2020 Volunteer of the Year

Richard Byelich used his carpentry skills to be a true friend of the Gardens.

We had a very limited number of volunteers in our Gardens this summer due to COVID-19. And we are especially appreciative of them as we were not allowed to have many student employees. So, we relied more on volunteer help! While we could not celebrate their hard work this past December at our usual Volunteer Dinner, know that you are each appreciated!


With that said, we must choose a ‘Volunteer of the Year’ each year – to showcase one particular hard-working helper. This year, that person is Richard Byelich (pictured right). Richard is a retired builder from DeWitt. He used his carpentry skills to build the Gardens tables and shelving in our new Welcome Booth and also installed all new cabinets and counters in our staff offices (pictures below), saving us a bundle of money for installation costs, but also giving us that personal, custom-built look.


Many thanks to Richard and all of our 2020 volunteers. We look forward to seeing you again this summer.

New custom built shelving and countertops for our Welcome Booth.
New custom built shelving and countertops for our Welcome Booth.
New cabinets and countertops in our staff offices
New cabinets and countertops in our staff offices

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