Association Award Form 2008 1 of 4 Texas Master Gardener ...

Texas Master Gardener Association
2008 ASSOCIATION AWARD
Association Membership/Size: _Large (Small, Medium, Med.Large or Large)
Number of Members: 293
County: Montgomery
Address: 9020 FM 1484
City: Conroe , TX Zip 77303
Phone(936)539-7824 Agents e-mail: t-leroy@tamu.edu
Association Title: Montgomery County Master Gardener Association
Cody Ferguson ceferguson@ag.tamu.edu
Name(s) of person(s) submitting the nomination
e-mail
Thomas R. LeRoy
Name of County Extension Agent or County Program Coordinator
THIS SUBMISSION SHALL NOT EXCEED FOUR (4) PAGES TOTAL.
I. DESCRIPTION OF THE MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION (10 pts)
In 150 words or less please describe the association.
The Montgomery County Master Gardener Association consists of 293 members. Of the fortyeight
Master Gardener Interns signed up for the 2008 Master Gardener class, forty-five graduated
receiving Master Gardener certificates. The key to our organization’s success is a solid volunteer
base of committed and talented people from varied backgrounds and with willingness to share
and use these talents and skills to reach out and educate the community. In 2008 the
Montgomery County Master Gardener Association collectively volunteered over 34,000 hours,
equating to a dollar value of $667,164. Master Gardeners provided ongoing communication and
educational support to the public through the phone room, e-mailings, U.S. postal mailings, a
quarterly newsletter, Speakers Bureau programming, garden tours, arts and crafts fairs, a
partnership with Habitat for Humanity, workshops, semi-annual plant sales, a series of lectures
and newspaper articles allowing volunteers to reach over 30,000 residents in and around
Montgomery County.
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Please answer the following questions as they relate to the 2008 entry year.
10 points each
1. What is the leadership structure? How is it selected?
The Executive Board is made up of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Past
President, Historian, and Two (2) Member at Large. County Master Gardener Coordinator,
Thomas LeRoy acts as the advisor and Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator, Cody Ferguson,
acts as non-voter participant. A nominating committee is responsible for presenting a slate of
officers to the membership, the membership will then make their own nominations and an election
is held. Individual committees are managed by a chairperson, which is appointed by the
President, and in some cases, a co-chair. Often times, coordinators are assigned to special
projects as needed.
2. How do leaders solicit input/ideas from members and Texas AgriLife?
Monthly General Meetings, Mentoring System, Information Exchange on Garden Workdays,
Consultations with Chairpersons and Project Leaders. The leaders in our organization actively
solicit new ideas and encourage input from all members and interns. The TALE Horticulture
Agent serves as an advisor to the Montgomery County Master Gardener Executive Board.
3. How does the association inspire support and participation in projects and programs?
Support and participation is encouraged through awards and recognition, structured organization,
educational opportunities through classes, field trips, events and programs.
Our Officers successfully implement programs and projects that are specifically tailored to the
interests and talents of our membership. This ensures that our members never lose their
enthusiasm and willingness to move our association forward.
4. How are volunteer hours reported and recorded?
Daily log sheets with activity codes are completed by each volunteer and entered into a computer
database. The Membership Chairperson monitors and tallies the number of hours required for
membership and special awards.
5. Describe the multi-year plan for goals and objectives.
There is a five-year plan in place. This includes partnerships with Lone Star College, Habitat for
Humanity and the Community Association of The Woodlands, Environmental Services Master
Gardeners have initiated a capital campaign to raise funds for a new facility. This plan involves
evaluating and adjusting programs and projects to meet the changing needs of the community.
6. How, when and by who are the plans made?
The Montgomery County Master Gardener Executive Board, with TALE agent acting as an
advisor to the board, developed the plan. The Executive Board is constantly evaluating the plan
as part of their monthly meetings. The plan was developed taking into consideration the needs of
the community, the needs of the association, the needs of the TALE as well as the desires and
interests of the Master Gardener Volunteers.
7. How are specific portions of the community targeted?
(i.e. children, seniors, disabled, minorities etc.)
Master Gardeners contact schools, churches, community centers, and home school group
leaders to identify needs and ensure support. Several of our community programs have
developed into annual events. Garden clubs, civic groups and other organizations often request
assistance with programs, especially through our Speakers Bureau. Our close affiliation with 4-H
gives us access to a large youth population and many of our volunteers are retirees involved with
groups such as the Friendship Garden and the Friendship Center which involve many senior
citizens.
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8. Describe how the Association responds to seasonal or emerging educational needs of
the community.
Extensive gardens are maintained year round to serve as a living laboratory for visitors. The
gardens are open during regular Extension hours for self-guided tours. In addition guided tours
can be scheduled. Master Gardeners contact schools, churches, community centers, and home
school group leaders to identify needs. Scientifically tested education-based support material is
made available to residents who visit the gardens and Extension Office or who call the Phone
Room. Volunteers monitor publications to make sure they are updated with current information.
Frequently asked questions spur the development of new written materials. Master Gardener
Volunteers answer horticulture questions utilizing telephones, e-mail and letters. Many times the
Master Gardeners request live samples to identify diseases, nutrition deficiencies or plant
varieties. If Master Gardeners are unsure of a correct diagnosis or a definitive answer, visitors
are referred to the Master Gardener Coordinator and County Extension Agent, Tom LeRoy. In
some cases the expertise of other Extension Agents and staff is solicited. If further analysis is
deemed necessary, samples may be sent to Texas A&M via U.S. mail or digital diagnosis.
9. Describe how individual talents and resources of Master Gardeners are used.
The individual talents and interests of each member are listed on their membership application
and are available for consideration during planning. The association observes and recognizes
the unique talents of its volunteers to develop programs that fill the need of a particular group,
program or project. Feedback is continually solicited from the membership and support is
extended to those desiring to implement new programs.
