CRESTVIEW — From identifying snakes — and whether they’re poisonous — to help with a dying lawn, a group of volunteers annually provides residents free garden and yard advice.
“We are not just people who grow flowers,” past president Marge Stewart said. “If you call, you’ll probably talk to a Master Gardener about your lawn problems, your dying palm tree or what kind of bug crawled in your house.”
“We hear from a lot of frustrated gardeners,” University of Florida County Extension Director Larry Williams said. “Many of them have moved here from up north and have been trying techniques that worked back home, but don’t work down here. By the time they call us, they’ve been listening to their neighbors and they’re frustrated.”
Among Master Gardeners' most rewarding service is advising local 4-H programs. The country's largest youth program helps participants enhance their citizenship and leadership skills.
More than half the county’s almost 100 Master Gardeners took time out Feb. 24 for the organization's annual recognition luncheon, which recognized 2014-15 honorees.
Among them were:
6,000 Hours: Marie Harrison
4,000 Hours: Bob Bayer, Margaret Stewart
3,000 Hours: Linda Morris
2,000 Hours: Karen Kirk-Williams
1,000 Hours: Carol Baker, Lee Vanderpool
500 Hours: Ann Foley, Karen Harper, Lee Vanderpool
Call on Me Award: Carol Baker, Vincent Grund, Marilyn Koser, Laurie Mackey, Bob Bayer, Bill Buckellew, Andy Donatelli, Fred Frederick, Dorothy Green, Joe Michetti, Charlie Reuter, David Stever, Margaret Stewart, Carol Strom, Faye Todd and Bob Thomas
Service to 4-H/Youth Award: Carol Baker, Stacey Daigle, Marlin Drake, Joe Jones, Karen Kirk-Williams, Jane McCreary, Stacey Taylor, Faye Todd, Tricia Whitmoyer, Scott Berry, Alene Ogle, Gail Speir, Sandy Licht, Les Chambers, Ed & Lynn Fabian, Linda Kulaw, Lynda Penry, Margaret Stewart, Bob Bayer, Fred Frederick, Pam Garrett, Dick Hickenbotham, Ann Phillips and Lee Vanderpool
2015 Award of Excellence: Ann Foley, Karen Harper, Joe Jones, Lockey Buhrow, Les Chambers, Mary Grace Evors, Alene Ogle, Lee Vanderpool, Stacey Taylor, Sandie Olsen, Margaret Stewart, Shari Farrell, Pam Garrett, Karen Harper, Linda Morris, Amy Jo Rosati, Ed Smith, Ann Phillips, Bob Bayer, Ed & Lynn Fabian, David Stever, Bill Buckellew and Andy Donatellie
2014 Award of Excellence: John Bauer, Jenny Gillis, Lee Vanderpool, Andy Donatelli and Joyce Waters-Smith
Outstanding Service to Youth Award: 2015, Margaret Stewart; 2014, Linda Penry
Outstanding Telephone Communicator: 2015, Faye Todd; 2014, Bob Thomas
Outstanding Educator of the Year: 2015, Bob Bayer; 2014, Margaret Stewart
Master Gardener of the Year: Andy Donatelli; 2014, Lee Vanderpool
Master Gardeners undergo a roughly seven-month training and internship program to earn the title.
Volunteer work at the Gerald Edmundson County Extension Building on Airport Road in Crestview and at the Master Gardeners’ Fort Walton Beach nursery is required.
“Master Gardeners are out in the community, meeting people and spreading the message of Florida-friendly landscaping,” Florida Master Gardeners statewide coordinator Wendy Wilber said.
Public services include:
●Identifying insects, reptiles and other wildlife
●Assisting residents with home horticultural concerns
●Promoting Florida-friendly gardening and landscaping using native species
●Analyzing soil
●Identifying fungi and invasive pests
●Staffing the County Extension telephones and laboratory
●Advising 4-H programs
Contact the University of Florida Okaloosa County Extension, 689-5850, http://okaloosa.ifas.ufl.edu, or visit the Gerald Edmondson Extension Building, 3098 Airport Roard, Crestview, for membership information.
BY THE NUMBERS:
5,000: Number of Florida Master Gardeners who performed 420,000 hours of volunteer community work worth $9.1 million in value last year
$120,000: Estimated value of advice and horticultural services Okaloosa County Master Gardeners freely provided in 2015
123,600: Number of hours Okaloosa County volunteers gave the program over its 20 years — that's worth almost $3 million
Sources: University of Florida Okaloosa County Extension Director Larry Williams, Florida Master Gardeners statewide coordinator Wendy Wilber
Master Gardeners' most frequently answered questions:
●What’s this weed?
●How can I design a Florida-friendly landscape that doesn’t take much water or fertilizer?
●Can you identify this snake?
●Why is my lawn getting big brown patches?
WHAT ARE MASTER GARDENERS?
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa Master Gardeners celebrate 20 years (VIDEO)