Pulaski County Master Gardener Program Volunteer Manual ... · Three types of hours: Work hours,...

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MasterGardenerProgramVolunteerManualJanuary2017

Pulaski County Master Gardeners Volunteer Manual

January 2017

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This edition of the membership Volunteer Manual has been shortened and rearranged to make it more useful as a quick reference tool. Please spend a minute or two looking at the Table of Contents below, and you’ll probably be able to go straight to the topic that you want to know about.

Table of Contents ___________________________________________________________________

Page

A short overview of the program 4

How can my friends become Master Gardeners? 4

All about Pulaski County Master Gardener hours

Three types of hours: Work hours, Community Outreach, and Continuing Ed 4 – 5

Hours required in your first year as a PCMG 5

Hours required after your first year as a PCMG 5

Hours required for Sustainer, Lifetime, and Lifetime Plus members 5

How to report your hours: There are two different ways 5

How to use the Master Gardener Online Reporting System 6 – 7

Why you need to report all your hours 8

Annual dues 8

Monthly meetings: When, where, how to get there, and two important details 8

Information sources

Newsletter 8

Facebook 9

The County Cooperative Extension website 9

The State Cooperative Extension website 9

The “Master Gardeners Only” section of the state website 9

Annual membership directory 9

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Local Activities Page

Social events 9

Travel 9

PCMG involvement in the annual Arkansas Flower & Garden Show 9

Plant sales 10

Statewide Activities

Statewide Arkansas Master Gardener Conference 10

The Arkansas Advanced Master Gardener Program 10

County 76 10

Arkansas Master Gardener international trips 10

Regional and International Conferences 10

PCMG Garden Projects and Standing Committees 10 – 15

Pulaski County Master Gardener Awards

For individual members

Busy Bee awards 15

Length of Service awards 15

Project-related awards

Outstanding Project of the Year Award 15

Friend of Master Gardener Award 15

Changes in PCMG Status

Lifetime Status 16

Lifetime Plus Status 16

Sustainer Status information, p 16; request form, p 19

Leave of Absence information, p 17; request form, p 20

Returning to the PCMG program information, p 17; request form, p 21

Transfers into and out of the PCMG program 18

Can’t find what you’re looking for? 18

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ASHORTOVERVIEWOFTHEPROGRAM

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The statewide Master Gardener program is a part of the University of Arkansas, Division of the Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service. The funding that provides for the County Extension Service’s offices, agents and specialists that make the Master Gardener program possible is public funding, from federal, state and county sources. Arkansas first adopted the Master Gardener program in 1988, in four counties. The program has since expanded to more than 65 of the state’s 75 counties, with more than 3000 volunteer members. It’s also popular elsewhere. The very first Master Gardener program evolved in 1972, in Snohomish County, Washington, and now there are Master Gardener programs in all 50 states and in six provinces in Canada. Beyond the input of the Pulaski County Extension Service, the Pulaski County Master Gardeners organization is run by its volunteers. The board—president, first vice president, second vice president, secretary, treasurer, and board members-at-large—are elected by the membership. The garden project committees maintain direct contact with their project hosts as well as provide work hours. And more than a dozen standing committees take care of everything from lining up speakers for the monthly meetings to planning social events and group travel opportunities.

HOWCANMYFRIENDSBECOMEMASTERGARDENERS?___________________________________________________________________

The best source for information is the Cooperative Extension Service’s state website: www.uaex.edu. Click on Yard & Garden in the red bar across the top, and then click on Master Gardeners in the dropdown menu. A few paragraphs down is a link to the Master Gardener Application Form.

ALLABOUTPULASKICOUNTYMASTERGARDENERHOURS___________________________________________________________________

THETHREETYPESOFHOURS

Work(volunteer)hours

Work hours are earned while participating on a PCMG sanctioned project or a PCMG committee. They can also be earned through Community Outreach, discussed below. A “PCMG sanctioned project” is one that has gone through a specific proposal procedure, been accepted by the Master Gardener membership as one of the group’s official projects, and been approved by the county extension agent. All PCMGs have an assigned project, but they can also earn volunteer hours working on other projects and on committees. With the exception of the Baptist Rehabilitation Institute (BRI) project, discussed on the next page, 1 hour worked = 1 hour earned. All work hours are counted, including planning time and organizational time, except you do not count travel time.

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The BRI exception: A Master Gardener who conducts a BRI program earns 5 working hours. The program team members earn 3 working hours. Additional MGs who volunteer to assist with a particular program earn hours for the actual number of hours worked.

CommunityOutreachhours

These are hours you spend using your Master Gardener training and knowledge to help non-profit organizations with tasks that have a horticultural emphasis. For example, you may provide gardening training or work at your children’s school, your church, your neighborhood association, etc. The online system for reporting your hours, discussed below, has a specific category for Community Outreach hours. ContinuingEducation(learning)hours

Continuing education hours can be earned in many different ways, and time spent is credit earned. For example, if you walk a garden for 1 hour, you earn 1 hour of education credit; if you walk that garden for 3 hours, you earn 3 hours of credit. If you research plants on the internet for 30 minutes, you earn 30 minutes of education credit. If you watch a TV show segment on gardening for 15 minutes, you earn 15 minutes of education credit.

