Master Gardener Recertification - Fulfilling Our Commitment

By Leslie Fitzwater, KC Master Gardener 2002

Let’s face it; our lives are busy. Every day we have commitments to our families, our employers, our churches, and our communities. While these commitments are all very important, we must also remember that when we became Master Gardeners we made a commitment too. This commitment includes fulfilling continuing education (CE) and volunteer requirements each year in order to remain a certified Master Gardener.

Currently, Kanawha County requires 12 hours of volunteer service and six hours of CE each year for recertification. Considering the wide range of opportunities presented annually, these requirements are not difficult to complete. For example, in 2005 the CE Committee approved more than 90 hours of workshops, lectures, and other CE opportunities. Topics ranged from butterfly gardening and composting to herbs, roses, and native orchids. CE opportunities are presented at a variety of locations and times to accommodate Master Gardeners’ busy schedules. Personally, I find it easier to knock out the CE hours requirement early in the year. The one year that I procrastinated I found myself in November with very few options for CE credit. Since then, I have made a concentrated effort to complete my CE hours commitment early and save myself any last-minute anxiety.

Volunteer service opportunities are also plentiful and varied. In my opinion, the volunteer service requirement is easiest to fulfill. If you are able to attend each quarterly Kanawha County Master Gardener Association (KCMGA) meeting, you can easily earn eight hours (and enjoy a great dinner and fine fellowship.) Of course, not everyone will be able to attend every meeting, so luckily there are many other opportunities to fulfill that part of the commitment. Whether you like to dig in the dirt, work directly with the public, serve on a committee or research and write articles for the newsletter and web site, there are plenty of things to do as a Master Gardener. Notification of CE and volunteer opportunities are announced in regular KCMGA emails, in the Gardener’s Dirt, and on the Association’s web site, http://www.kanawhamastergardeners.homestead.com

Once you’ve made a start on those hours, be sure to report them. Keith Morgan is “the keeper of the hours” and works diligently to record everyone’s volunteer service and CE hours. An electronic form is available through the web site. Hours can be sent to Keith’s email address or his physical address at 521 Sheridan Circle, Charleston WV 25314. Be sure to keep a copy of the hours you’ve submitted. I’ve recently heard a horror story about a member that sent in her hours only to find out she’d been sending them to the wrong place for years! I try to submit my hours periodically throughout the year so as not overwhelm Keith come December and January. And it’s very important to report the hours that you volunteer over and above the minimum requirement. All the hours are totaled at the end of the year and reported to the WV Extension Service in Morgantown. These numbers help determine funding for the Kanawha County Extension Service office. In these times of unsure financial funding the importance of recording all your volunteer hours cannot be stressed enough. Plus, the figures even make it to the National Master Gardener Association.

Hours cannot be carried over except by those new Master Gardeners working toward certification. After completing the 30-hour training course, new Master Gardeners have one year from graduation to complete their 30-hour volunteer requirement. Although welcome at CE classes, new Master Gardeners are not required to earn additional CE hours for one year after completing the training course.

So what happens if you let your certification lapse? If for some reason you are unable to meet the requirements necessary for recertification, you become an inactive Master Gardener. Inactive Master Gardeners that wish to become recertified must complete six hours of approved CE courses for each year of inactivity. A Master Gardener may maintain in inactive status for up to three years before having to retake and pass the final exam from the Master Gardener training course.

Although we’d like all Master Gardeners to be active members of the KCMGA, it is not a requirement. Anyone that completes the requirements for certification or recertification is a provisional member. Provisional members are not required to pay dues, cannot vote at Association meetings, and cannot hold office within the Association. Active members are those that complete the requirements for certification or recertification and are in good financial standing. Association dues are $12 annually and payable at the start of each calendar year.