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Current York County Master Gardener Community Projects
As a new Master
Gardener trainee you may choose to focus some of your volunteer time
on a community project of your choosing. However, the majority of
your time (30 hours) in your first year of certification must be in
one of our community projects as outlined below. Master Gardener
Volunteers have found that by working together on shared projects
they are much more likely to succeed and have a positive Master
Gardener experience. Any Master Gardener may initiate a new
community project by putting in an approval request to our county
Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator (Sue Tkacik). If the project
is approved and funding is needed, a Project Overview Form is to be
sent to the York County Master Gardener Association Board.
The following is a
brief description of some – not all – of our community projects.
Kids
Can Grow
– Youth gardening program. Master Gardener Volunteers teach and
mentor children at a series of classes held on Saturdays, once a
month from April – August. Volunteers also mentor participating
youth at their home gardens.
Plant-A-Row
for the Hungry
– Program recruits farmers and home gardeners to donate produce from
their farm/garden to area food pantries, shelters and senior housing
projects. Master Gardeners can serve on the organizational team to
coordinate this county-wide program or give their time to
gleaning/delivering produce. Certified Master Gardener Volunteers
may spend more than 10 hours on growing veggies for PAR.
Laudholm
Farm Master Gardener Volunteers
– Master Gardener Volunteers serve to manage the native plant
demonstration garden and the pumpkin patch on the grounds of
Laudholm Farm at Wells Reserve. In addition volunteers will help
coordinate educational gardening displays for the general public at
public events such as Earth Day and Punkinfiddle.
Plant
Sale and Raffle
– Coordinated by
2-4 Master Gardeners with the Master Gardener Association Board and
support from all Master Gardener Volunteers. This is a major
fundraising event for the York County Master Gardener Association,
to support all York County Master Gardener Projects and is usually
held on a Saturday in May.
Garden
Angel
- Program links Master Gardeners (Garden Angels) with Recipients
who are elderly or disabled persons, with financial limitations, who
love to garden but need a friend/helping hand/Garden Angel to help
them be able to continue gardening.
Caring
Unlimited
– Master Gardener’s garden with residents of a Caring Unlimited
Shelter in Sanford, teaching them garden basics and helping them to
grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables, and care for trees and shrubs.
Farmers’
Market Volunteers
– Outreach education on gardening to the general public through
Master Gardener displays at York County Farmer’s Markets.
Volunteering at market typically runs from mid July – August, though
some Master Gardener groups choose to start earlier and go longer in
the season.
Workshops
– Held
once or twice a year, this is a program offered by Master Gardeners,
covering many subjects, and open to the public.
Updated
11/30/2008
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