Author: Adam Leonberger
Planning Unit: Franklin County CES
Major Program: Master Gardener
Plan of Work: Developing informal and formal leadership skills for youth and adults
Outcome: Initial Outcome
The Kentucky Master Gardener Program is an intensive fourteen week
series of classes focusing on various aspects of horticulture. While it
does benefit the participants, the primary goal is to train new
volunteers to be better gardeners and stewards of the land, as well as
grow in their leadership skills and in community involvement. Each
person who completes the program must return 40 hours of community
service through the Cooperative Extension Service during the first year
after the completion of the program and 20 hours each year after that.
Franklin
County CES and Woodford County CES cooperatively held a class of
twenty-two students. While the participants varied in age and
backgrounds, they all had the love gardening in common. Since the class
ended, many participants have already begun plans to start or assist
with gardens in the community and are beginning to use better and more
sustainable methods in their landscapes and gardens.
There were
twenty-three students that completed the program this year. Each are
required to return at least 40 hours of service back into the community
to become certified. That makes a total of 920 volunteer hours. The
Independent Sector Coalition estimates that the dollar value of
volunteer time is $21.42 per hour resulting in $19,706 of value to
Franklin, Anderson, and Woodford County residents. This will be in
addition to the current Franklin County Master Gardeners that provided
990 hours last year for a value of $21,205.80.
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