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2024 Master Gardener of the Year

Suzanne LaBrecque

Suzanne LaBrecque, 2024 Master Gardener of the Year for VCMGA

Name:   Suzanne LaBrecque

2024 Hours as of 11/13/24

Approved ProjectsVEGTotal VolunteerTotal CEU
295.320.75316.0529

Please describe your involvement in any of the following VCMGA activities for 2024. 

  1. Service as an officer or member of the Executive Board:

            As chair of the Educational Enrichment Program and chair of Gardeners’ Dirt, I serve as a member on the Executive Board.

  1. Service as chair or co-chair of  VEG  or of a VEG mini-garden:

I serve as Janet McCrea’s co-chair of the VEG Xeriscape Area.

        3.  Number of VEG tours:

            N/A

  1. Service as a chair, co-chair, or member of any VCMGA committees:

This year for the third time, I chaired Annual Fall Symposium Committee. I invited the four speakers and worked with them individually on their presentations and compensations. I served as general host for the Symposium. Also I propagated 25 pencil cactus plants for the centerpieces. This year we had 107 people register and our net profit was over $6,000. The generous cash donations covered most of the expenses.

This year I am completing my fourth year as the VCMGA editor of the

Gardeners’ Dirt Project. In this role I work with the committee to decide topics for each quarter and invite VCMGA members to write each article. All articles come to me to edit, send for review and submit to the Victoria Advocate. Occasionally I take pictures for articles. This year I will process 48 articles plus my own four articles.

  1.  Presentations made to VCMGA or the public:

For the January 13, “Meet and Greet” to recruit the VCMGA new class of trainees, Julie Mason and I promoted participating in the Third Annual Fall Symposium.

On March 14, I spoke to the 2024 Training Class on writing articles for Gardeners’ Dirt.  For the presentation, I developed handouts on outlining articles and how to list different types of references.

I spoke to the 2024 Training Class on writing articles for The Gardeners’ Dirt.

  1. Articles written:

This year, we had so many VCMGA writers that I only wrote four articles.  The four varied topics were:  Tangerines; the ZZ Plant; Anaqua trees; and Fall Gardening Tips.

  1. How do you promote Victoria Master Gardeners?

Everywhere I go when given an opportunity, I talk about the joy of being part of VCMGA.

One way to measure my “marketing” efforts is my service in getting cash donations and door prizes for the Third Annual Fall Symposium.  This year cash donations from three individuals I solicited totaled $500.  I reached out to five companies for Ino-Kind donations for door prizes.  These contributions resulted in 17 door prizes valued at $500.  Crossroads Tire & Automotive Services provided 150 pens for the registration bags.

Everywhere I go when given an opportunity, I talk about the joy of being part of VCMGA.

  1.  Other activities:

This year I enjoyed being part of the Garden Boutique Team at both the Spring and Fall Plant Sales. I helped with setting up, selling merchandise and taking down the displays.

Suzanne at November Meeting – Announcement of master gardeners nominated for MG of the Year.

Suzanne opening comments for the 2024 Symposium

Suzanne serving as Educational Chair for VCMGA with Helen Boatman (previous chair)

Suzanne welcomes back retired Extension Agent, Joe Janak

Suzanne assisted VCMGA writers of our Gardeners’ Dirt articles by editing each week. 52 articles were edited and often Suzanne provided or secured the many wonderful photos for the articles. She wrote four of the articles herself during 2024, including this Tips for gardening in the Fall. Suzanne also wrote the following articles:

TANGERINES: So tangy and so sweet –

UNIQUE, DRAMATIC: ZZ plants attract good luck and bring harmony

Anaqua Trees Dance

Congrats again to Suzanne for a job well done!!