minutes_april2000

Becky Rowe chaired the meeting in the absence of President, Karen Long, and Vice President, Claire Loeffelman.

Secretary:
Minutes of the February meeting were approved as listed on the web site.

Treasurer:
Becky gave the Treasurer’s Report. Expenditures for the month were $186.60 for the puppet program. A copy of the Union County Master Gardener Audit Report for 2004 by Mary McDonald was given to the Secretary for the record. Copies had previously been given to President, Karen Long, and Coordinator, George McVey.

Timekeeper:
No report.

Old Business:

Garden Tour:
Miriam Carson stated that new brochures were being printed and will be mailed out. Pre-sale of tickets is being encouraged. A volunteer is needed to serve with Joy Bingman on the Publicity Committee. April 11 is the date scheduled for the garden coordinators to meet with the homeowners. Demonstrations and presentations are scheduled at the Ag Center on the day of the tour. Sign up sheets will be passed around to volunteer for the many open positions.

Garden Party/Plant Sale:
Cathy Weaver (last year’s chair) introduced Kathy Altizer as the new chair for this year’s event. Volunteers are needed to work with vendors, publicity, pricing as well as set up and clean up at the event. All master gardeners will again be asked to help out by providing plants for the sale. It was noted that houseplants did not sell well last year. The date for the event has been changed from August 20th to August 27th due to a schedule conflict. George is confirming with the fairgrounds. Due to some confusion about the event last year, a suggestion was made that the name be changed from “Garden Party” to something that gives a better indication that plants will be for sale. The committee is open to suggestions for names. They hope to expand the educational aspect of the event with demonstrations and presentations. Again, suggestions from any master gardener are welcome. A planning meeting is being scheduled for those interested in participating in the sale.

Puppet Show:
Chairperson, Jill Ricker, was absent. Roberta Gordon spoke about the success of the Marvin the Monarch Butterfly Program that has been presented to several local schools. The puppet show has been well received by students and teachers. Informational brochures and milkweed seeds are being distributed to each group. Jill is working on a new educational program.

Newsletter:
The newsletters went out last week asking people to sign up to volunteer for the garden tour and the plant sale. Many volunteers are needed to make these events successful.

Leaping Frog Award:
Dilu Juvarkar, recipient of the frog last month, said that he has had a fairly quiet month with her. She commented that he did seem to enjoy the aroma of her Indian cooking. Dilu then presented the frog to Bev Ezerins for her work on the puppet show.

McCloud Park:
Chairperson, Jerome Shapiro, was not in attendance. Dates have been set on the calendar for workdays at the park. April 9 is the first date – spring clean up will be done. Again, volunteers are needed to help in keeping the park looking its best. This is a great opportunity to obtain those hours needed, especially for the new class. Please remember to bring your tools, especially a trowel to participate in the monthly “Trowel Toss” Contest.

Adopt-A-Pot:
Audrey Hall (previous chairperson) explained the Adopt-A-Pot Program for new members. Containers are “sponsored/adopted” by local businesses throughout the county. The Master Gardeners direct youth (4-H and Scouts) in the planting of annuals in the spring and fall. The sponsors are responsible for maintenance.

New Business:

Tour Suggestions:
Mary McDonald was absent; however, it was noted that she is working to put together a list of places to tour. This will be discussed in further detail at the next meeting.

Next Meeting:
A plant swap will be held at the April meeting. If you wish to participate, bring in some of your potted plants and trade them for someone else’s. This is a great way to try new plants at a great price as well as thinning out your own perennials. Also by the next meeting, the new class of Master Gardeners will have completed their studies. We would like to welcome them with a little celebration. Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share. Becky Rowe welcomed all the new members on behalf of the group and wished them luck on their upcoming exam.

Library Books:
Please remember to return borrowed books. The supply of books is running low and we may need to purchase new books. All members are asked to check to make sure they do not have any of the books at home.

Upcoming Activities:
The Delaware County Master Gardeners will be holding the Green Thumb Show on Saturday, April 2, at the new Olentangy Liberty High School on Home Road. Several members stated that they have attended in the past and enjoyed the event that includes vendors as well as educational opportunities.

Members in Attendance: