Volunteer Center

VOLUNTEER CENTER

This page consists of the following four sections:
(Click on section to jump to it.)

• Immediate Needs and Special Volunteer Opportunities
• Programs, Events and Committees
• Resources and Presentation Aids
• Master Gardener Apparel
  

Immediate Needs and Special Volunteer Opportunities

Bellefaire JCB

Bellefaire JCB wants to install a butterfly garden and is in need of design, direction, and development.  They have a volunteer staff ready and willing to work.  They need guidance in plant selection and placement.  Please help.  MGV sanctioned for this one time duty.  (It may be a meeting or two with the director and then a garden day.)  It is being scheduled for some time in the third week of June.   Please contact Ruth to sign up.  We can use more than one person!

Shaker Family Center - Teachers Advising Teachers

Master Gardeners have been asked to to advise Center teachers on the best choices of vegetables and flowers for children to plant in the Center's Learning Garden and on care and harvesting.  The children are ages 18 months to 4 years.  Volunteers may have opportunities to participate with the teaching staff in helping young children plan and care for the plantings.  Advise and assistance would also be appreciated in selecting the best plants for establishing the Sensory Garden dimension of the Learning Garden.  Click for further details and contact information.

Community (Grassroots) Gardening

With the gardening season starting up, this is a perfect time to start  a relationship with a community garden.
Here is a list of specific gardens and their needs that Master Gardeners can fill.  Click for details.

Horticultural Therapy

Volunteers are needed to assist in the horticultural therapy program.  Click for details.

Programs, Events and Committees

The following volunter programs, events and committees list Master Gardeners to contact for additional information and volunteering, and provide a brief description of volunteer activities:
(Click on program to jump to it.)

• Basic Training
• Ben Franklin School Horticultural Program
• Ben Franklin Demonstration Gardens
• Committees
  Advisory Committee
  Advanced Training Committee
  Library Committee
  Publicity Committee
  Resource Committee
  Social Committee
• Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Encore Program
• Email Diagnosticians
• Fall Seminar
• Grassroots Gardening
• Hope Gardens
• Horticultural Therapy
• HotLine Diagnosticians
• HotLine on the Road
  Farmers' Markets
  Garden Shows & Fairs
• Plant A Row Garden
• Plants in the Park
• Recognition Dinner
• Records
• Speakers Bureau
• Trumpet Vine
• Web Site

Basic Training

Outreach and training for the new Master Gardener class. Organize and implement information nights, brochures and interviews, and assist with class activities. Classes are usually from February until April. Contact Michael Loos, Joyce Braun, Barb Francin and Nancy Whisler.

Ben Franklin School Horticulture Program

Volunteers are welcome for this all-year program at the Ben Franklin School (map), including indoor classroom sessions with all fourth graders and outdoor sessions working with students, as well as summer maintence of the garden. For further information or to volunteer, contact Chair Maria Hoffman or Vice Chair Vivian Soltes.

Ben Franklin Demonstration Gardens

The Benjamin Franklin School Demonstration Gardens (map) are always in need of volunteers for seasonal work preparing and maintaining the gardens. For information or to volunteer for specific gardens, please contact:

• Herb Garden: Kathy Habib

• Perennial Garden: Mary Thompson or Barbara Morgan

• Vegetable Garden: Dave Kuebler - (216) 351-2123

Committees

• Advisory Committee
  The Advisory Committee in involved in overseeing the Master Gardener Program and advises and assists the OSU Extension Horticultural Agent as appropriate. Members serve three-year termsl and meet four times per year. Meetings are open to all Master Gardeners of Cuyahoga County. Its Guidelines provide more complete details. Also see, List of Committee members and officers.  Contact Chair Hank Doll.
• Advanced Training Committee
  Develops and presents advanced training programs for Master Gardeners' continuing education requirements. Meets in fall to plan following year. Contact Linda Vinney.
• Library Committee
  Develops MG-sponsored educational displays annually for presentation at librarys in Cuyahoga County. Responsible for planning, scheduling, set-up and take-down. Contact Rosie Daniels or Helen Ho.
• Publicity Committee
  To develop and distribute press releases and to otherwise publicity the Master Gardener Program and its programs. Chair presently open.
• Resource Committee
  Sponsors the Speakers Bureau and Web Site, oversees preparation of Speakers Bureau probrams, and reviews needs, procures and maintains resources for the Master Gardener Program, including books, web site, and computer, projector and portable public address system. Contact Bob Barkett.
• Social Committee
  Coordinates and implements Master Gardener social events such as plant exchanges, the Halloween Party and tours. Contact Bob Heidelman.

