11/18/2024
November 2024 Volunteer News |
Volunteers with the St. Anthony Park Community Rain Garden. (Photo by Kerry Morgan)
News to Know |
Make Your 2024 Hours Count!
As the year winds down, please be sure to log into the Extension volunteer database to record the time you spent serving our community and growing your garden knowledge. You can’t enter your time spent in 2024 after 12/31. If you need help, contact Darren or Brianna as soon as you can.
Temporarily Inactive Volunteer Status: What you need to know
If you see this on—“My current status:TI”— your volunteer dashboard, that means you did not enter the minimum hours needed the year before. (Review the volunteer status list for minimum requirements.) If it happens two years in a row, the Extension database will automatically remove you from the Master Gardener Volunteer Program starting on January 1. Be sure to record your hours before then!
Glove Sales at Monthly Meeting—11/19
Stock up on the RCMG favorites for fall chores, holiday gifts, or in preparation for spring. Garden gloves will be sold at the November monthly meeting. Cash, checks, and cards will be accepted. $6/pair
2024 Nominations Extended—11/30
Can you think of someone who inspired you this year? Nominate them for one of several RCMG annual awards! Nominations accepted until Sunday 11/30.
Outstanding Teamwork Award
Leonard Gloeb Outstanding Service Award
Unsung Hero Award
Ralph Thrane Extraordinary Partnership Award
Friend of the Master Gardener Volunteer Program Award
2024 Satisfaction Survey
Thank you to everyone who filled in the 2024 Satisfaction Survey. We heard from 46% of participating volunteers so we feel it’s a good representation of the group. The details and comments will be reviewed this winter and a summary will be shared early in 2025.
Non-Profit News |
Board Blurb
2024 RCMG Board Election Results
Congratulations to our election winners! Beth Fritcher, Kristina Hughes, Laurel Watt, Susie DeShon and Susan Mason will be joining the RCMG Nonprofit Corporation Board of Directors. Our election had 112 ballots cast and we met our quorum in the first three days! Thank you to all who voted.
Strategic Plan Update
In the second half of November, we'll offer a member review and comment period to hear your feedback, along with a blog post to explain our decision-making process. We are on schedule and look forward to implementation on January 1, 2025. Thank you to the strategic planning committee for their work! Please contact Board Chair Julie Bechtold if you have any questions.
Give to the Max 2024—11/21
Give To The Max Day 2024 is Thursday, November 21st. Donations can be accepted online throughout the month of November. Please keep this online fundraiser in mind when planning your year-end donations. Our goal is to raise $350 - small donations can add up quickly to make a big impact! Money raised helps supplement the Ramsey County Master Gardeners general fund, which provides assistance for projects, financial aid, educational opportunities and so much more. Thank you!
Volunteer Stories |
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St. Anthony Park Community Rain Garden Revitalization
Over the past two years, Ramsey County Master Gardeners have been engaged in renovating two large rain gardens in the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood, working side by side with members of the St. Anthony Park Community Council, neighbors, and more recently, Minnesota Water Stewards.
Thanksgiving cactus needs a new home
Gretchen Hesli has a Thanksgiving cactus that needs to find a new home. Her home in West Hennepin County lacks sufficient locations and light for houseplants. The cactus is just starting to bloom and has many buds. She would be happy to deliver or meet somewhere to “hand off” this plant if anyone is interested. If interested, contact Gretchen at ghesli@comcast.net or 612-270-3339.
Volunteer Opportunities |
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New volunteer activities are announced on Thursday mornings and Sunday nights. If you are not receiving SignUp Genius notices, please contact Brianna Gohde.
Be a Mentor
Mentors are an important resource for new Master Gardener volunteers during their first year with RCMG. They help interns to navigate the program, community service work, and culture. If you are willing to help our newest volunteer peers, consider signing up to be a mentor in 2025. You can review the 2025 Mentoring Guidelines here. Watch your email later this month for the sign-up.
Yard and Garden Phone Line—11/18-11/24
Answer resident’s garden questions from home by signing up for a shift through the Arboretum’s Yard & Garden hotline. Shifts are reserved for RCMG volunteers from Nov 18 through Nov 24. These are excellent opportunities to volunteer remotely and build your garden knowledge at your own pace.
November Member Meeting—11/19
We still need volunteers to help us run the November meeting at the Roseville Oval. If you are planning to attend anyway, consider signing up. Volunteers get 2 hours of education PLUS at least 2 hours of volunteer service.
State Advisory Board —1/03
Consider joining the Master Gardener State Advisory Board (SAB) to advise the state leadership team on ways that the Volunteer Program can best serve all Minnesotans. Applications (download as .doc or PDF) will be accepted now through January 3, 2025. If you have questions about the process or the requirements, please contact current SAB member, Brianna Gohde.
Continuing Education Opportunities |
Find approved opportunities to learn more on the RCMG website, the State MG Volunteer website, the MN Landscape Arboretum, or through Extension. Check with the program coordinator about other local events and learning opportunities.
October Meeting–Recording
If you missed the presentation by Carissa Dillon, the Ramsey County Food Security Manager about Food Insecurity in Ramsey County, you can check out the recording and recap from the October Meeting on the RCMG website.
November Monthly Meeting—11/19
Join us for the November RCMG monthly meeting on Tue 11/19. This hybrid meeting will be both online and in-person at the Roseville Oval. We will share “Bloom, Thorn and Bud” stories in a peer-to-peer learning conversation, a great way to learn from other Master Gardener volunteers.
RCMG Book Club: Forest Walking—11/26
The next RCMG Book club discusses Forest Walking: Discovering the Trees and Woodlands of North America by Peter Wohlleben and Jane Billinghurst on Tuesday 11/26. There are copies of this book available through the RCMG Lending Library, and other copies available through the public library. Sign-up to join the discussion.
Ecosystem-Supportive Plant Selection—New Extension Hot Topic
Debuting at the Regional Gathering in October, Extension Educator Jennie Wagner has developed a new online training tool for Master Gardener volunteers. As the climate changes and more species face habitat loss, our gardenscapes will be an important part of conservation efforts. In this Hot Topic, we'll explore how to choose plants that will minimize inputs and support the ecosystem around them. Expect to take approximately one hour to complete this module.
Creating a Home Landscape: Sustainable Design Basics for Homeowners
Climate-resilient Pollinator Habitats Across Minnesota Landscapes—1/27-1/30
Curious about how climate change is impacting pollinators? Join Extension educators for an engaging webinar series to learn how you can support pollinators in any space—big or small—and help build resilient ecosystems in the face of climate change. You must pre-register for this series at z.umn.edu/BeeSeries to receive the webinar links.
Calendar |
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11/12/24 – November Board Meeting (online only)
11/19/24 – November Monthly Meeting (hybrid; Roseville Oval)
11/26/24 – November Book Club
12/17/24 – NO Monthly Meeting
12/31/24 – Last chance to enter hours
Quick Links |
RCMG Resources
Extension Resources
Extension Yard and Garden NewsExtension Yard and Garden News
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