LaPorte Master Gardener Jan Koss (left) accepts the SFE award from Rosie Lerner, Purdue Consumer Horticulture Specialist.
The LaPorte County Master Gardener Association was announced as the winner of the 2010 Search for Excellence Award – Educational Service category at the Purdue Master Gardener State Conference in West Lafayette on Friday, June 18, 2010. The award was given for the group’s work partnering with Habitat for Humanity to provide workshops entitled, “It’s My First Yard – What Do I Do?”
In accepting the award, Jan Koss said: “While helping Habitat partner families establish yards at their new homes, we realized that they needed help with the basics of lawn care and gardening. And who better to teach them than Master Gardeners, who have been trained to ‘Help Others Grow!’”
The Purdue Search for Excellence (SFE) Award is given in recognition of Master Gardener volunteer work. This award recognizes outstanding group projects rather than outstanding individuals. Other state winners were Hoosier Hillsides-Orange, Lawrence & Crawford Counties (youth program), Sunnyside-Floyd County (demonstration garden), and Morgan County (special needs audience).
LaPorte Master Gardeners have hosted “My First Yard” workshop since 2007 and have taught more than 150 students during these workshops. While the focus has been on helping Habitat partner families, the workshops are open to the public, and community support has been very good. Participants paid a nominal registration fee, but were “rewarded” with expert information from Master Gardeners and they take home a comprehensive reference manual compiled into notebooks donated by LaPorte Savings Bank. They also enjoy a “working lunch” with sandwiches donated by Quiznos of Michigan City. Some participants went home equipped with garden tools donated by other community businesses including LaPorte Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Jeep.
A fall “My First Yard” workshop is planned for Saturday, Sept. 11, at the LaPorte County Public Library.
The LaPorte County Master Gardener Association is one of the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service programs and helps fulfill the state motto of “Helping Others Grow” by training volunteers to promote good gardening and horticultural practices. The association accomplishes this through its volunteers conducting educational activities and projects in the community throughout the year. For more information about the Master Gardener Program or about becoming a Master Gardener, please contact the LaPorte County Extension office at 219-324-9407 or visit www.extension.purdue.edu/LaPorte and link to “Master Gardeners” or www.hort.purdue.edu/mg/.
The LaPorte County Master Gardener contingent at the state conference: (from left) Gene Matzat, Nancy Jahnel-Barnes, Myrna Harder, Jan Koss, Joyce Collins, Sharon Cholewa.
