WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE A MEMBER AND JOIN THE
HANOVER MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION?
Why it is Important to be a Member of HMGA – Printable version of this document with color coding
HMGA
The purpose of this volunteer association is to promote and support the Hanover Unit of the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) through providing environmental and horticultural information and education to its members and to the public through activities that meet the needs of Hanover County and the surrounding areas, and to foster communication and fellowship among those involved with HMGA. (Bylaws Article ll section 1 Purpose)
HMGA WILL BE STRONGER WITH YOU AS A MEMBER. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT! PLEASE PAY YOUR ANNUAL $25.00 DUES NOW.
Each year, HMGA provides continuing educational networking throughout our community. Your annual dues support:
- Fund building of demonstrations for plant clinics at garden events, local retail stores, and other educational settings
- Participation in the Hanover Tomato Festival, Ashland Farmers Market, Montpelier Farmers Market, Scotchtown Historical Events
- Speaker honoraria for the yearly Master Gardener Training classes and other speakers/presenters at HMGA meetings
- Approved gardens at Pole Green Park, Rural Point Elementary School, Hanover Extension Office, Horticultural Learning Center (HLC), Scotchtown
- Event supplies, refreshments, and room rentals for HMGA meetings
- Activities annual budgets including just a few: Home Gardening Series, (HGS), Help Desk,
educational scholarships to attend Master Gardener College, State Fair, and others
that are not listed here, in the attached VCE approved activities list
- Computer upgrades used for a variety of needs including Master Gardener presentations/workshops to clubs and organizations that have asked HMGA for topics of interest to be presented to their specific organization
- Community grants, Gleaning, and other community services
PLEASE PAY YOUR DUES NOW! THANK YOU!
Make your check payable to: HMGA
Mail to:
Pat Reyes-Treasurer
7486 Fullview Avenue
Mechanicsville, VA 23111
OTHER BENEFITS OF PAYING DUES:
- AS A PAID MEMBER OF HMGA, YOU CAN BE NOMINATED AND ELECTED TO HOLD OFFICE AND BE PART OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS (BOD)
- AS A PAID MEMBER OF HMGA YOU CAN VOTE ON ALL IMPORTANT ITEMS BEING PRESENTED AT MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
- THERE ARE SO MANY REASONS TO PAY YOUR ANNUAL DUES. PLEASE PAY YOUR DUES TODAY. THANK YOU!
- YOUR $25.00 ANNUAL DUES (OR $200.00 LIFETIME DUES) IS A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION
PLEASE NOTE
PAYING YOUR DUES DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENTS TO
MAINTAIN
MASTER GARDENER STATUS
PLEASE BE A PART OF THE HMGA AND SHARE YOUR
KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE OF GARDENING WITH OTHERS!
ATTACHED IS THE VCE POLICY OF APPROVED HMGA ACTIVITIES THAT ARE SUPPORTED THROUGH MEMBER DUES! PLEASE READ AND YOU WILL SEE HOW MUCH WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
Hanover Master Gardeners
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Policies and Procedures
Policy:
Master Gardeners, Trainees, and Interns must enter their volunteer hours into the Volunteer Management System (VMS) using Project Codes to remain active in the Master Gardener program. This policy outlines the project codes used to track the hours volunteered by a Master Gardener, Trainee, or Intern.
Purpose:
To provide criteria and coding for the volunteer hours entered into VMS for approved volunteer projects.
Procedure:
Once a project and/or event are approved by the Agricultural Extension Agent, the event qualifies as a volunteer opportunity for Master Gardeners and Interns. The below table includes the categories and descriptions for examples of approved projects and events. Use the below table as a guide when entering volunteer hours into VMS.
HANOVER MASTER GARDENER
VCE- APPROVED MASTER GARDENER ACTIVITIES
All Activities must follow the approved proposal process. Examples are not intended to be all inclusive.
Travel time is recorded per Activity. Mileage is entered at MG/Intern discretion for tax purposes only.
Adjustments to requirements must be approved by Agricultural and Natural Resources Agent.
Interns are expected to volunteer in a variety of activities before completing Internship. See individual
activities for number of hours required during internship in specific activities.
Master Gardeners – calendar year following completion of Internship must record a minimum of twenty
(20) Volunteer Service hours and a minimum of eight (8) Continuing Education hours to be active.
