She calls herself a “hat-wearing worker bee” and a “versatile volunteer.” And certainly, Nanci Agett is all of that and more. A native of Corning, N.Y., and a graduate of Syracuse University, Nanci’s involvement with Marine Discovery Center goes back to its early years. Learn more about Nanci in MDC’s Volunteer Spotlight interview with staff writer Lisa D. Mickey:
What did you do in your career?
I’m a nurse practitioner, but I worked as an administrator for 25 years until I retired in upstate New York.
Did you juggle a family, too?
I was married and divorced. I have three children — with two adult children in Colorado, one in Texas and four grandchildren in California, Texas and Nashville, Tenn.
Did you move to Florida after you retired?
I took early retirement because my parents were getting older. They moved to New Smyrna Beach in 1972. My two brothers moved to Florida before my parents and both were in academia. I moved here in 1997. I wasn’t really old enough to retire, but I came down to spend time with them. I’m the third generation in our family to retire in Volusia County from Corning, N.Y. I’ve been coming here forever.
What do you remember about your early visits to New Smyrna Beach?
When I used to come here to see my grandparents, my grandma and I would always go to the beach and collect something called periwinkles. We’d scoop them up on the beach and my grandmother would make a chowder kind of soup. That was one of my earliest memories of nature, other than stepping on dandelions and getting stung by bees.
Did you start volunteering after retirement?
My first volunteer job here in New Smyrna was with hospice. Bill Bush, my partner at the time, was also a nurse and we used to work together with hospice. He’s been gone for 12 years, but we volunteered together. It can be depressing work, but we were both newly retired and we did that for a while. Bill was getting a little restless and wanted to do something else.
How did you end up connecting with Marine Discovery Center?
We used to hang around the old Connor Library at that time and there was talk then of somebody writing grants to start something to focus on the Indian River Lagoon. I met Bruce Jaildagian, who started something called Marine Discovery Center. So, that was how we got involved with it and started volunteering here.
You are probably one of MDC’s original volunteers.
Yes, but there were others. I remember Diane Yeaton. Originally, there was nothing really organized with volunteering. It was all a word-of-mouth thing. We had a lot of contacts in the community and we attended all kinds of community events — just talking up the Marine Discovery Center. We didn’t have a boat yet, but it was in the plans. So, we went from the Connor Library to the old water treatment plant, then to the portable trailers on the North Causeway.
What kind of volunteer duties were you doing?
Just odd jobs, but the focus was on fundraising for education. We would spend Saturdays selling hot dogs. We helped out in the gift shop, did some cleaning and just did whatever needed to be done.
Did you get involved with the education program?
Whenever we were there in the portables with a lot of people around, we tried to educate the public. We didn’t have kayaks yet and it took a while to get the boat tours going, but it was exciting to be there with these things starting to happen.
Did you see a need for something like MDC in our community?
Definitely. And we were all promoting it and asking for donations. My parents signed up and we hit on all of our friends for donations. We were fearless.
When did you have a feeling this start-up nonprofit was going to make it?
When we got into the portables and the gift shop got going, I felt like something was really happening. That, and when we got away from that depressing old water treatment plant. Bill would go inside, but I would not. And here we were, trying to talk up this place located in an old building that was creepy! We were both very optimistic and positive, but I was glad to get out of that building.
So, you just had to see beyond the creepiness?
Yes, we had to see there was the next step and that this was a big deal for the lagoon. We were very much into water, conservation and the environment. Bruce was busy trying to get grants and we were the worker bees there to help however we could. We did a lot in the community, setting up little tables and representing MDC at street festivals and at the hot air balloon festival that used to be held here. We would talk to the public about MDC wherever we went.
Are you still doing street festivals?
Oh yeah. Every first Saturday of the month, I’m there at 8 a.m. I started helping with the MDC information table at street festivals in 2000. Bill was with me until 2014. At these tabling events, I have literature about MDC and lists of our activities, as well as membership forms for the public that stops by.
What’s been the highlight for you with MDC?
The highlight has been the growth, the education and the popularity. Everybody loves MDC! There’s so much to see and do and learn. The most exciting thing for me is the growth of the kids’ programs.
How do you view MDC’s growth?
It’s unbelievable to see the growth. I remember the old high school and saw most of the buildings being demolished. I’m still trying to process the restoration of the [western] parking lot and the new shoreline. [MDC Executive Director] Chad [Truxall] and the gang keep coming up with new ideas! Of course, MDC will stay involved with sea grasses and oyster restoration. We’re already doing what I think we need to be doing to benefit the lagoon. I live on the lagoon and I’ve watched the demise of so many things that used to be here.
What changes in New Smyrna concern you the most?
The type of growth and development that we’re having. I don’t want to become a concrete city and I’m still picketing about the I-95 Interchange because I hate seeing land torn up and trees knocked down. That’s what fires me up more than anything.
Why is volunteering important to you?
I was brought up volunteering. My parents volunteered. It’s just what you do to give back. My dad volunteered for everything from the Salvation Army to the local Chamber of Commerce. And my mom was doing the same thing, especially for PTA when we were kids. I have one brother who also volunteers a whole lot on the west coast of Florida. Volunteering is just in my blood, as well as in my heart.
What a nice gift your parents gave you to encourage you to volunteer!
That’s something that was part of their legacy, you know? And my family members, including one grand-daughter, are also now volunteering. You don’t have to do anything outstanding. I’m just one of those worker bees, but they can count on me for certain things and know I’m going to be there when I volunteer.
Your generation has grown up with a culture of volunteerism.
Yeah, from the 65-and-up age group that I’m in, I try to help set a good example and show others that volunteering is enjoyable and rewarding. It’s an investment of your time into an entity to help make it better.
Where do you volunteer now?
I volunteer at the New Smyrna Beach Visitor Center, at hospice and with MDC. I volunteered at The Hub for three or four years and I help out with the Canal Street Historic District.
As a nurse, you already have a service mentality.
It’s about caring for people. The progress is important and you just have to keep going, despite all of the setbacks in the environment – such as algae blooms and people destroying nature. It’s vital that we keep pursuing ways to preserve the health of our lagoon.
What do you think you can do to make a difference in our community?
Just keep promoting what we’re working on and trying to get people to participate and care. The caring has to come first, followed by education.
Wherever you go, you are known for your many hats. How did that get started?
The hat thing started years ago because my mother knitted a lot when we were living in upstate New York. With her leftover yarn, she always made me berets. I was really young. Every sweater I had, had a matching hat. I’ve just always had hats and now, they kind of coordinate with everything.
Are you really called “The Hat Lady?”
Yes, many people think I sign my name as “Nanci the Hat Lady.” They don’t know my last name and that’s just fine.
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