Two Wins for El Paso Master County Gardeners!
El Paso County Master Gardener Association (EPCMGA) is proud to report that our two entries in the Search for Excellence 2019 Awards were winners at the 2020 Texas Master Gardener Association (TMGA) virtual conference. Our entry for Outstanding Individual was Beverly Clark and she received the 1st Place award in the category for Medium Large Associations. Our entry for Written Education was our El Paso Master Gardening Handbook and it received the 2nd Place award.
Outstanding Individual Master Gardener
Bev Clark
Bev Clark was recognized at the state level as an Outstanding Individual Master Gardener for her work through December 2019. This paragraph from the award entry describes a little of what Bev has accomplished:
“Certified in 2013, Bev hit the ground running, serving as Co-Chair of the Ascarate Teaching and Demonstration Garden through 2015, a garden that won a 2nd place state award. She became a Compost Specialist in 2017 and a Vegetable Gardening Specialist in 2019. She served as the association Corresponding Secretary from 2017-2019 and has been recognized locally for her support of El Paso County Extension programs. She led the 2018 tomato trials research project that resulted in a 1st Place award at the 2019 Texas Master Gardener Conference. Since 2013, she has accumulated 4020 volunteer hours and is a regular presenter on the topics of composting, vermicomposting, soil, and accessible gardening.”
In being considered for the Outstanding Individual Master Gardener award, Bev Clark was recognized as a certified Master Gardener in good standing and whose involvements and contributions in the award year were of primary importance. Congratulations, Bev!
Written Education Award–2nd Place
The 2nd Place Written Education award at the state level for Texas Master Gardeners in the Medium Large Association category went to El Paso County’s El Paso Gardening Handbook. Because the handbook was published in early 2018, the focus of our 2019 award entry was the expansion of sales. The 2019 Revenue and Resources Committee, led by Cathy Parker and Dixie Wicker, developed a creative marketing plan to offer the handbook at the established 2018 venues and at new and interesting market venues. We offer our congratulations to the committee which includes 16 other El Paso Master Gardeners involved in developing, writing, revising, marketing, and distributing the handbook.
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- Cathy Parker
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- Dixie Wicker
Available for purchase, the El Paso Gardening Handbook was written for local gardeners interested in research-based information on plant selection and maintenance for successful gardening in the Chihuahuan desert region. As a winner in the Written Education category, the handbook is recognized for its excellence as a tool for education.
We also want to recognize the El Paso Master Gardener Award Committee, and its Chair Evelyn Posey, for their award-winning job in the preparation and submission of this entry to TMGA. We also thank our El Paso County Horticultural Extension agent, Denise Rodriguez, for her continuing support, encouragement, final review, and official submission of the awards to the Texas Master Gardener Association.
The TMGA Search for Excellence awards are an annual event recognizing exemplary achievement in various categories by Texas Master Gardener associations in cooperation with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas A&M University System. Usually held in person in the spring of each year, because of Covid-19 restrictions the 2020 spring conference was rescheduled as a virtual conference in the fall of 2020.
Contributors:
Article – Evelyn Posey and Marlene Stalker
Award photos – Matt Santillan
Bev Clark – Photo from El Paso Master Gardeners Facebook
Cathy Parker – Photo courtesy of Cathy Parker
Dixie Wicker – Photo from El Paso Master Gardeners Facebook