As part of the national celebration of the 100th anniversary of Cooperative Extension in 2014, the UConn Extension Master Gardener Program is honoring the substantial contributions of its Master Gardener volunteers. This marks the commencement of an ongoing recognition program for the sizable volunteer time that Master Gardener volunteers invest in their communities. This recognition applies to all active certified master gardeners, regardless of whether they pursue further education levels through Advanced Master Gardener training.

 

Active certified Master Gardener volunteers are currently being recognized for 100, 250, 500, 750, 1,000, 1,500 and 2000 cumulative hours of service. Starting with the 2014 year, volunteers will be recognized for their service, provided they maintain active certified status. To maintain active certified status, a UConn Extension Master Gardener volunteer must provide 20 hours of outreach each year, at least 10 of which must be in a Master Gardener office, attend one Hot Topics class, complete and submit the recertification form, recording their hours on the UConn Master Gardener website. Hours and active status will be tallied as of September 30 each year. UConn Extension Master Gardener alumni who are not currently on active status can contact their county coordinator to ask about attaining active certified status.