Cooperative Extension volunteers do everything from sharing gardening expertise and improving the environment to working with young people and raising funds for community projects.

The Moore County Center of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service paid tribute to several hundred volunteers at a reception Thursday afternoon at the Agricultural Center in Carthage.

“There are only seven of us. There’s no way we could cover the county and do all the things we do without your help,” said Craven Hudson, Extension director, in welcoming remarks.

Hudson said that the volunteers’ service represents the equivalent of four full-time employees.

Gail Prevatte, vice-chair of the Extension Advisory Board, responded with a report illustrating just what the volunteers have accomplished in the past year. Prevatte, also a 4-H Club leader, was substituting for the chair, Joyce Frye, who was absent because of a death in the family.

Extension volunteers spent 4,524 hours planning and conducting the Kitchens and Moore Tour, which attracted an attendance of 750 and raised $8,000 for club projects and the Extension Service.

Volunteers contributed 1,450 hours planning and carrying out the Creative Christmas Table, attended by 320 and raising $2,300 to benefit the 4-H Museum at Camp Millstone.

In another project volunteers designed and installed new landscaping at the historic courthouse, where new plantings are better suited to the area, use less water and require less maintenance.

Through the 4-H program, volunteers helped 2,761 young people. They led 14 clubs to provide extensive time on 4-H projects, including leadership skills.

Volunteers staffed the Master Gardener hotline from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. daily April through October, the peak gardening time and a period when gardeners have the most questions. Information provided by Master Gardener Volunteers ranged from routine questions about gardens and landscapes to problems with squirrels in the attic.

The Operation Military Kids program provided fun and educational activities for the children of service personnel.

The ECA provided the funding, and a member designed and made the Peanut Mascot uniform for the 4-H Museum project.

Extension volunteers also provided graphics for M2, the mobile messenger that takes Extension programs into the community, and taught children how to grow food at numerous FirstSchool Gardens.

Darren Lefler and Austin Cameron provided musical entertainment for the reception, and refreshments prepared by the Extension staff were served.

Tribute was paid to volunteers who died during the previous year. They include Extension Community Associates member Priscilla Cole, Advisory Board member Mike Thamm, Master Gardeners Ed Baum, Bill Buckley, Patricia Johnson, Marvin Leto, Bea O’Rand, Nancy Stein, Lawrence Wood and Peggy Woodward.

In addition to Frye and Prevatte, the Advisory Board is composed of Frank Brewer, Neil Godfrey, Ray Leaman, Jimmy McElreath and Florence Wozniak.

The extension staff hosting the event consists of Hudson, Family and Consumer Science Agent Agnes Evans, Livestock and Youth Agent Elena Eller, 4-H and Youth Development Agent Linda Gore, Agriculture Agent Taylor Williams, Area Poultry Agent Dan Campeau, administrative assistant Myra Johnson and secretary-receptionist Angie Priest.