GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Due to COVID-19 restrictions at the Clay County Courthouse and other public buildings, it now looks for new ways to continue our community outreach while keeping our staff and citizens safe. Some outreach messages – like Domestic Violence Prevention and Breast Cancer Awareness – are too important to put off until next year.

We would normally have a large public display inside our courthouse rotunda, bring groups of people together for fundraising, take part in team walks and more.

While we couldn’t do our “normal” activities this month, nothing stops us from getting the word out – and, sometimes it is as easy as building giant awareness ribbons for display outside on the courthouse’s front lawn and entrance. That’s where Middleburg High carpentry teacher Jerry Burt and his students came to the rescue.

Clerk of Court and Comptroller Green and her colleagues at Quigley House commend Burt and his students for their “say yes” attitude whenever asked to help with an outreach project.

“Not only are these students being taught useful carpentry skills but they are also being taught to give back to their community”, Green said. Mr. Burt leads by example and is a great role model for these students. They even used surplus donated lumber, so this project was done at no cost.

Thousands of people drive by the Clay County Courthouse everyday along busy U.S. Highway 17 in Green Cove Springs. It is our hope this October that seeing these giant purple and pink ribbons on display will remind them that their fellow citizens are working to prevent domestic violence and honoring those battling breast cancers. We appreciate our ongoing partnership with the Clay County School District, Quigley House and the American Cancer Society.