The Extension Master Gardener program promotes leadership, personal growth, and outreach.  Through the program, two Extension Master Gardeners, trained in Daviess County by the horticulture agent, shared their love of butterflies and photography with each other.  As they took thousands of photos and identified over 60 species of butterflies in Kentucky, they created a PowerPoint presentation and through their leadership, began to teach others.  Over the past four years, they have taught over 15 classes through groups such as the Extension Master Gardeners, garden clubs, school groups, and Western Kentucky Botanical Garden.  With these programs, they reached over 537 people.  During the early part of the pandemic, one of them loaned butterfly cages and caterpillars to interested families to teach them how to raise monarch butterflies.  As a result of the classes and activities, they reported that at least 5 of their participants are raising monarch butterflies.  In 2021, one of the Extension Master Gardeners released 512 healthy monarch butterflies.  This was a therapeutic process for her while helping nature prosper.    

         These two Extension Master Gardeners have exhibited their photographs in the community and helped the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife create a butterfly coloring book for children.   They were also involved in developing a Monarch Waystation at the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office for the public to view and use as an example.