(KAIR)--A familiar face in Atchison County is saying goodbye to the role she’s held for more than three-decades.

Diane Nielson, who a release refers to as a “dedicated extension agent” has been “leading educational programming in family and consumer science and positive 4-H youth development for thirty-two years.”

It’s from that role, as an agent for the Atchison County office of K-State Research and Extension, that Nielsen is retiring from, with a career celebration, in her honor, planned for this week.

According to a release from the Atchison County Extension office, a "come and go" gathering will be held Wednesday afternoon, from 3 until 6:00, at the YMCA community room, in Atchison. The public is invited.

According to the release, Atchison County has been “fortunate” to have Nielson’s leadership, as “her careful identification of local issues and passion for educating county residents has reached a wide variety of audiences during her career as Atchison County Extension Agent,” adding that “her personal interest in such topics of nutrition, food safety, health and well-being, early childhood development, aging and leadership development has caused her to bring research and evidence-based solutions to Atchison county,” along with “innovative teaching methods to individuals and families to offer self-improving ideas to improve their quality of lives.”

The release notes that “K-State Research and Extension Atchison County programs will look much different next year,” citing Nielsen’s absence as well as a $52,000 reduction in “local funding to the extension program.”