Posted: October 17, 2024
The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Susquehanna County have 53 active volunteers who grew together in service and learning in 2024.
Vegetables harvested from the Edible Education Garden at the Penn State Extension office in Montrose.
2024 Accomplishments
- Fifty-three active volunteers collectively contributed over 4,000 volunteer hours.
- Fifty-four educational sessions were offered, including Seed to Supper classes, Ag Day lectures, Spring Garden Day clinic presentations, senior center programs, classes for the Montrose Area Adult School, youth camps, and more.
- Volunteers recorded 850 hours of continuing education, a pillar of the Penn State Extension Master Gardener program.
- Nearly 675 pounds of produce were grown and harvested from demonstration gardens for donation to the Trehab Food Bank, senior apartments, and a distribution table at the Susquehanna County Library in Montrose.
- Twenty-eight participants completed the Seed to Supper beginner vegetable gardening program in Forest City, Montrose, and Susquehanna. Evaluations found that 100% agreed the program helped them grow their own food and increased their gardening knowledge.
- The Garden Map Project, a large portable display and companion brochure, debuted at the 2024 Harford Fair. The project highlights the demonstration gardens created or maintained by Master Gardener volunteers throughout Susquehanna County.
- The Spring Garden Day clinic audience doubled to 60 attendees from five counties.
- The Mr. Yuk Poison Prevention Program reached 470 local first-grade students.
- Master Gardeners collected data for statewide projects, including the Bee Monitoring Project, Grow-Save-Repeat, and Home Garden Vegetable Trials.
Recognitions
Master Gardeners Jean Hollister and Virginia Lewis were presented pins for 10 years of outstanding service to the Master Gardener program. Five-year pins for outstanding service were awarded to Julie Baker, Rae Hayden, Anson Hedges, Carolyn Johnson, and Doreen Smith.
The following Master Gardeners were recognized for lifetime service hours: Howard Burkett (500 hours), Leslie Charles (500 hours), Anson Hedges (500 hours), Maureen Hoover (2,000 hours), Jim Kasten (1,000 hours), Jim Kessler (500 hours), Doreen Smith (1,000 hours), and Lori Voll-Wallace (3,500 hours).
Ten Master Gardeners each contributed over 100 hours of volunteer time in 2024: Howard Burkett, Leslie Charles, Kimberly Grace, Maureen Hoover, Stacey Kalechitz, Carol McNamara, Bob Owens, Doreen Smith, Lori Voll-Wallace, and Susan Wheeler.
The following volunteers met all requirements to become Certified Master Gardeners in 2024: Brittney Baron, Terrence Elsberry, Gerald Evans, Mary Jo Garrity, Joseph Hanley, Halina Harvilchuck, Janet Murray, Ginny Schmitt, and Laice Varnum.
Six Master Gardener trainees were welcomed for the 2024-2025 program year: Ashley DaSilva, Linda Hayes, Jennifer Mayers, Ellen O'Malley, Daniel Pudish, and Betty Tompkins.
