Success StoryHenderson Master Gardener: Post Covid



Henderson Master Gardener: Post Covid

Author: Paul Andrew Rideout

Planning Unit: Henderson County CES

Major Program: Master Gardener

Plan of Work: Leadership Development

Outcome: Initial Outcome

The Master Gardener Program is alive and growing with over 80,000 volunteers nationwide donating over 5 million volunteer hours with over 1 million direct contacts.

In Kentucky, there are more than 1500 active volunteers donating over 43,000 hours with 83,000 direct contacts.

Covid had a significant impact on the Master Gardener program.  With good leadership and good communication, the program is recovering.  Even with a decline since COVID, Henderson County Master Gardeners have 36 active members donating 1100+ hours of service the community.

Education is their mission and Henderson MG's do it well with programming in on several topics.  Henderson MG’s also host an annual plant sale with multiple educational opportunities for their customers.  The spring plant sale focused on “best plant for the best place”.  

Henderson MG's also play a vital role with adult education by designing, funding, and planting new landscapes for new habitat for Humanity home owners. Working alongside, the new home owners learn how to care for their plants and proper pest control strategies for their plants. Every home owner attends an educational session that teaches them basic home and landscape maintenance practices with emphasis on reduced pesticide use and proper disposal.

With over 1100 hours of community service, the Henderson Master Gardener's contribute an estimated $29,412 of value to the community.

Henderson Master Gardener Association is growing!  The 2022 Master Gardener Training class graduated 16 new MG’s!






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