Iris Seale has been an essential member of the Guadalupe County Master Gardener Program since she was certified in 1996, 25 years ago. Her gardening knowledge and connection with the community have been some of the traits many fellow Master Gardeners have strived to duplicate. Leading by example, she has committed numerous volunteer hours to the success of the program. Some of her accomplishments are:
Community leadership roles:
– She led the community by using the Junior Master Gardener Program for lesson material. She has encouraged many other GCMG members to join her along the way.
– She guided classes each year at La Vernia Primary for teaching not only Master Gardeners how to work with the children, but she regularly included parents/grandparents that wanted to work in the garden with their children/grandchildren.
Volunteer accomplishments:
– As a kindergarten teacher at La Vernia Primary, she started with a single raised bed on the school grounds.
– She has shared her passion for our organization by sharing her gardening knowledge with adults and children alike.
– La Vernia Primary has a beautiful vegetable garden area with 19 raised beds, three keyhole gardens, numerous containers filled with flowers and a butterfly garden. The children and faculty alike enjoy utilizing the garden area for teaching moments.
– Her positive influence resulted in the school adding a chicken coop to have an additional impact on the children.
– Iris started the ladybug release festival which has been so popular each year.
Iris Seale’s contributions to the community and Master Gardener Program are numerous. She has been an asset not only to the local program and the extension office, but to the state program as well. Her knowledge is irreplaceable and she is more than deserving of the Emeritus status.