There is one exception to the system: Pulaski County Master Gardener Monthly meetings always count as 2 hours of education.

Here are some of the many other ways to earn education hours. There are no restrictions on how many hours you may earn doing any of these things.

• Attending garden-related seminars, presentations and workshops, such as the ones at the Flower & Garden show, local nurseries, MG events in other counties, garden clubs, etc.

• Research, including magazines, books and TV shows about gardening, the internet, plant and garden supply catalogs, inventories at local nurseries, Janet Carson’s blog

• Preparation of gardening-related presentations and newsletter articles • Tours and visits to public and private gardens, including those offered at conferences • Visiting a Master Gardener Project other than your own • Visiting another Master Gardener’s garden HOURSREQUIREDINYOURFIRSTYEARASAPCMG—New MGs must provide at least 40 work hours and obtain at least 20 education hours in their first year. Regarding the work hours, at least 20 must be served on the Master Gardener’s assigned sanctioned project. The remaining 20 hours may be served, in any combination, in any of the following areas: the same assigned project, another sanctioned project, a committee, or Community Outreach.

HOURSREQUIREDAFTERYOURFIRSTYEARASAPCMG—To remain members in good standing, MGs must provide at least 20 work hours and obtain 20 education hours per year. Regarding the work hours, at least 10 must be served on the Master Gardener’s assigned sanctioned project. The remaining 10 hours may be served, in any combination, in any of the following areas: the same assigned project, another sanctioned project, a committee, or Community Outreach.

HOURSREQUIREDFORSUSTAINER,LIFETIMEANDLIFETIMEPLUSMEMBERS—Please see page 16 for this information. Sustainer, Lifetime and Lifetime Plus status all involve additional considerations beyond annual hours requirements. HOWTOREPORTYOURHOURS:Therearetwodifferentways— The preferred way is to use the Master Gardener Online Reporting System. See pages 6-7 to learn how. The alternative is to use the paper form, The Pulaski County Master Gardener Time Record. This form can be requested from the county extension office.


TIPS FOR USING THE MASTER GARDENER ONLINE REPORTING SYSTEM

(Revised September 2016) This tip sheet will help you log into the online reporting system for the Pulaski County Master Gardeners to enter volunteer and education hours. To Access the Online Reporting System and Log In 1. Go to the website for online reporting, www.uaex.edu. 2. On the red bar put your cursor over Yard and Garden. A drop down menu will display. 3. Select Master Gardener Program. 4. Scroll down the center of the page. Under “Are You a Master Gardner?”, click on Enter Volunteer Hours Here. This will take you to the login page. (Do NOT try to access this from the MG Only section on the left side of the screen! It won’t work!) 5. Enter your User Name. This will be your last name followed by the first two or three letters of your first name (not first and middle initials; not your email address). Example: Randy Forst’s User Name is Forstra. Members whose last name is fairly common and first name begins with common letters like Ma—Mary, Mark, Margaret, etc., will usually use their last name plus the first three letters of their first name to avoid duplicates. User names are not case sensitive. If you have a problem determining your user name, contact one of those listed on the back of this sheet to get your pre-assigned user name. 6. Everyone’s password is Pulaski. Be sure to capitalize Pulaski. The first time you log in you will be asked to enter the password and confirm it on the log-in screen. (Note: There is no sensitive information in this database that is not already public. However, if you want to use a different password, contact one of the administrators listed on the back of this sheet. The “Change Password” option that displays on the screen does not work.) 7. After you have confirmed the password the first time, you must log off and re-enter the system to enter your hours. Subsequently you will only be asked to enter your user name and password once. To Enter Hours 1. On the right side of the screen under “Report Hours” click on “Enter Hours”. (The system is slow. Be patient!) Your Master Gardener Timesheet will open. Each entry includes Date, Project (education, project or community outreach), Hours (hours and minutes are separate items in different boxes), Miles (optional) and Action (update or remove). 2. Under “Date” click on the picture of the calendar. If necessary, use the left arrow to display a previous month. Once the correct month is displayed, click on the day.

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3. Under “Project”, click on the arrow to open a drop down menu. Scroll down to find the project, committee, or type of education you want to record. 4. Under “Hours” there are two boxes. Click in the first (or upper) box and type in the number of hours you want to record. To add minutes, click on the arrow in the second box to select 15, 30 or 45 minutes from the dropdown menu. 5. If you wish to track volunteer miles for tax purposes, enter miles traveled in the box under “Miles”. This if for your use only and is optional. 6. Under “Action”, click UPDATE. **Do this on each line of entry or your hours will not be saved!** 7. If you make a mistake, you must “Remove” the entire line item using the green button on the far right of the screen. It is not possible to edit an entry. Other features of the system Summaries of Hours Below the line item section is a Project Summary for the current year. The project, education and community service hours are totaled for each type. At the bottom are Totals by broad category—Education, Sanctioned Volunteer Time, Non-Sanctioned Volunteer Time--for the current year and previous years. Member Directory This contains two lists, one of active members and one of inactive members, with status and phone numbers. A better source for this information is in the printed Membership Directory produced annually. Browser information Use Internet Explorer or Google Chrome as the browser. The system does not work with Mozilla Firefox. Help There is a HELP button on the top right corner of each page. You will find tips there for how to use that particular page. This is true for all pages except the Home page. If you have questions or need additional help logging on, entering your hours or deciding the proper category for your hours, you may contact:

Mary Helen Henry Marylea Gazette 773-6015 666-6325/413-0641

Please contact Mary Helen or Marylea before calling the Extension office.