| ADMINISTRATIVE HELP ACTIVITIES
Counts towards the 20 annual service hours and Interns |
Business meetings without educational component and no contacts. |
| MASTER GARDENER BUSINESS MEETINGS | Examples:
· HMGA Board meetings |
| Season – all year | |
| MG MENTORING PROGRAM | MG/Interns participating as mentors/mentees:
· Meeting with trainees and other mentors · Work done as a member of Retention Committee |
| Season – all year | |
| BI BUDDIES | · Assisting others with understanding and utilizing Better Impact |
| Season – all year |
| CONTINUING EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
Counts toward 8 hours required per year and education |
MG/Intern volunteer receiving training |
| MASTER GARDENER BASIC TRAINING Minimum of 50 hours class time | · The training received during the Master Gardener Training Class
· Includes Risk Management, Civil Rights and Working With Youth Trainings |
| Season – generally Jan – March | |
| ADVANCED TRAINING – Activity | Attending approved advanced training to maintain active Master Gardener status:
· Master Gardener College · Land Care/Tree/Water Steward Training · VSU Field Day · Hanover VCE events and other VCE units’ events (Henrico, Goochland, Caroline, Northern Neck, etc.) · Any other approved class or event and must be pre-approved by the Hanover VCE Agent |
| Season – all year | |
| Master Gardeners – 8 hours required | |
| REQUIRED TRAINING | · Required every 3 years, Risk Mgt, Civil Rights
· Food Safety/Farm worker training for gleaning. Periodic update of Basic Pesticide Class is highly recommended (Offered during MG training class annually) |
| Season – all year as needed | |
| TRIPS and TOURS | · Attending educational trips and tours that are approved for CE |
| Season – Spring/summer/fall | |
| MG COLLEGE | · Attending, annual MG College or International College |
| Season – Fall generally at VA TECH | |
| Hanover Master Gardeners Association – member/association meeting | · Continuing education component of meeting is generally recorded as CE time for learning portion |
APPROVED 11/22/22 AP & LMN
| PUBLIC EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
Counts toward MG 20 annual service hours and 50 |
Water quality, yard waste management, erosion control, proper use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, turf, IPM, wildlife, organic gardening and many more. Contacts are always recorded. | ||||||||
| PLANT CLINICS are listed as its own category due to detail needed in Better Impact | Examples:
· Hanover Tomato Festival · Strawberry Fair · about the plants · Earth Day · Lowe’s or other retail stores · Farmer’s Markets · Community Gardens · Scotchtown Educational Programs · Other Plant Clinics – see BI calendar |
||||||||
| Season – spring, summer and fall | |||||||||
| Interns – 8 Hours required | |||||||||
| MG STATE FAIR BOOTH | · Preparation of displays, interacting and instructing the public at the State Fair booth | ||||||||
| Season – End of Sept – early | October | ||||||||
| Interns – 2 hours required | |||||||||
| HELP DESK | · Answering the phones, research, questions from county residents (at VCE office and remotely) Interns must have at least 4 hours volunteer time with Help Desk. | ||||||||
| Season – all year | |||||||||
| Interns – 4 hours required | |||||||||
| SPEAKERS BUREAU, HGS, WORKSHOPS | AND OTHER | Preparing and presenting instructional material:
· HGS, Speakers Bureau presenting, researching and preparing presentations and support roles (i.e. zoom tasks etc.) includes planning, designing, researching new demos. |
|||||||
| Season – all year | |||||||||
| Interns – 4 hours required | |||||||||
| HOME GARDEN VISITS | · Consulting while visiting county residents’ property and organizations’ gardens (does not include manual labor) | ||||||||
| Season – Spring/summer/fall | |||||||||
| ADVANCED STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS NOT available to Interns | · Preparing and presenting instructional materials for Land Care, Tree and Water Steward projects | ||||||||
| Season all year | |||||||||
| APPROVED GARDENS | Examples:
· Horticulture Learning Center · Extension Garden · Scotchtown · Butterfly Garden at Pole Green Park Includes GLEANING producers fields – log in gleaning hours category |
||||||||
| Season – spring /summer/fall | |||||||||
| Interns – 4 hours required (2hrs in HLC) | |||||||||
| MGs- 2hours required towards HLC (can include planning) | |||||||||
APPROVED 11/22/22 AP & LMN
| MG BASIC TRAINING CLASS –
Season – year around planning. Course is generally early winter (Jan- March) |
Examples:
· Preparing materials for MG training class · Instructor for MG training Class · Coordinating and hosting a MG training class · Planning MG Training Class |
|
| Horticulture Grants | | Reviewing, approving, going on site visits, evaluation, guiding recipient(s) HMGA grants to public |
| Season- all year | ||
| PUBLICATIONS | | Preparing/editing /submitting articles for public dissemination |
| Season – year around | ||
| SEED BANK | | Saving, organizing, labeling, educating others about seeds |
| Season – fall, Planning is all year | ||
| FAQ HELP DESK – Electronic listing of most frequent asked questions by month/season | | Database management, analysis, posting on HMGA website |
| Season – all year | ||
| YOUTH BROCHURE SCOTCHTOWN | | Researching, designing content and drawing, evaluating effectiveness. |
| Season – all year | ||
| PLANT SALE
Season – pre-plant early spring/sale is end of April |
| Growing, potting, researching, set up, take down, answering questions from customers |
| Interns – 4 hours required | ||
| COMMUNICATIONS | | Coordinating Internal/external communications i.e. HMGA website, weekly reminder etc. |
| Season – all year | ||
| OTHER ACTIVITIES
Activities that do not readily fit into |
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Activities that do not readily fit into approved |
| COVID CALL CENTER | COVID CALL CENTER
Season – as requested by County |
| Season – as requested by County | |
APPROVED 11/22/22 AP & LMN
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