Okaloosa County, Florida, April 16, 2026—Okaloosa County will officially open the new Sheila Dunning Extension Building April 23.

The building is located at 1954 Lewis Turner Blvd. in front of the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Rigdon Center at the former Northwest Florida Fairgrounds.

“We could not have completed this project without the continued support of my fellow commissioners, the Florida legislature’s generous appropriation and county staff who made this vision possible,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin.

The new 3,000-square-foot facility is replacing a storm-damaged building in south Okaloosa County. It will allow Okaloosa County’s University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services Extension to offer the public educational programming in agriculture, coastal sciences, commercial horticulture, family and consumer sciences, residential horticulture and 4-H youth development. 

Extension Services will continue to provide services to the community, including, but not limited to, soil testing, free tax preparation, plant clinics, lawn care, water quality assistance and 4-H clubs.

“Agriculture has always been a passion of mine and I have worked with the team at the Extension service for many years,” said Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel. “This will greatly enhance services offered to the south end of the county. I am grateful to be part of the effort to unveil this new facility that will mean so much to our community.”

The north-end extension office, located at 3098 Airport Road in Crestview, will continue to service north county residents.

The new facility is named in honor of Sheila Dunning, a commercial horticulture extension agent who passed away in 2025 after 23 years of educating and supporting local projects in Okaloosa County. Dunning was promoted to Extension Agent IV, the highest extension agent faculty rank, in 2023.

Born in rural Wisconsin, Dunning moved to Florida in 1976 where she built a successful 22-year career in the nursery industry before joining UF/IFAS Okaloosa County Extension Services.

Her contributions to horticulture were widely recognized, and in 2024, she received the Conservation Award from the Choctawhatchee Bay Daughters of the American Revolution.

Dunning earned a bachelor’s in environmental horticulture and a master’s in agricultural education and communication at the University of Florida. She was pursuing a doctor of plant medicine degree at the time of her death.

To learn more about the Okaloosa County extension office, visit at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/okaloosa/.

Story an photos by Nick Tomecek, Okaloosa County public information officer