Master Gardener Sign-Up for Winter '10 Training in Milan or Peoria

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2009

If you are interested in knowing more about this winter's Master Gardener training program, then you will need to contact Jeff West at the Henry-Stark Extension office prior to Friday, December 4 to be considered for this year's training program. Training will be held in Milan at the Rock Island County Extension office or at the Peoria/Pekin sites.

First, it should be noted that an earlier news release on the Master Gardener training program that listed the Knox County office as the training site was incorrect and contained information for last year's training. Please disregard that information.

Beginning in January, Master Gardener training will be offered for residents of Henry and Stark Counties, as well as other surrounding counties, in Milan at the Rock Island County office or at the Peoria/Pekin training sites. The Master Gardener program is a volunteer program that provides extensive training in horticulture in exchange for a donation of volunteer hours to share your gardening knowledge with others.

Training will be held for 11 consecutive weeks from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Fridays starting January 15 in Milan and Mondays starting on February 1 at the Peoria/Pekin sites. You will need to contact the Henry-Stark office for a complete schedule at each site. Class topics include Botany, Soils, Flowers, Trees & Shrubs, Insect and Disease Management, and more. There is a fee of $175 to cover the cost of the Master Gardener manual and some of the meeting site expenses.

Applicants selected to the program must volunteer 60 hours back to projects sponsored by their local county Extension office or their community over a two-year time period. These may include such projects as answering requests for gardening information from the public for the local office, or working with children or the elderly, local demonstration garden, Master Gardener Speakers Bureau, or a community project.

If you are interested in being considered as a Master Gardener trainee or just want to know more about the Master Gardener program, please call the Henry-Stark Extension office ASAP at 309-853-1533 or email Jeff West at jwest@illinois.edu. Your registration and acceptance into the class must be completed by December 4. Additional information concerning the Master Gardener program statewide can also be found at http://www.extension.uiuc.edu/mg/.