WHYYOUNEEDTOREPORTALLYOURHOURS—There’s a good chance that in some years your involvement in Master Gardener activities will exceed the hour requirements. It’s important to continue to report your hours even after you’ve met the minimums. Here’s why: The Master Gardener program is accountable to federal, state and county funders. The volunteer hours, community outreach hours and continuing education hours are reported to document the impact of the Master Gardener Program. These figures are crucial to justify programs and procure funding on many levels. The more hours we collectively serve, the more value we provide to the community. But when hours are not reported, our organization’s value cannot be fully recognized.

PCMGANNUALDUES

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All PCMG members are required to pay dues, except those who have achieved Lifetime Status. The PCMG board recommends the amount to the general membership for approval. As of January 2015, annual dues are $20 if paid by May 1, and $30 if paid after May 1. New members are not required to pay dues for the year in which they receive training; their obligation begins in January of the following year.

PCMGMONTHLYMEETINGSWhen,where,howtogetthere,andtwoimportantdetails

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When—11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 3rd Tuesday of the month, except July, August and December.Where—St. James United Methodist Church, 321 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, 72212

Drivingdirections—From I-430 (north or south): Take Exit 9 onto Cantrell Road heading east (downtown). It’s a very short distance until you turn right onto Pleasant Valley Drive (there is no stoplight). St. James is approximately half a mile ahead, on your left. There are several ways to get into the church’s parking lots, but the easiest is to make the left turn when you reach the sign for Fulbright Elementary School, which is on your right.Onceyou’rethere—St. James has multiple parking lots and a series of connected buildings. The meetings are held in the Worship Center Hall, which is accessed through the Kirkpatrick Welcome Center. If you are looking at the church from Pleasant Valley Drive, this is the part of the complex that’s the farthest south.

Importantdetail#1—When you come to a meeting, you need to sign in. The sign-in desk is directly outside the Worship Center on the right side of the door.

Importantdetail#2—In addition to signing in at the meeting, you need to report your attendance using the Online Reporting System or the paper reporting system.

PCMGINFORMATIONSOURCES___________________________________________________________________ NewsletterThe Pulaski County Master Gardeners online newsletter includes program info, upcoming events,


gardening news and ideas, and educational information. Facebook:www.facebook.com/PCMasterGardeners

Facebook provides a way to keep up with PCMG activities and view pictures of various gardening events. ThecountyCooperativeExtensionServicewebsite: www.uaex.edu/counties/pulaski

This website provides general information about the Pulaski County Cooperative Extension Service. Click on Yard & Garden in the red bar across the top, and then click on Master Gardeners, or another topic that interests you, in the dropdown menu. In most cases, you will be taken to the statewide U of A Cooperative Extension Service website, described below.

ThestateCooperativeExtensionServicewebsite: www.uaex.edu

To get to the Master Gardener section, click on Yard & Garden in the red bar across the top, and then click on Master Gardeners, the first item on the dropdown menu. You will see a list of topics you can click on in the column on the left.

One of the items in that list is the Master Gardeners Only section. This is where you’ll find program-specific information, including upcoming MG conferences, the Advanced Master Gardener Program, and county MG contacts. To get into the MG Only Section, first click on it, then follow the prompts to enter the user ID, mgonly, and the password, Compost2. Both the user ID and the password are case sensitive.

A lot of useful information is available via Yard & Garden in the red bar across the top. The next time you click on it and the dropdown menu appears, have a look at all the entries on the list. The Resource Library, for example, provides access to the extension service’s databases, with photos and information for plant ID, plant disease ID, weed ID, and more. AnnualMembershipDirectory

The directory includes photos and contact information for the current PCMG membership. It also has contact information for the county extension agent, the chairpersons of all the projects and standing committees, and the board.

MASTERGARDENERACTIVITIESThere’smoretobeingaMasterGardenerthanmeetings,projectsandcommittees

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Socialevents—The Pulaski County Master Gardeners have a holiday party in December and other social events throughout the year. Check the online newsletter for information about upcoming events.

Travel—PCMG sponsors periodic tours of local private and public gardens and nurseries, and trips (some overnight) to more distant garden areas of interest.PCMGinvolvementintheannualArkansasFlower&GardenShow—PCMG volunteers provide many of the services needed to run the show, which is held the last weekend in February and attracts visitors from


all over the state. PCMGs who volunteer at the show can earn work hours at the rate of one hour earned for each hour of service. However, the Flower & Garden Show is not a PCMG-sanctioned project, so volunteers must also provide the required number of work hours on their assigned PCMG project.Plantsales—The PCMGs normally have five plant sales a year that are open to the public. The Little Rock Greenhouse has two spring and two fall sales, and the Pathfinder Greenhouse in Jacksonville has a spring sale. Additional fundraisers may be organized as needed.STATEWIDE

StatewideArkansasMasterGardenerConference—This conference is held every year, at varying locations around the state. It’s a two-day event, hosted by the local Master Gardener group, that offers an opportunity to participate in workshops and seminars, tour local private and public gardens, and visit with other Master Gardeners.Information can be found in the MG Only section of the state cooperative extension service website. To find your way there, see page 9.