10. List partnerships and how utilized.
The M.C.M.G.A. has joined in partnership with Habitat for Humanity to provide landscapes for low
income families in Montgomery County. The program includes consultation with the new
homeowners to determine their needs and wants, the actual installation of the landscape, and
homeowner education and mentoring. Additionally, the association is partnered with Community
Association of The Woodlands, Environmental Services Department. Programs through this
partnership include Earth Day, Arbor Day, Compost Clinics, Xeriscape Gardens, Walk in the
Woods Lecture Series and Landscaping Solutions. Master Gardeners conduct spring and Fall
gardening seminars through a partnership with Montgomery College. Newspaper articles written
by Master Gardeners run in our local newspaper through partnerships with the Conroe Courier.
11. Describe how programs and projects are evaluated.
Level of participation, questionnaires and verbal feedback determine program progress and
effectiveness. The membership at large evaluates all programs and activities using designated
evaluation forms. After completion, they are collected and reviewed by the committee
supervising the activity or project. Results are tallied and reported to the members. Verbal
feedback is also considered. Feedback from residents is collected through phone calls, letters, e-
mails and evaluation forms. Our goal is to provide quality educational programming that is
meeting the needs of the local community, therefore, programs and projects are constantly being
adjusted based on feedback. TALE agents and staff are also utilized and act as advisors in
determining effectiveness of programming.
12. List any awards or recognitions received from local and/or state organizations.
The Montgomery County Master Gardener Association was awarded a $11,500 grant from the
Lone Star Groundwater District in order to assist and recognize the association for their efforts to
educate the community on the importance of recycling rainwater in the home landscape to reduce
our dependence on groundwater. The association was also awarded a $20,000 grant from a
local foundation to go towards the completion of the Master Gardener Educational Center.
13. List on-going programs and projects.
On-site Demonstration Gardens; Speakers Bureau presented over sixty-five programs which
reached over 13,000 local residents; Compost clinics and Earth Day Events in partnership with
the Woodlands Environmental Services; Landscaping of Habitat for Humanity Homes with
resources from Exxon/Mobil, local nurseries and businesses; Habitat for Humanity mentoring
program also continues; Community Education courses were presented through partnership with
Lone Star College; Served as public advisors for Arbor Day activities; Capital Building Campaign
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Fund; Garden Page articles and photographs by Master Gardeners continue through partnership
with the Conroe Courier; Collaborated with 4-H Urban Youth and Development Coordinator,
Caroline Cruz, to partner with the Willis Beautification Committee to support a youth focused
landscape project as well as other Junior Master Gardening programs
14. List any programs or projects that are new this award year.
Construction of the Montgomery County Master Gardener Educational Facility
2008 Texas Master Gardener Conference
Installation of the Rainwater Harvesting System in the MCMGA Educational Facility
15. Describe any special training programs developed in 2008.
Montgomery County was selected to host the 2008 Texas Master Gardener Conference.
The conference serves as an opportunity for Master Gardeners to receive educational training,
exchange ideas and fellowship with other Master Gardeners. Over 700 MGs and their guests
attended the event. The conference began with two general sessions conducted by well known
experts in horticulture, Neil Sperry and Dr. Neil Odenwald. Sessions were conducted by over
twenty renowned speakers. Program topics included: Southern Heirloom Bulbs, The Interesting
World of Carnivorous Plants, Landscape Design in Small Spaces, Gardens of Japan and The Top
10 Mistakes Made by Texas Yardeners. Workshops included two plant pathology workshops. An
awards ceremony was held where volunteers were recognized for their hard work and
outstanding programs. The conference concluded with tours to five different locations. Tours
included Mercer Arboretum, Walker County Extension, The Arbor Gate Nursery, Kings Orchard,
Bernhardt Winery and a Home Garden Tour.
16. How many new members and interns integrated into programs and projects in 2008?
45 Interns and 3 transfer members
17. Describe the best educational program or project of 2008 (external).
The goal of this project has been to develop an education center to benefit the community at
large. The Montgomery County Master Gardener Association (MCMGA) began construction of
the new Education Center in June 2008. The almost 10,000 ft.² building houses: offices, a
classroom, a kitchen and a large auditorium. The state-of-the-art Education Center will be used
for outreach education, presented by MCMGA and all the departments within the Montgomery
County Extension Office in the areas horticulture and natural resources. The MCMGA Building
Committee has been involved in all the planning including building design and construction. At
completion, the MCMGA had raised a total of $460,000 in individual donations, a grant of $11,500
from the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, over $10,000 in financial support from
Montgomery County 4-H and Montgomery County Agriculture Committees and over $100,000 in
in-kind support from local contractors in the way of services and materials
18. Describe the best program or project for Master Gardeners (internal).
Montgomery County was selected to host the 2008 Texas Master Gardener Conference.
The conference serves as an opportunity for Master Gardeners to receive educational training,
exchange ideas and fellowship with other Master Gardeners. Over 700 MGs and their guests
attended the event. The conference began with two general sessions conducted by well known
experts in horticulture, Neil Sperry and Dr. Neil Odenwald. Sessions were conducted by over
twenty renowned speakers. Program topics included: Southern Heirloom Bulbs, The Interesting
World of Carnivorous Plants, Landscape Design in Small Spaces, Gardens of Japan and The Top
10 Mistakes Made by Texas Yardeners. Workshops included two plant pathology workshops. An
awards ceremony was held where volunteers were recognized for their hard work and
outstanding programs. The conference concluded with tours to five different locations. Tours
included Mercer Arboretum, Walker County Extension, The Arbor Gate Nursery, Kings Orchard,
Bernhardt Winery and a Home Garden Tour.
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