{"id":9623,"date":"2018-04-23T22:59:32","date_gmt":"2018-04-24T02:59:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mote.org\/?p=9623"},"modified":"2024-05-13T23:14:33","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T03:14:33","slug":"mote-volunteers-praised-including-35-year-honorees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mote.org\/news\/mote-volunteers-praised-including-35-year-honorees\/","title":{"rendered":"Mote volunteers praised \u2014 including 35-year honorees"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mote Marine Laboratory honored 356 volunteers \u2014 including some who have served for 35 years \u2014 during its annual volunteer awards ceremony on April 19, 2018.<\/p>\n

During the ceremony, which filled Mote\u2019s WAVE Center auditorium on City Island, Sarasota, near capacity, Mote President & CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby praised the volunteers for bringing Mote\u2019s mission to life.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople I meet cannot believe we have so many volunteers, so actively engaged in Mote\u2019s mission of world class marine research, education and public outreach,\u201d Crosby said. \u201cYou\u2019ve heard me say that Mote was founded on passion, partnership and philanthropy. You, our volunteers, embody all three.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mote has 1,771 volunteer positions filled, including volunteer interns, which relate to every aspect of its mission: marine research, education, outreach on the floor of Mote Aquarium, and more. Many volunteers are also Mote Trustees, philanthropic donors, Advisory Council members or other exceptional ocean supporters.<\/p>\n

Crosby continued: \u201cYou are among the key reasons for our excellent record of accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums every five years since 2003. Last month we earned accreditation<\/a> for another five years \u2014 that\u2019s a really big deal and it highlights the great work we\u2019ve done together. The accreditation committees who visit Mote each time rave about our volunteers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Volunteers will have even more critical roles to play as Mote plans the rebirth of its Aquarium on mainland Sarasota County, with the goal of opening this significantly expanded hub of informal science education in late 2021 (February 2018 announcement<\/a>). This planned rebirth will free much-needed space at Mote\u2019s City Island research campus, allowing the Lab\u2019s diverse, internationally recognized scientific programs to advance and ultimately evolve the campus into an International Marine Science, Technology & Innovation Park.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe grand challenges facing our oceans demand that we significantly grow our research and education enterprises,\u201d Crosby said. \u201cOur new Mote Science Education Aquarium will be an incredible asset that will reach far more individuals. We will need each and every one of our volunteers engaged, whether at the new Aquarium or here at our evolving scientific campus, where education programs and tours will continue and research efforts will grow. Mote would not be Mote without all of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Volunteer Coordinator Claire Grove announced awards for volunteers who have served for 35 years, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, five, three and one. Volunteers who had served more than 4,000 hours \u2014 a lifetime achievement recognized nationally by the U.S. President\u2019s Volunteer Service Awards \u2014 received special, signed certificates from Mote\u2019s President & CEO.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s 35-year volunteers are two Mote Trustees whose contributions helped shaped Mote into the beacon of marine science, education and community engagement it is today.<\/p>\n