Immediate Release
December 21, 2009
Batavia, Ohio. Volunteering can be a very rewarding experience! “Volunteering can give you the opportunity to change lives, including your own,” said Ohio State University (OSU) Extension-Clermont Agricultural and Natural Resources Educator Cindy Burskey. “In these difficult times, there are so many ways we can reach out to help others. The Master Gardener program enables you to not only give back to your community, but learn valuable horticultural techniques. It’s a great way to interact with others interested in cultivating a green thumb.”
OSU Extension-Clermont will host a Master Gardener training program for 2010. This college-level training will be held every Wednesday, from February 3, 2010 through March 24, 2010. The classes run from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.; the cost of program is $250 (a $100 refund is given when class participants complete 50 hours of volunteer time in the first year) plus the cost of a background check, payable upon acceptance into the program and prior to February 3, 2010.
“Clermont County Master Gardeners are involved in various projects involving historical plantings, theme gardening, and youth programming,” said Burskey. “One of the local projects that the Clermont County Master Gardeners have lent a helping hand to is the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) Garden Project. Once a month, a Master Gardener volunteer teaches youth at the JDC about gardening or other horticultural topics to help them learn skills that will enable them to further their education or attain a job later on in life.”
If you would like to learn more about other projects the Clermont County Master Gardeners are working with or have additional questions, contact OSU Extension-Clermont Agricultural and Natural Resources Educator Cindy Burskey at (513) 732-7070. Applications for the Master Gardener program are available online at www.clermont.osu.edu; all applications must be postmarked by January 8, 2010.
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For additional information about this or other county news, contact Clermont County Communications Director Kathryn Lehr at (513) 732-7597 or by e-mail, klehr@co.clermont.oh.us.