin
Aaryn McClash
Suzanne McClymont
Gail McDaniel
Kelsi McWeeney
Fran Mericle
Mike Messer
Bernardine Meyer
Angie Miller
Ryan Miller
Mark Morgan
Lavette Mullinix
Lavette Mullinix
Race Nelson
Kaye Newman
Sue Nielsen
Barbara O’Rear
Laura Obiso
Julie Odenweller
Casey Olsen
Lisa Pancilio-Petersen
Teresa Parisi
Karen Petrin
Rosalyn Petti
Cherie Presta
Rebecca Price
Ryan Price
Larry Prohs
Ann Putnam
Melissa Rankin
Diana Reed
Linda Remer
Cynthia Reyes
Brenda Rice
Tania Rodriguez
Rhonda Ross
Wendell Runnels
Jacque Russell
Roger Sampson
Heather Sampson
Jennifer Sargeant
Chris Scott
Jimmy Scott
Susan Scott
Hilory Seaton
Jules Siegel
Jolena Sloane
Alden Snead
Linda Soderlund
Miranda Soto
Samantha Specht
Wesley Spencer
Kate Spinner
Robert Stansfield
Jim Stariha
Sarah Stern
Max Streibel
Jennifer Tharp
Tom Thornton
Lucy Tobias
Annie Troutman
Robert Turffs
Susanne Waldron
John Walrath
Ava Waltz
Rachel Weisner
Kim Werla
Cyndee Whisker
Ginny Wilcox
Angela Zuknick