Nov 10, 2021

Washington Apple Education Foundation cites Volunteers of the Year

The Washington Apple Education Foundation is celebrating and giving thanks this month for the hundreds of volunteers that impact students through the foundation.

On Nov. 9, it announced its 2021 Volunteers of the Year: Dany Cavadini is the Volunteer of the Year; Washington State Tree Fruit Association (WSTFA) is the Organization Volunteer of the Year; and Amanda Adams is the Alumni Volunteer of the Year. Announcements were made to each of the honorees in the last week.

Dany Cavadini, Electric City, has been volunteering with the Washington Apple Education Foundation (WAEF) for the last six years. She became familiar with WAEF through her employer Northwest Farm Credit Services, a longtime partner of the Washington Apple Education Foundation.

At an event organized by NWFCS for her earlier this month in Moses Lake, WAEF representatives arrived with the surprise announcement and to thank her for volunteering at WAEF events and directly with students.

“The mission of WAEF makes it so easy to jump in whole heartedly to support these amazing students,” Cavadini said. “The past six years I’ve had the opportunity to watch students learn, grow, and accomplish their goals and knowing that I’ve been able to contribute in such a small ways to support their success is so rewarding.”

Cavadini will soon transition in her career to become the executive director of the Washington Future Farmers of America.

Members of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association staff volunteer at WAEF events, send care packages, serve on committees and assist in many other ways as needed.

“It may seem a matter of course that industry associations would support WAEF as the official charity of the tree fruit industry,” WSTFA president Jon DeVaney said. “But anyone who has had a chance to meet the talented and motivated students who are supported by the scholarships quickly becomes motivated to do more.  Whether it is serving on scholarship review committees, helping prepare care packages for students, or providing volunteer support at WAEF events, whenever WAEF issues a call for volunteers our team responds with an enthusiastic “yes!” WSTFA staff were hosted by WAEF staff at a celebratory lunch earlier in the month to thank each of the WSTFA team members for their individual support.

Amanda Adams, Yakima, was honored as WAEF’s Alumni Volunteer of the Year.  Adams is the human resources director for Legacy Fruit LLC. With support from Legacy Fruit, Adams has participated in resume reviews, mock interviews, scholarship selections and summer workshops.

“I have been honored to spend the time this year to volunteer with WAEF. As an alumni myself, I would not be where I am today in my career and family if it wasn’t for my parents and WAEF providing me the opportunity to complete my college education,” Adams said. “I am beyond excited to give back in any way I can to try and create that opportunity for others. The WAEF staff, volunteers, and supporters are an amazing group of people who make the work of volunteering a joy. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the team.”

The surprise announcement was made to Adams during Legacy Fruit’s executive meeting this week in Wapato.

This year, WAEF students benefitted from the expertise, time and dedication of over 200 volunteers.  Volunteers aid in many capacities with WAEF including serving on the board of directors and on various administrative committees, assisting with fundraising events, leading student workshops, selecting scholarship recipients, providing student mentoring, conducting job shadowing and career tours, sending care packages, along with much more.

In years past the foundation has held an in-person volunteer recognition event.  This year WAEF volunteers will be sent a thank you gift from the foundation to express appreciation for their impactful roles in the organization.

The Washington Apple Education Foundation is the charity of the tree fruit industry.  Its mission is to impact lives through access to educational opportunities.

For more about the foundation, please visit www.waef.org or call 509-663-7713.

From left, Dany Cavadini and Amanda Adams.