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Outdoors: FAVOR Hosts Bird Walk March 5
March 3rd, 2007

Outdoors: Refuge Open House Saturday
February 22nd, 2007

Outdoors: Bird Walk Will Take Place Saturday
January 1st, 2007

Outdoors: FAVOR Presents Program on Reptiles Saturday
November 13th, 2006

Outdoors: Florida Humanities Council Visits Cedar Key
October 26th, 2006

Outdoors: Update: Students and Many Others Help Clean Up Our Coast
September 18th, 2006

Outdoors: Help Us Clean Up Our Coast
September 10th, 2006

Outdoors: YCC Gets Froggy
August 7th, 2006

Outdoors: Lighthouse Open House Announced
July 11th, 2006

Outdoors: Birding Event Seeks Volunteers
June 21st, 2006

Outdoors: June is Great Outdoors Recreation Month
June 2nd, 2006

Outdoors: May Tide Table
May 5th, 2006


YCC Gets Froggy

YCC Gets Froggy

Submitted by Pam Darty

Each summer, the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges, part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employ four high school students as the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC). The students learn the every day workings of the wildlife and land management agency from the inside out rather than as mere observers.

After a full summer of learning about refuge work, this week they return to Chiefland High School. During the many projects they completed for the betterment of the refuge, the YCC gained understanding of the ecological, political, and financial concerns with which refuge management must deal. They also observed refuge staff working like a well-oiled machine during emergencies like wildfires and storms.

For a job well done, staff took the hard-working YCC for an end-of-the-summer luncheon. After an awards ceremony with certificates of success presented by their supervisor, Jason Coates, and closing words of encouragement by Lower Suwannee's interim Manager Jim Kraus, the group was surprised by an announcement.

Acting Manager Jim Kraus and Cassie Nelson showing off her refuge t-shirt. (Refuge Photo)
Acting Manager Jim Kraus and Cassie Nelson showing off her refuge t-shirt. (Refuge Photo)

Restaurant owner Jimmy "Frog" Statham visited the table applauding the youth who performed such intense work over the long hot summer. He announced that Frog's Restaurant would be providing a complimentary lunch for the YCC who worked so diligently for the Lower Suwannee during their summer break.


Kraus, having seen the YCC's work for the three weeks he has been managing the refuge, was so impressed that he presented them with wildlife t-shirts and a gift bag from his refuge Friends group at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge.


"The refuge exposed the YCC to vast career opportunities, how to be competitive when applying for jobs, and through the work each performed, they learned what they, as a team and individually, are capable of accomplishing," said program coordinator, Pam Darty. For more information about the summer YCC program or volunteer opportunities, call the refuge 493-0238, extension 223.

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