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Encore Program

Volunteers are needed to give presentations at individual (or more) sessions of the Tri-C Encore Program.  For further information or to propose topics and volunteer to be a presentor, contact Eastern Campus program coordinator Joyce Braun, Corporate College West program coordinator Bob Heidelman, or Tri-C Western Campus program coordinator Linda Vinney.

Email Diagnosticians

Master Gardener Diagnosticians answer horticultural questions submitted by email.  Contact Michael Loos for further information and to volunteer.

Fall Seminar - November 1, 2008

The annual one-day Fall Seminar on horticultural topics of interest to gardeners, homeowners and Master Gardeners will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2008, at the Ridge Manor Party Center. See flyer for 2007 until new flyer is developed.  Volunteers plan and implement all aspects of the Seminar, including budgeting, facilities and speakers. Chair Mary O'Rourke.

Grassroots Gardening

Volunteer in Grassroots Gardening with the OSU Extension's Community Gardening Program. A diverse group of people and garden groups participate in gardens across Cuyahoga County; provide workshops on herbs, vegetables, winter gardening, etc.; assist in community and market gardens; and help the gardeners in preparing proposals to submit for presentations at the American Community Gardening Association's State Conference.  Contact Marianne Sachs, marsac@speakeasy.net,  216-371-1440.

Specific gardens that would love help from a Master Gardener - Click here
The gardens range from working with vision-impaired young children to seniors with accessibility issues.  They need people to help with such  activities as composting, site design and development. Most are vegetable gardens and some are wanting help with perennials.  Their  locations are both East and West Sides, including a site at the famous  Karamu House. The long-established Kentucky Gardens (www.kentuckygardens.com) is in need of some help planning a perennial border with plants already donated to them.  All gardens have a leader that you would coordinate with.  Contact Marianne Sachs, marsac@speakeasy.net,  216-371-1440.

Hope Gardens

Volunteers are needed at Hope Gardens to assist with youth groups, children, families and other groups at Hope Gardens.  For further information or to volunteer, contact Richard Huff.

Horticultural Therapy

Volunteers are always needed for the on-going horticultural therapy program. Click for detailed descriptions of the programs, with program sites and times, and contacts to volunteer.  Contact Nancy Stevenson.

HotLine

Volunteers are needed to staff the Horticulture Hotline on Monday and Thursday mornings at the OSU Extension Office from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. to answer gardening questions from the public. For further information and to volunteer, contact Dan Reichert or Sarah Berg.

HotLine on the Road

Horticultural information is presented at various garden shows and farmers' markets.  Contact Christine Harris.

• Farmers' Markets
  Volunteers are needed to staff a Master Gardener booth, answering questions and sometimes making presentations. For questions and to volunteer for specific farmers' markets, please contact:
  Crocker Park (map) - April 19 through September, 2008 - 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. - Contact Rita Robinson
  Shaker Square (map) - May through August, 2008 - 8:00 a.m.-noon - Contact Christine Harris
• Garden Shows and Fairs
  Planning and implementing Master Gardener participation in a number of shows and fairs annually. Responsibilities include organizing, setup, staffing and teardown.  Contact Dan Reichert or Marty Wiersma.  Shows include:
  
  