TheArkansasAdvancedMasterGardenerProgram—Advanced Master Gardener training is offered by different Master Gardener groups around the state. To be eligible, you must be an active MG in good standing in your county program, and you must have been a Master Gardener for three calendar years or more. For more information, see the “Advanced MG Program” entry in the MG Only section of the state cooperative extension service website. To find your way there, see page 9.County76—“County 76” is the statewide advisory group. Programs offered statewide, such as the Advanced Master Gardener Program, are among the County 76 activities. County 76 members also help set policy and provide guidance to county programs. For more information, please see the “County 76” entry in the MG Only section of the state cooperative extension service website, which is on page 9. ArkansasMasterGardenerinternationalstudytrips—In 2015, the group went to France; the 2016 trip to the gardens of Wales and Cornwall filled up more than a year in advance, and the 2017 Viet Nam river cruise and trip to Italy are both fully booked as of this writing. These trips are popular! A Rhine River cruise is planned for August 2018. Keep up with the plans in the MG Only section of the state cooperative extension service website. To find your way there, see page 9. REGIONALANDINTERNATIONALCONFERENCES

The US is divided into regions that hold Master Gardener conferences on a biennial basis. Arkansas is part of the southern region. The Master Gardener International organization hosts a North American continent conference every other year; in 2007, the Pulaski County Master Gardeners hosted that conference in Little Rock. Keep up with the conferences in the MG Only section of the state cooperative extension service website. To find your way there, see page 9.

Whichonesinterestyou?

MASTERGARDENERPROJECTCOMMITTEES&STANDINGCOMMITTEES___________________________________________________________________

There are three types of PCMG committees: project, standing and ad hoc committees. Project committees manage ongoing PCMG-sanctioned gardening projects. Standing committees are other permanent committees necessary for the benefit of PCMG members. Ad hoc committees include the nominating, budget and audit, and fundraising committees.


Members receive one hour of credit for each hour of work on all three committee types (with the exception of the Baptist Rehabilitation Institute project, as discussed on page 5).

Every PCMG must be assigned to one specified project. Members may also serve on additional projects and standing committees, if they choose, but must be sure they’ll have the time needed for all their commitments.

Brief descriptions of the project committees and the standing committees are given below. GARDENPROJECTS

There are currently 32 PCMG garden projects, offering members a wide range of choices. The year shown in parentheses is the year the project began. The workdays are noted at the end of most project descriptions so you can see if the project might fit your schedule. The Garden Project Chairs (listed in the PCMG Member Directory) will be happy to provide more details about the time and frequency of their projects’ workdays. AmySandersLibrary – 31ShelbyRd.,SherwoodThis group plants and maintains perennial beds on the librarygrounds. (2004) Workdays: Fridays. Argenta –Cornerof4thandMainSt.,NorthLittleRock This group maintains plantings on four corners of Main St. and 4th St. as a partner with the Argenta streetscape project. (2008) Workdays: 2nd and 4th Thursdays. ArkansasArtsCenter – 501E9thSt.,LittleRock PCMGs design, plant and care for the beds and containers in the courtyard. Duties include planting, weeding, and watering. (1996) Workdays: Mondays. BRI:BaptistRehabilitationInstituteHorticultureTherapy – 9501BaptistHealthDr.,LittleRockA horticulture therapy program is conducted on two Saturdays each month for patients. The hands-on activities are particularly beneficial to stroke patients. (1992) Workdays: Saturdays. CammackFruitDemonstration – 2404NUniversityAve.,LittleRock A small-fruit demonstration garden near the University of Arkansas System President’s house, in Cammack Village. It contains strawberries, blueberries, and grapes appropriate for a Central Arkansas home garden, with colorful annuals and perennials edging the plot. (1998) Workdays: Tuesdays and Thursdays. ContemplationGarden – 601E9thSt,inMacArthurPark,outsidethesouthentrancetotheArkansasArtsCenter,LittleRock This memorial garden, dedicated to victims of violent crime, surrounds a small pond in the park. Trees, shrubs, and Louisiana iris provide the structure for the full-sun garden, with seasonal color added by PCMGs, in cooperation with the Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department. (1991) Workdays: Saturdays. CountyExtensionOffice –2901W.RooseveltRd.,LittleRockThe re-landscaped grounds of the office building include several perennial beds, foundation plantings, seasonal color beds, an herb garden, and varieties of turf grasses. Workdays: 3rd Wednesdays and 4th Thursdays. CourthouseRoseGarden–401WestMarkham,LittleRock The MGs on this project maintain the two semi-circular rose gardens and the plantings that surround the flagpole, with assistance from county employees. Because of its location at the corner of Markham and Broadway, this project has exceptionally high visibility. (2016) Workdays: Once a month.


