Volunteers are the backbone of the Florida Strawberry Festival, and the festival expressed its appreciation recently with a banquet in their honor.
More than 850 volunteers and their family members were on hand for the night of fun, prizes and barbecue from Southern Gourmet Catering. The annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner is always held months before the first visitor walks through the festival turnstiles.
"We would not be where we are today without our volunteers," festival General Manager Paul Davis said.
"We could not make it without them."
.The festival uses volunteers in many positions, from manning information booths to helping with youth livestock shows.
The festival could never afford to hire employees to replace the many volunteers, and even if it did, "their heart wouldn't be into it," Davis said.
The volunteers all share a love for the community and the festival, he said.
At the Nov. 12 appreciation banquet at the festival expo hall, the volunteers got a sneak peak of next year's entertainment lineup, which will be released to the public in early December. The 60 door prizes included a $400 gift card to Dillard's won by Makendra Allman, who volunteers in the festival's Neighborhood Village exhibit area.
The next festival, the 75th anniversary celebration, is March 4 to 14.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement
Advertisement