Sumter County Sheriff Bill Farmer, and Lt. Nehemiah Wolfe, presented long-term Sheriff’s Annex volunteer, Ralph Yohn, a plaque Thursday morning to commemorate Yohn’s nearly 19 years of service.
The sheriff wanted to express his gratitude to Yohn, along with Lt. Wolfe, who is the sheriff’s office commander for The Villages and surrounding area.
“You started here about when I became sheriff in 1996,” Sheriff Farmer told Yohn. “And you have truly made a difference in this office. We very much appreciate all your years of dedicated service.”
Farmer wished Yohn, who is two weeks shy of his 80th birthday, well in his “‘retirement.”
A former truck driver from Altoona, Pa., Ralph Yohn, and his wife, Carol, retired to The Villages in 1996. They became friends with Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant, Andy Meridian, whose wife, Ritzie’s idea it was to have volunteers help at the Sheriff’s Annex on County Road 466 near Morse Boulevard.
After taking the Sheriff’s Office Citizen’s Academy classes, the Yohns found the many facets of SCSO law enforcement interesting, and wanted to stay involved. Both Ralph and Carol Yohn volunteered back then, before Carol opened her quilting business in the Almeida Plaza in Belleview.
“There were only three deputies at the Annex in 1996,” Carol said. “Lt. Nehemiah Wolfe, Sergeant Andy Meridian,
and Deputy Jim Dockman. Unfortunately, Jim Dockman has since passed away. The volunteers used to wear white shirts with green vests and work full days. Later, when more people volunteered, they divided the duties into four-hour shifts.”
The Yohns also helped collect clothing and housewares donations which were brought to the Annex to benefit the Sheriff’s Youth Ranches.
“Years ago, our garage [in Hacienda South Village] was actually one of their collection points — we helped by storing donations there until they could be picked up,” Carol recalled.