CurranHall –615E.CapitolAve.,LittleRockThis 1843 Greek Revival house has been restored as the Little Rock Visitor Information Center. Both the landscape design and plants reflect that historic period in Arkansas while allowing for its current public use. (2002) Workdays: Mondays and Saturdays. Fairgrounds–2600HowardSt.,LittleRockMaster Gardeners maintain beds and provide creative beauty to the entrance, which is seen by more than 400,000 people from all over the state each year. There are eight flower beds, each one 8-feet square. (2015) Workdays: Tentatively, in-season Saturday mornings. FamilyHomeSerenityGarden–4300W.MarkhamSt.,LittleRock The Serenity Garden, on the west side, provides a spot of beauty and calm for patients and parents of those at UAMS and AR Children’s Hospital who must stay for many months at a time. Hundreds of guests come through each year. Nine support groups meet each month. (2015) Workdays: Thursdays. Governor’sMansionVegetableGarden–1800CenterSt.,LittleRockThe chefs at the Governor’s Mansion use fresh seasonal vegetables from the garden planned, planted and maintained by PCMGs. Weekly workdays are needed to maintain the vegetables. Workdays: Wednesdays. Greenhouse(inLittleRock)–7thandPalmSt.In the greenhouse on the State Hospital grounds, PCMGs raise hundreds of flats of flowers and herbs for seasonal planting in our project gardens and for sales to the public in the spring and the fall. The group sometimes needs additional help, which gives MGs on other projects a chance to earn extra working hours and to learn about greenhouse operations. (1991) Workdays: Assigned various days, as needed, and special workdays. HaysSeniorCenter,inNorthLittleRock –401WPershingBlvd.Master Gardeners maintain the beds at the entrance of the center and add seasonal color. The group encourages patrons of the center to help, and also encourages them to consider becoming Master Gardeners themselves. (2004) Workdays: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays. HeiferInternational–1WorldAve.,LittleRockDemonstration educational vegetable garden on the east side of the building, with 4 small beds maintained by the Master Gardeners. Any harvest from the garden goes to the chefs in the café at Heifer International. (2015) Workdays: Wednesdays.HistoricArkansasMuseum(“HAM”) –200E.3rdSt.,LittleRock This Master Gardener project mirrors the mission statement of the museum itself. The plantings illustrate and demonstrate the gardens and vegetables planted by settlers of Arkansas in the mid-nineteenth century. Heritage seeds are carefully researched, planted and cultivated using the methods of that period. (2003) Workdays: Mondays. HorticultureHotline–2901W.RooseveltRd.,LittleRockThis committee organizes and trains PCMG members for telephone service at the county extension office, where they answer phone calls from the public with gardening-related questions. The training includes learning how to use the state extension website to gather the information to answer specific questions. (1998) Workdays: You choose the day and time.JacksonvilleCityHall –1MunicipalDr.,Jacksonville These MGs plant and maintain the beds around the City Hall, assisting staff from the city’s landscaping department. (1993) Workdays: 3rd Saturday.

MaumelleCommunityCenter –1100EdgewoodDr.,Maumelle This committee adds and maintains plants that add interest and seasonal color in the beds at the entrance and in front of the center. (2006) Workdays: 2nd and 4th Mondays.


MountHollyCemetery –1200S.Broadway,LittleRock Project members care for the climbing roses on the iron fence surrounding the cemetery, and add seasonal annuals in the Victorian Garden. Mount Holly Cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places and is visited by thousands of people every year. (1994) Workdays: Every other Thursday.

OldMill –1808MillCreekRd.,NorthLittleRock A favorite spot for locals and tourists, the Old Mill is a large park surrounding unique historic architecture. Cooperating with North Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department, committee members tend beds with shrubs and flowers, in sun and shade, on hillsides and in boggy lakeside areas. (1991) Workdays: Tuesdays. OldStateHouse –300W.Markham,LittleRock In front of the 1836 museum, Master Gardeners clip boxwood hedges, plant seasonal color around the historic iron fountain, and maintain the New Dawn roses on the rear iron fence. Some labor assistance is provided by prisoners supervised by OSH staff. (1990) Workdays: Divided by weeks. ParkHillWaterWorks –3427N.MagnoliaSt.,NorthLittleRock A variety of annual and perennial beds, along with an herb garden, have been redeveloped around the Art Deco building, which houses the North Little Rock History Commission. (1999) Workdays: Mondays, and as needed. PathfinderGreenhouse –2520W.MainSt.,Jacksonville Like the Little Rock greenhouse, the Pathfinder Greenhouse grows plants for Master Gardener projects and has sales open to the public. (2007) Workdays: Thursdays, as of January 2016.

