A Resolution By The Board Of County Commissioners Of Pasco County, Florida, Commending Lester Cypher For His Years Of Service To The Citizens Of Pasco County

1:54:08And now I'd like to bring up Lester Cypher. Thank you for your patience. Gene, come on up with him.

1:54:14Where

1:54:14do you want?

1:54:17Of the podium. That's great. Right right there

1:54:19yeah right

1:54:20there's

1:54:20perfect

1:54:21resolution number six

1:54:22right there you're good yeah

1:54:23oh

1:54:23no

1:54:23you don't

1:54:24not

1:54:24yet

1:54:25not yet in a second

1:54:27twenty six dash three three three. A resolution by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, commending Lester Cypher for his years of service to the citizens of Pasco County. Whereas the Volunteer Way was founded by Lester and Hilda Cypher in March 1992 when one family asked for help with food. Today, the Volunteer Way serves an average of 28,500 families each month across Pasco and surrounding counties, providing healthy and nutritious food that helps

1:54:57stretch household budgets and improve lives. And whereas Lester Cypher retired as CEO from the Volunteer Way on October 31, 2019, after 34 years of serving our community and helping countless individuals with food, shelter, clothing, and other essentials. And whereas, since his retirement as the Volunteer Way CEO in 2019, Lester continued serving people in need. By acting as Chairman of the Board of

1:55:27Directors for the Volunteer Way, a position he officially retired from on august twenty fourth, twenty twenty six, and whereas Lester has always had a calling to help children. women, families, mentally handicapped, low income and homebound elderly, and to alleviate their hunger with a faith based approach to service. And whereas Lester did not receive a single penny of compensation during his thirty four years as CEO of the Volunteer

1:55:57Way. And whereas Lester has received several awards throughout the years, including the Spirit of Service Award from the Florida Senate, Humanitarian Award from Christian International Outreach, Outstanding Humanitarian Award from the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce, President Bush's Daily Point of Light Award, JC Penny Golden Rule Award, the Community Hero Award. From the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Agency of Distinction Award, and has been a recipient of the Florida's

1:56:27Point of Light Award twice. And whereas, according to all these, Lester has worked with and served over the years, he has a heart of gold and has always treated his staff like family and will be greatly missed. And whereas Lester has been an irreplaceable force in helping our community. Community's most vulnerable members and the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners extends its utmost gratitude to him. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida,

1:56:58that said Board hereby commends Lester Cypher for all his years of service and thanks him for his generosity to the citizens of Pasco County. Done and resolved in regular session with a quorum present and voting this 25th day of August 2026.

1:57:16All in favor say aye. Aye aye. Blessed so what a what an amazing man you are. What is amazing amazing care that you've given all the citizens of Pasco County for all these years, not only in New Port Richey but now Moon Lake. Um I know Commissioner Yeager's been there many, many times. to go along and and and help that community out especially. So what you've done uh is just remarkable. Uh I know God is looking down at you smiling every step of the way for the great work you've taken care of people and you're you've got a heart of gold, probably wearing the right shirt today. With

1:57:46that said, if you'd like to say a few words.

1:57:49I I I'd like to thank the board. It's an honor receiving this uh over the past years that uh I've been volunteering and my wife volunteering also. It's been a journey that God has put us on. And I just thank God every day that He gave me the opportunity to serve. And I just love it. I ty I got more out of it than I gave. It was just you never know when you open

1:58:19up that door what's coming next. And it's been a lot of fun, a lot of work, but a lot of rewards. And I thank the board for honoring. me with this.

1:58:29You're you're a great, great man. Uh God looks down on you very favorably and again, for all the people that you've saved from hunger, thank you. Thank you I'm gonna come down and I'll take a picture like you.

1:58:51Yeah, picture. Congratulations. Yeah, come right right back here. Just a little bit.

1:59:01can

1:59:02always come up here too.

1:59:03Oh well to get your camera off.

1:59:08Thank you, thank you.

1:59:12You get it?

1:59:16I know it was I thought it was

1:59:21Ready? Three, two, one. Wait. Oh oui. Is that