By Fort Bend County Master Gardeners
After weeks of classroom instruction and volunteer service, 24 men and women from throughout Fort Bend County gathered this month in Rosenberg to celebrate their achievement: Certification as Texas Master Gardeners.
Their journey began last August with orientation and included classroom training from September through November plus 50 hours of approved volunteer service through May.
“This is not the end of the journey,” said Ben Welch, president of the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners, during the June 4 graduation celebration at the Bud O’Shieles Community Center. “This is the beginning. We need you. You’re the lifeblood of our Master Gardeners.”
Brandy Rader, Program Coordinator, and Peggy d’Hemecourt, Class of 2023 teaching assistant, both acknowledged the interns’ hard work while reinforcing Welch.
Said d’Hemecourt, “Always keep in mind our job is to help with the mission of the Extension Master Gardener program. That mission is to provide quality and relevant horticultural information to the people of Fort Bend County. We have the ability to expand the Extension’s reach.”
Interns gave different reasons at orientation for participating in the program, said Missouri City resident Shelly Beck, one of the new Master Gardeners. “Some wanted to improve their gardening skills; some wanted to show loved ones that they had gardening skills; some were new to Fort Bend County and wanted to know how to keep plants alive in this crazy environment; one classmate wanted to support her son in gardening with 4-H. Personally, I wanted to be able to tell people what to do and know I was right.”
Beck praised the weekly instructors who are enthusiastic about their field of study and stressed the importance of Master Gardeners providing science-based answers to help increase crops and have less of a negative impact on the environment.
As interns planned for the graduation banquet, she said it became apparent that everyone possessed an overwhelming sense of gratitude. They’re grateful for the Master Gardener program, the ability to educate communities and the ability to assist the food bank through the vegetable garden in the demonstration gardens.
That gratitude became apparent as the interns sang about gardening and the Master Gardeners to the tune of “Deep in the Heart of Texas.” Their singing drew applause, cheers and laughter. The song concluded with “We thank you all, we’ve had a ball, Deep in the Heart of Texas. And, we’re so proud that we can now be Fort Bend Master Gardeners.”
The graduation party also benefited the Richmond food bank. Attendees were asked to bring canned goods to the “Farm-To-Table: Deep in the Heart of Texas graduation celebration.” Canned goods filled a table at the rear of the room.
Becky McGoldrick, graduate MG Class of 2023 and food drive organizer, said, “We collected 375 pounds for a value of $626.25.” The class also presented a $600 check to Fort Bend County Master Gardeners.
In addition to Beck, the new certified Texas Master Gardeners are: Debi Biner of Missouri City, Brenda Burke of Rosenberg, Anna Chen of Katy, Jaya Chitale of Richmond, Sindu Chitralekha of Katy, Cindy Croissant of Richmond, Paul Dabroi of Fulshear, Stacey Earley of Wallis, Rhonda Eaton of Richmond, Arlene “Lena” Freeman of Richmond, Will Gaston of Katy, Maria Jacobson of Richmond, Shashi Jajoo of Sugar Land, Becky McGoldrick of Sugar Land, Chase Millis of Sugar Land, Adesola Onaseso of Stafford, Robyn Partridge of Richmond, Teresa Poullard of Missouri City, Sarah Schimmer of Richmond, Leslie Shores of Sugar Land, Martha Strickland of Richmond, Joseph “Jody” Taylor of Rosenberg and Kathy Ward of Richmond.
Caption information: Boone Holladay, Fort Bend County Extension Agent Horticulture, presents Anna Chen, Sindu Chitralekha and Will Gaston, all of Katy, their credentials recognizing their work to become a Texas Master Gardener. (Photos by Tom Croissant)