  	Bug Fest/Bug City - August 9, 2008 - Garfield Park Nature Center (map), Garfield Park Metropark, Garfield Heights - Volunteers staff the Master Gardener booth at BugFest, in which visitors of all ages will be introduced to the cool world of insects--what insects do, why we need them, and even what they taste like, with edible insect recipes and demonstrations. Contact Marty Wiersma.
  	Cleveland Botanical Garden Show (map) - next show May 21-25, 2009 - Volunteers staff the Master Gardener booth and answer questions by the public.
  	Cuyahoga County Fair - August 4-10, 2008 - Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, Berea (map) - Volunteers staff the Master Gardener booth/information table. The table is typically staffed by two Master Gardeners per time slot. More details are on the flyer. (link) Contact Marty Wiersma
  	Fifth Third Bank Home & Garden Show - at International Exposition (I-X) Center (map) - February 7-15, 2009
  	Zoo Blooms - July 13, 2008, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (map link)

Plant A Row Garden

For its continuing efforts, the PAR Garden behind the Gates Mills Community House (map) is seeking participation by Master Gardeners who want to grow vegetables, as well as educate children and adults in the community about gardening. There is no set time requirement for volunteering. Initial Spring tasks have called for two days per week for several weeks. Once the garden is established, one-half to a full day each week has been spent for education programs and garden work. Schedules have been coordinated so the times are convenient. For further information or to volunteer, contact Gwen Morgan, Barb Rabin or Sharon Klimm.

Plants in the Park: A Garden Day

Last held:  May 10, 2008 (flyer) - Solon Community Park
Reserve this date, your time, your plants and start your seeds! We’re getting ready for the third annual plant sale.  We are looking for decorative pots and planters to be used in making containers.  Check around your house (or curb side!) for wooden chairs, benches or anything that could be made into decorative “garden art” planters…donate them to the cause!  Any questions, phone or email Christine McLaughlin, Barb Franzen, Jeanne Menger or Joyce Braun.

Recognition Dinner

Plans and implements all aspects of the annual dinner which recognizes the new class of Master Gardeners and Master Gardeners' achievements, with actions for the dinner including presentations, awards, budgeting, donations and facilities. Contact Carolyn Vrtunski.

Records

Receive timesheets and tabulates and records volunteer and education hours.  Contact Sue Gold.

Speakers Bureau

Volunteers are needed to present programs, as well as to prepare new programs for presentation. Part of the Resource Committee. For a description of the present offerings, see Speakers Bureau. To volunteer to present programs or to suggest new programs for development, contact Margie Speerbrecher.

Trumpet Vine

Volunteers are needed to edit, assemble and publish, and to submit articles and pictures for the bimonthly Trumpet Vine newsletter to keep Master Gardeners informed about events and news regarding the MG program and members, and information of interest. Contact Sandy Welches, Barbara Quinn or Carolyn Vrtunski.

Web Site

Part of the Resource Committee. The web site is maintained to provide the public an overview of the Master Gardener Program and its educational programs and events available to the public, and to provide Master Gardeners with timely information and news pertaining to the MG Program and advanced training, volunteering and social opportunities and events. Please send Webmaster Greg Cada notices of programs and events for posting on the applicable calendars, descriptions of programs, and digital pictures of programs and from events.

Resources and Presentation Aids

Library

The Master Gardener Library (also called the HotLine Library) is located at the OSU Extension Office.  The Library contains books, Fact Sheets, Bulletins and other horticultural research resources.  The Library is available for personal research as well as for the HotLine.  The Library materials are available for reference use at the Extension Office, not for check-out for home use.

Presentation Aids

The Master Gardener program has two sets of laptop computers and digital projectors which may be reserved and checked out for Master Gardener presentations.  Please contact Ruth at the OSU Extension office at 216-429-8200 for reservations.

Microsoft PowerPoint© presentations have been prepared to assist in the preparation and presentation of PowerPoint© programs.  Contact Resource Committee.  Click on the titles below for the presentations:

• How to Prepare a PowerPoint© Presentation
  A guide for composing a presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint© software.
• How to Set Up the Computer and Projector for a Presentation
  A step-by-step guide for setting up the Master Gardener laptop computer and digital projector to present a digital program. All the steps and connections for the equipment are shown. A printed guide is among the materials in the carrying case for the projector.
  
  

Master Gardener Apparel

MASTER GARDENER APPAREL
Apparel, including shirts, hats and various accessories, is available to Master Gardeners.  Click here for products and prices. Ordering information will appear here when it is available.