Recognizing the Master Gardener Volunteers

I would like to take a moment to recognize the Master Gardener Volunteers who work so hard to help me answer the gardening questions that we receive in Onslow County.  These volunteers support a variety of projects including manning the Plant Clinic and Ask-A-Master Gardener booths at community events, providing educational classes to the public, and working to plant and grow the Discovery Gardens of Onslow. 

In 2014, the Onslow County Master Gardener Volunteers provided over 5577 hours of service to our community.  This brings the program to a lifetime total of 41525 hours donated to Onslow County over the last twenty years.  This group contains many wonderful volunteers and each year I struggle to select one outstanding member to recognize as Master Gardener Volunteer of the Year.  This year, I want to recognize Tom Nicoll as Master Gardener Volunteer of the Year and give a special mention to his dedicated committee – the Discovery Garden Workday Crew.   

Tom Nicoll has been an active Master Gardener Volunteer for many years taking on a variety of leadership and support roles.  He has served in many capacities from President to volunteer coordinator, from supporting and mentoring new volunteers to organizing workdays in the Discovery Gardens.  Tom is always willing to step in and help whether he is applying his logistical mind to a project or process, helping clients and volunteers, or helping me wrangle all of the “to-do” lists of the organization.  Tom has volunteered 657 hours this year alone and 2154 hours over his years with the program.  Thank you, Tom!

I also want to mention a very dedicated group of men that has helped us accomplish so much in the Discovery Gardens this year.  The Discovery Garden Workday Crew was led by Tom Nicoll but would not have been possible without the combined efforts of our most regular members – Gary Gerard, Paul Leslie, Billy Spencer, Jay Schrader, and Tom Parker.  These men have done everything we asked of them and more.  They have cleared brush, cut down trees, pulled weeds, tilled, planted, dug holes, mulched, pruned and then some. 

If you see these guys in the Plant Clinic, the Discovery Gardens or at classes this year, please thank them for their hard work and efforts on behalf of Onslow County’s gardeners and the Discovery Gardens.  Thank you gentlemen! 

If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer, we will be holding our next Master Gardener Volunteer Training Course June 8 through August 10.  Contact the extension office at 910.455.5873 for more details or for an application form.