The Lewis County Master Gardeners were honored for their volunteer work tending to the Fort Borst Park demonstration garden during 2022 at a Centralia City Council meeting Tuesday night.
Washington State University oversees the Master Gardener Program in which WSU-endorsed educators teach volunteers about horticultural, agricultural and ecological practices that promote sustainability and resilience at demonstration gardens throughout Lewis County, including the one at Fort Borst Park.
The Fort Borst Park volunteer gardeners group in 2022 included Lynn Ford, Jeannette Lawson, Mary Ann Albenesius, Linda Bartlett, Cecelia Boulais, Coleen Christensen, Dave Clevenger, Sue Cook, Don Enstrom, Woody Garrigus, Clyde Gartner, Charmaine Gill, Mike Lundahl, Bob Majoros, Sandy Papineau, Val Rasku, Pat Roden, Karen Servey, Eva Walker, Jacqueline Baltunis, Kate Cornman, El Everett-Bechtold, Laura McFarlane, Donna Smith, Kevin Batey, Tina Batey, Hannah Himley, Jolene Wainwright and Alex Thompson.
While the majority of the volunteers couldn’t make it to the meeting to accept their awards, Ford, Gartner, Papineau, Cornman, Kevin Batey, Tina Batey and Lawson were in attendance.
“We really enjoy being at the Borst gardens and it’s a wonderful place to volunteer,” Ford said.
She also encouraged anyone interested in volunteering to contact the group for more information.
“We really appreciate the interest in the park and educating the public and when they come by and say, ‘even I can kill a plastic plant,’ we can say, ‘oh no, we’ll show you how to take care of plants,’” added Gartner.
WSU training is required to become a part of the Master Gardener program. It can be completed either online or in person.
Application packets can be found and submitted at the WSU Lewis County Extension Office located at 17 SW Cascade Ave. in Chehalis. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Those interested can also request application packs by emailing Jason Adams, WSU Lewis County Extension Office Master Gardener coordinator, at jason.adams@lewiscountywa.gov or by calling 360-740-1216.
More information about the WSU Master Gardener Program can be found at http://mastergardener.wsu.edu.
Volunteers from other groups and organizations throughout the city were recognized at the council’s regular meeting at the end of January, as previously reported by The Chronicle.
Centralia City Councilor Elizabeth Cameron created the volunteer award last year to help bring recognition to the work volunteers provide the city every year.