PinnacleMountainStatePark–VisitorCenter,11901PinnacleValleyRd.,LittleRock PCMGs designed and maintain four garden areas at this rural park: the Hummingbird and Butterfly Demonstration Gardens at the Visitor Center, the Wildflower Meadow, and beds at the entrance gate. Only native Arkansas plants are used. (1990) Workdays: 2nd and 3rd Thursdays. RiverMarketClinic –EastMarkhamSt.,LittleRock Two Saturdays a month, Master Gardeners staff a clinic at the Farmers Market, accepting soil samples, giving timely gardening tips and answering landscape/garden questions for the general public. Little physical activity is involved, but enthusiasm for talking about gardening is essential. (1997) Workdays: Saturdays. ScholarsGarden –1200PresidentClintonAve.,LittleRock Project members tend seasonal color beds in a modern landscape design suited to the architecture of the Clinton Presidential Library. Plants are both annuals and perennials. A primary goal is to maintain color and interest year ‘round. (2006) Workdays: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. StateExtensionOffice –2301S.University,LittleRock Project members maintain two small beds at the entrance to the State Extension Office on South University in Little Rock. There are two plantings a year, in the spring and the fall, and maintenance (mostly weeding). Workdays: Called as needed. StateHospital –305S.PalmSt.,LittleRock A butterfly garden, an arbor, stone walks and benches enhance the area in front of the Administration Building. In exchange, Master Gardeners use the greenhouse on the hospital grounds. (1992) Workdays: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. WarMemorialGarden –FairPark&MarkhamSt.,LittleRock The entrance to War Memorial Park is enhanced by seasonal color, planted and maintained by PCMGs in cooperation with the Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department. (1994) Workdays: Called as needed.


WildwoodAsianWoodlandGarden–20919DennyRd.,LittleRockThis specialty garden, one of several at Wildwood Park, is about an acre in size and was created from what used to be a wasteland along a trashy stream. The concept is a place of tranquility and peace created by a blend of rocks and specialty plants in a native Ouachita woodland setting. Master Gardeners have built a series of connecting boardwalks to link a Tea House with a waterfall and its dry Zen lake. The garden contains ferns, bamboo, camellias, azaleas and Japanese maples, with a cherry orchard at the northern end. A demonstration wetland is next to a collection of Japanese Mountain Hydrangeas. (2008) Workdays: Tuesdays and Saturdays.WittStephensNatureCenter–602PresidentClintonAve.,LittleRockThe Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center Butterfly Garden was created to show how Arkansas native plants can be used in an urban setting to create an attractive garden that nurtures butterflies and hummingbirds. The project members develop expertise in selecting and cultivating native plants, most of which are widely available in the central Arkansas area. Members share their knowledge with the public to help Arkansas residents successfully incorporate Arkansas native plants into their home gardens. Workdays: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays. STANDINGCOMMITTEESContinuingEducationCommittee—This committee plans and conducts programs to expand PCMGs’ knowledge. Training may take the form of classes, workshops, tours, or other events. The costs are covered by registration fees. These programs may or may not qualify as Advanced Master Gardener training.

DirectoryCommittee—The Directory Committee gathers information for the membership directory that is usually published once a year.

Facebook&PhotographyCommittee—This committee maintains the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/PCMasterGardeners, which is a source of information about the program and includes many photos. The committee takes pictures of members, project gardens, activities, social events and meetings. In addition to the Facebook page, photographs are included in the PCMG membership directory, used in reports, project activities and grant applications, and posted for viewing by the general membership.

MeetingWelcomeCommittee—The Meeting Welcome Committee sets up and manages the sign-in area for monthly membership meetings.Newsletter– The PCMG online newsletter provides the membership with organizational news, announcements of upcoming events, and a variety of educational information.

ProgramCommittee—TheProgram Committee organizes the expert speakers for the eight PCMG general meetings throughout the year. Committee members determine the topic for each meeting, secure a speaker, arrange for the speaker’s needs, and introduce and thank the speaker at the meeting. A board member at large chairs the committee. RecordkeepingCommittee—The Recordkeeping Committee posts work and education hours submitted by members into the PCMG data base and prints reports as needed. Recruitment/PromotionCommittee—This committee promotes awareness of the Master Gardener program in the community, with the goal of getting new people to become Master Gardeners. One example of their work is 2013’s “Bring a Friend to Your Project” campaign. RetentionCommittee—The Retention Committee contacts PCMG members who seem to be at risk of dropping out, and it provides assistance that may help them to remain active members. The committee submits an annual report to the board summarizing activities and information received.


SocialCommittee—The Social Committee organizes activities to encourage friendliness, fun, and retention of members in our large organization. These include the December holiday party, luncheons, picnics and an ice cream social. The committee also provides refreshments at other PCMG functions. "Stuff”Committee—The Master Gardener “Stuff” Committee finds items than can be customized with the PCMG logo to sell to the membership to increase the identification and visibility of our members and enhance enthusiasm for the PCMG program. Typical items include shirts, aprons and hats. Orders from the members are usually taken quarterly. Pricing includes cost plus $1.00 per item. SunshineCommittee—This committee sends cards to PCMGs or their families during times of hardship. TrainingCommittee—This committee helps the county agent organize and operate the annual training programs for new MGs. There are co-chairs and sub-chairs with designated responsibilities.The committee also recruits and trains members to serve as mentors for trainees. TravelCommittee—The Travel Committee plans trips that will interest the PCMG membership and will accommodate a variety of schedules and price ranges. Trips encourage friendships in our large organization and provide additional learning opportunities.

