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LA SALLE, Ill. – Joe Temple of La Salle County has received the Friend of Extension Award in recognition of his support of the 4-H program, the Master Gardener program, and Extension as a whole.
Temple received the honor during a ceremony in November at the University of Illinois Extension Education Center and Community Teaching Kitchen La Salle.
His many decades of service have positively impacted the communities and community members of La Salle County.
Temple’s service to Extension has spanned several decades, beginning in 1929 when he joined 4-H as a youth member. Since that time, Temple served as a club leader for the Serena Junior 4-H club for 12 years, and served on the 4-H Advisory Committee. Every year, Joe also sponsors trophies at the La Salle County 4-H Fair in memory of his late wife, Dorothy.
In addition to his involvement with 4-H, Temple also became a Master Gardener volunteer in 1993. For a time he served as the Master Gardener program coordinator. In 1997, Temple won the State Outstanding Master Gardener Award, followed by the Sustained Master Gardener Award in 1999. Temple also received awards for over 3,000 hours of volunteer service in 2004, and over 10,000 hours of volunteer service in 2012. In October 2018, Temple received the 25 Years of Service Recognition Award.
Temple has contributed to Extension in many other quiet ways.