Ms. Wallace was an active member of Denton County Master Gardeners (DCMGA) from 2009 until early 2024 when she retired. Below are highlights of her 15 years with DCMGA where she has contributed much to our mission, its members, and our Denton County communities.
Ms. Wallace has maintained a strong sense of community education throughout her time with DCMGA. She quickly became involved with various projects as an Intern to receive a well-rounded tour of DCMGA projects. She felt a strong connection with educating youth and adults alike with her work on Cool Shade for the Third Grade, Fall Garden Fest, Redbud Festival, Plant Sale, Garden Tour, and Fair Oaks Senior Center. In 2010, she became more involved with Gardenscapers and the Garden Tour by helping with planning designs, establishing educational venues at Tour homes, and ensuring Interns were well supervised with practical training during workdays at the Tours selected homes. Her home was selected for the 2010 Tour and in 2011 she became co-chair of the event.
In 2011, she was also elected Secretary for the Board of Directors, which she handled efficiently for two years before being elected as Member-at-Large in 2013 and 2014 where she helped pave the way to more responsive engagement and retention needs of the membership through the creation of an Engagement & Retention Committee. During her time on the Board, she was also involved with the Intern Class Planning Committee where she mentored Interns from 2012 through 2015, and interviewed Master Gardener potentials from 2013 through 2015, in addition to being active in evolving the Intern Class training. She remained loyal to specific projects such as Cool Shade, Herbal Branch, Gardenscapers, Plant Sale, and Fall Garden Fest. While on these projects, she spent time educating youth and adults about Texas natives, soil maintenance, and water conservation. She utilized her Gardenscaper training to share tips on sustainable garden design and maintenance.
In 2017 she was asked to step into leadership on the Plant Sale Committee where planning, implementation, and project review were active roles for her. She remained in this role while still volunteering for her other favorite projects until her retirement in 2024.
Ms. Wallace is a wonderful example to our newest members in her efforts to “experience it all” and then hone in on projects she felt a kinship with. Her leadership helped spur proactive change within the organization to create greater efficiency, higher rates of satisfaction among members, and a well-rounded education for our Interns. Her teaching style was always well-received in the community with many return requests.