Our Beginnings!
History of the Orange County Master Gardener Association
(As recorded from a conversation with Ann Fletcher 11-5-1998)
In 1962 a group 26 people who were interested in horticulture in general joined together and formed the “Orange County Horticulture Committee”. According to Ann Fletcher, widow of the late George Fletcher, Jr., the group had a lot of fun learning together and comparing notes. Occasionally they would have special programs to which the public was invited.
When Don Kachtik served as the County Extension Agent, he also acted as a Voluntary Advisor to the group but not in any official capacity. On September 7, 1989, the first Master Gardener class started and was held for 12 weeks. The classes were held at the Brown Center for a cost of $65 per person for 12 weeks, excluding Thanksgiving week. In addition, there were two Saturday field tours in the Golden Triangle area. Each class was 3 hours and was held one night a week. She said the class included five students from Beaumont. The original plan was for meetings to be held in Orange for one year, then the next year in Jefferson County, but this did not work out.
In the letter sent to the Horticulture Committee, it stated there was a three (3) year waiting period for classes in Harris (Houston area) County.
Members of the first Orange County Master Gardener Class were as follows:
Linda Bernard (Orange)
Jesse Whitehead (Orange)
Alton Jones (Deweyville)
George Fletcher, Jr. (Orange)
Ann Fletcher (Orange)
Mr. Ardoin (Bridge City)
Mrs. Ardoin (Bridge City)
Charlotte (Chockey) Hale (Orange)
Walter Crew (Orange)
J. D. Bourque (Bridge City)
Don Hunt (Orange)
Dorothy Darbonne (Bridge City)
Annie Williamson (Orange)
Thomas Williamson (Orange)
Peggy Perry (Mauriceville)
Pam Crew (Orange)
Dalton Woodard (Bridge City)
Vickie Bornefield (Port Arthur)
Laura Chauvin (Vidor)
Dr. Lee Fry (Port Arthur)
Gerald Cunningham (Groves)
Larry Allen (Jefferson County Extension Agent)
W. Dean Allen
Lytle Arche (Orange County Extension Agent)