6/13/22 @ 3:00 - On Friday, June 10, 2022, the Board of County Commissioners hosted a Ribbon Cutting in celebration of the new Rebecca L. Jordi Cooperative Extension Office. This site will serve as the primary office for the County Extension, with the existing Callahan office functioning as an annex.
The Board broke ground on the facility on May 15, 2019 and since that time, nearly 6,500 manhours have been spent bringing this project to fruition. This includes over 3,400 manhours from our Road Department staff that consisted of clearing land, preparing the site, and pouring concrete for driveways, parking lots and sidewalks, as well as 3,000 + manhours from our Facilities staff that consisted of digging trenches for utilities, laying carpet, installing air conditioning, drywalling, painting, and much, much more. Building the facility in-house resulted in significant savings to the County.
At the beginning of the event, Commissioner Thomas Ford stated, "While there are still some small items that need to be completed before it (the site) is fully opened, we are excited about the progress that has been made and are happy to be here celebrating with you today. We appreciate each and every one of the employees who worked diligently to get us to this point, as well as to the late Rebecca Jordi who recognized the need for the facility and pushed to make it a reality. It has truly been a group effort and while it has not been easy, we can feel proud of what we have accomplished. We trust this new site will serve the residents well for many years to come".
Commissioner Jeff Gray spoke about Mr. Jordi's outstanding work effort and achievements. "While in her position as Director, Becky initiated many projects and programs including, but not limited to, demonstration gardens at County facilities; landscape matters classes; plant clinics; and crash courses in gardening. She had a standing guest column in the News-Leader and also appeared several times on WTLV 12's First Coast Living. She spoke with excitement and passion and was often called upon to speak at events around the State, including speaking engagements at Epcot's annual home and garden show. Becky was a one-of-a-kind employee who dedicated countless hours serving the County and its residents. We are happy to honor her legacy through the naming of this facility which will serve as a reminder of all her great contributions to our community".
Other speakers during the event included Dr. Taylor Clem, Becky's husband Doug Jordi, and a close relative who all shared stories about Becky's love of agriculture and horticulture, her passion for teaching others, and her vision for the new facility.
The also event included a tree dedication in Becky's honor by Keep Nassau Beautiful, the ceremonial ribbon cutting, and a brief tour of the facility.
Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us on Friday. We look forward to seeing you at future County Extension events!
-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer
The Board broke ground on the facility on May 15, 2019 and since that time, nearly 6,500 manhours have been spent bringing this project to fruition. This includes over 3,400 manhours from our Road Department staff that consisted of clearing land, preparing the site, and pouring concrete for driveways, parking lots and sidewalks, as well as 3,000 + manhours from our Facilities staff that consisted of digging trenches for utilities, laying carpet, installing air conditioning, drywalling, painting, and much, much more. Building the facility in-house resulted in significant savings to the County.
At the beginning of the event, Commissioner Thomas Ford stated, "While there are still some small items that need to be completed before it (the site) is fully opened, we are excited about the progress that has been made and are happy to be here celebrating with you today. We appreciate each and every one of the employees who worked diligently to get us to this point, as well as to the late Rebecca Jordi who recognized the need for the facility and pushed to make it a reality. It has truly been a group effort and while it has not been easy, we can feel proud of what we have accomplished. We trust this new site will serve the residents well for many years to come".
Commissioner Jeff Gray spoke about Mr. Jordi's outstanding work effort and achievements. "While in her position as Director, Becky initiated many projects and programs including, but not limited to, demonstration gardens at County facilities; landscape matters classes; plant clinics; and crash courses in gardening. She had a standing guest column in the News-Leader and also appeared several times on WTLV 12's First Coast Living. She spoke with excitement and passion and was often called upon to speak at events around the State, including speaking engagements at Epcot's annual home and garden show. Becky was a one-of-a-kind employee who dedicated countless hours serving the County and its residents. We are happy to honor her legacy through the naming of this facility which will serve as a reminder of all her great contributions to our community".
Other speakers during the event included Dr. Taylor Clem, Becky's husband Doug Jordi, and a close relative who all shared stories about Becky's love of agriculture and horticulture, her passion for teaching others, and her vision for the new facility.
The also event included a tree dedication in Becky's honor by Keep Nassau Beautiful, the ceremonial ribbon cutting, and a brief tour of the facility.
Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us on Friday. We look forward to seeing you at future County Extension events!
-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer
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