PULASKICOUNTYMASTERGARDENERAWARDS___________________________________________________________________ FORINDIVIDUALMASTERGARDENERS

BusyBeeAwards—A PCMG who spends 40 volunteer hours or more on his or her assigned work project in the course of a year will receive a “Busy Bee Award” at the PCMG meeting the following February. The award itself is a small fuzzy bee decal to add to your PCMG nametag and wear with pride.LengthofServiceAwards—Pins are awarded for 5, 10, 15 (Lifetime), 20 (Azalea), 25 (Rose) and 30 (Orchid) years of active service in the PCMG program.

PROJECT-RELATEDAWARDS

OutstandingProjectoftheYearAward—A form with a “call for nominations” for the Pulaski County Master Gardener Outstanding Project of the Year Award will be emailed to all PCMGs in September. The nominations are normally presented to the membership at the November meeting, and the winner is determined by membership vote. It is important to make sure that the project chair agrees to the nomination in advance, because members of the winning project will be required to assemble information and complete a document in order to submit their project to the statewide Outstanding Project of the Year competition.

FriendofMasterGardenersAward—This award was created to recognize and thank a person, business or organization that is not affiliated with the PCMG program or the Extension Service but has provided some form of outstanding support to the program. A form with a “call for nominations” for the Pulaski County Friend of Master Gardeners Award is emailed to all PCMGs in September. Nominations are normally presented to the membership at the November meeting, and the winner is determined by membership vote. The MG whose nominee is chosen must agree to next complete a final nomination document to submit to the statewide Friend of Master Gardeners Award competition.


CHANGESINSTATUS:

LifetimeStatus,LifetimePlusStatus,SustainerStatus,andLeaveofAbsence_______________________________________________________________________________ LIFETIMESTATUS

Master Gardeners who have remained active for 15 years will be recognized and granted Lifetime Status at the annual statewide MG meeting. Master Gardener years accrue by the calendar; for example, if an MG trained at any time in 2000, he or she would be eligible for Lifetime Status in 2015. Lifetime membership entitles a PCMG to all of the benefits of an active member, but work and education hours are no longer required, and dues will be waived. Lifetime members who wish to continue working on projects are encouraged to do so. Lifetime members are also encouraged to report their hours, since county record keeping includes all volunteer hours. Furthermore, hours/years of service can continue to accrue to Lifetime Plus Status, as discussed below. LIFETIMEPLUSSTATUS

To continue to accrue years of service in the program and to participate in all active MG events, you must accrue and report a minimum of 10 hours of project work per year, for 5 years per level. There are three levels of Lifetime Plus status: The Azalea Level, given at 20 years of service, the Rose Level, given at 25 years of service, and the Orchid Level, given at 30 years of service. SUSTAINERSTATUS

A Master Gardener who has been a member in good standing for a minimum of seven years may apply to be a Master Gardener Sustainer. Sustainers do not have to meet any work or education hour requirements. However, they may continue to be active on projects or committees if they so choose. Sustainers who do serve hours are strongly encouraged to report them. Sustainers are still required to pay annual dues. A Sustainer may not hold office or have any voting rights. Time spent as a Sustainer will not count towards the 10- and 15-year pins, towards Lifetime Membership status, or towards Advanced Master Gardener status. Sustainers may attend county, regional and state MG events, but programs with limited registrations will give priority to active members. Sustainers who attend Master Gardener events will be required to pay the same registration costs, materials fees, etc., as active MGs. If you meet the requirements for Sustainer status, you will remain a Sustainer of the PCMG program until you choose to revert back to active status or until you choose to no longer pay dues. Requests to either apply for Sustainer Status or to return to active status must be submitted within a month of the end of the year. The Request for Sustainer Status form is on page 19.

Please mail the completed form to County Agent, Pulaski County Cooperative Extension Service, 2901 W. Roosevelt Rd., Little Rock, AR 72204


LEAVEOFABSENCE

Occasionally, a Master Gardener in good standing may need to apply for a leave of absence because of illness, a family emergency, or other unique circumstances. A Leave of Absence form should be submitted to the county extension office for review by the county agent and/or the MG executive committee. If the Master Gardener is unable to fill out the Leave of Absence request personally, someone who is aware of the circumstances may complete the form on his or her behalf.

Leave of absence status will be good for one MG year, and will be reviewed annually.

Master Gardeners on a leave of absence must still pay annual dues.

Please note that there are many Master Gardeners who work and complete their Master Gardener commitment. Normal work circumstances do not constitute a valid reason for a leave of absence.

While on leave, the Master Gardener will not be responsible for any work or learning hours, but may retain the option to participate in events as conditions permit. Master Gardeners on leave of absence will not be allowed voting rights, but will remain in the county roster. If these members wish to register for Master Gardener events that have limited space, priority will be given to active Master Gardeners, and those on leave will be accepted as space allows.

Time spent on leave of absence will not accrue towards active years of MG service, and therefore will not count for 5, 10, or 15 year pins.

The Request for Leave of Absence form is on page 20.

Please mail the completed form to County Agent, Pulaski County Cooperative Extension Service, 2901 W. Roosevelt Rd., Little Rock, AR 72204.

RETURNINGTOTHEMASTERGARDENERPROGRAM___________________________________________________________________

If a former Pulaski County Master Gardener wants to rejoin the county program, he or she should fill out the Request to Return to the Master Gardener Program. Special consideration will be given to the level of participation in the program prior to absence, the reasons for leaving, and the reasons for desiring to return.

