HOPEWELL VALLEY: Area residents become Mercer Master Gardeners

Area residents recently became Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County at a graduation ceremony held at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County.

   Area residents recently became Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County at a graduation ceremony held at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County. The graduates are from many local communities, have diverse backgrounds and bring with them many skills and talents that benefit the Master Gardener program.
   They join a group of experienced volunteers in supplying home horticultural and environmental information to residents. County Executive Brian M. Hughes attended the graduation and extended his congratulations and thanks to the new graduates.
   The Class of 2013 graduates are: Pat Beckman, Dorothy Donnelly, Pia Ellen Cattarinich, Roberta Gernhardt, Christina Gutch, Linda Henry, Valerie G. Kamin, Debra J. Kanter, Ellen Kellich, Laura LaMothe, Cathy Lodato, Margaret Montplaisir, Marilyn Orland, Bonnie Patterson, Kathleen Pietras, Karen B. Shedlock, Catherine Swango, Robert Whiteside, and Carolyn B. Wojciechowicz.
   Special recognition awards were received by those who volunteered over 100 hours in fulfilling their requirement for graduation. This special award went to Bonnie Patterson, Cathy Swango, Dorothy Donnelly, Debbi Kanter and Marilyn Orland. Special recognition for volunteering over 60 hours on the Master Gardener Helpline went to Pia Ellen Cattarinich, Cathy Swango, Robert Whiteside, Christina Gutch, Debra Kanter and Dorothy Donnelly.
   The graduates of the “Class of 2013” completed 60 hours of instruction provided by Mercer County Horticulturist Barbara J. Bromley, faculty from Rutgers Cooperative Extension, the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, and other horticultural experts in a wide variety of horticultural related subjects. They also completed at least 60 hours of volunteer service to Mercer County.
   The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County program is celebrating 20 years of planting seeds of responsible gardening throughout Mercer County and surrounding communities. This class of volunteers is the 20 to graduate in Mercer.
   The Master Gardeners of Mercer County is a volunteer educational outreach program of Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Master Gardeners participate in many volunteer programs throughout the County, as well as answer home horticulture questions through their Rutgers Master Gardener Helpline, 989-6853, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (March through October) and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (November through February). For more information on educational programs and events, visit www.mgofmc.org.