Former members will be granted re-instatement only one time. Time spent out of the program will not accrue towards active years of MG service.

When the MG executive board and the county agent approve a Request to Return, the applicant shall complete the following within the calendar year to be considered a member in good standing:

1. Pay dues for the current year.

2. Complete both working hours and education hours on a pro-rated basis, depending on the date of re-instatement. In all subsequent years, the reinstated MG will fulfill requirements as a regular MG member. The prorated hours required for the year of reinstatement are as follows:

1st quarter (Jan – Mar) – 20/20 (work/education hours) 2nd quarter (Apr– Jun) – 15/15 (work/education hours) 3rd quarter (Jul – Sep) – 10/10 (work/education hours) 4th quarter (Oct – Dec) – 5/5 (work/education hours)

If possible, and if space is available, the reentering Master Gardener should attend at least one day of the


training course for new Master Gardeners during the next available training cycle. The Request for Returning to the Master Gardener Program form is on page 21.

Please mail the completed form to County Agent, Pulaski County Cooperative Extension Service, 2901 W. Roosevelt Rd., Little Rock, AR 72204.

TRANSFERS_________________________________________________________________

TRANSFERSINTOPULASKICOUNTY

TransfersfromMasterGardenerprogramsinotherstates—These Master Gardeners may begin participation immediately in the PCMG program, but they must take the training classes for new PCMGs as soon as they are available.

TransfersfromMasterGardenerprogramswithinArkansas— These Master Gardeners can request a transfer and become active in the PCMG program immediately. TRANSFERSOUTOFPULASKICOUNTY

Whether you move to another county within Arkansas or move out of state, if you are interested in becoming an active MG in your new hometown, contact that County Extension Office to find out their criteria for accepting transfers. If they need verification that you have been an active Master Gardener in Pulaski County, ask them to contact the Pulaski County Extension Agent.

STILLHAVEN’TFOUNDWHATYOU’RELOOKINGFOR?___________________________________________________________________

If you can’t find the information you need in this manual, ask one of the PCMG officers or board members-at-large to help you. Their names, phone numbers and email addresses can be found in the current PCMG Membership Directory.

This is a partial list of topics that are not covered here but for which information is readily available:

§ The national and international Master Gardener organization § Pulaski County Master Gardeners Bylaws § The Pulaski County Master Gardener Board: Duties of officers and board members § Guidelines for PCMG projects & the PCMG Project Proposal form § Partnerships with project host organizations § Additional forms of fundraising § Donations § The Memorial Fund § Grant applications § Relationship of the PCMG program, U of A, Extension Service, and Pulaski County


REQUESTFORSUSTAINERSTATUS _____ I wish to request MG Sustainer Status.

Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________ Email: __________________________________ I understand that as an MG with Sustainer Status,

_____ I will be unable to hold office.

_____ I will not have voting rights.

_____ My time as a Sustainer will not count towards 10- or 15-yr pins, or Lifetime Membership.

_____ My time spent as a Sustainer will not count towards Advanced Master Gardener Status. _____ Active Master Gardeners will receive priority for limited space MG events, and I will be allowed to participate only if space is available. _____ I am responsible for paying annual Master Gardener dues each year.

I have been member in good standing for at least 7 years, and this includes payment of dues. Applicant’s Signature: _________________________________________________________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Date: ________________

Confirmation of 7 years of Active Status by County Agent: _____________________________________ (Signature) Dues Paid: ____ By: __________________________________________________________________ (Treasurer) Approved: ____ By: ________________________________________ Date: ________________ (President) Denied: ____ Reason: ______________________________________________________________

PCMGVM,Rev01/2017,formunchangedfrom2013,p19

REQUESTFORLEAVEOFABSENCE

__________ Date received in county office _________ Volunteer hours for current year. Name: __________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________ Phone number: ________________________________ email: ___________________ Reason for request: ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Signature: __________________________________________ Date: _______________ Dues: ________ Yes, I have paid my dues. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dues Paid: _____ Yes _____ No ___________________________________ (Treasurer) Approved: _______ By: _____________________________ Date: ________________ (President) Denied: ______ Reason: __________________________________________________


REQUESTFORRETURNINGTOTHEMASTERGARDENERPROGRAM ________Date received in county office Name ______________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________

Telephone ________________________ E-mail ___________________________

Year you took Master Gardener Training _____ County _____________________

Did you leave the Master Gardener program as a “member in good standing”? (Dues paid, volunteer work and continuing education hours fulfilled)

____________ Yes ____________ No Projects and Committees worked on while active; also state meetings etc. attended: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ When and why did you leave the Master Gardener program? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why do you want to re-enter the Master Gardener program? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Signature _______________________________ Date ___________________________

Approved _________ By __________________________________ Date ____________ Denied ___________ Reason _______________________________Date_____________ _________________________________ __________________________________ Master Gardener President County Extension Agent


Pulaski County Master Gardener Program Volunteer Manual ... · Three types of hours: Work hours,...

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Transcript of Pulaski County Master Gardener Program Volunteer Manual ... · Three types of hours: Work hours,...