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Penn State Extension reports volunteer growth and community outreach; Master Gardener program details shared with commissioners
Summary
Penn State Extension staff presented program metrics to the commissioners: midyear volunteer hours (6,877), 154 volunteers (135 active), 10 demonstration gardens and youth programming; Master Gardener coordinator Ellie Stewart outlined outreach, educational programs and upcoming events.
Penn State Extension staff updated the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on extension activities, volunteer engagement and Master Gardener programming during the June 17 meeting.
Extension presenters said the program is tracking strong volunteer engagement and outreach. Ellie Stewart, identified as the county consumer horticulture educator and Master Gardener coordinator, reported 154 volunteers across statuses (135 active) and 6,877 volunteer hours recorded as of June 9, which the presentation valued at $248,553 to the county. Stewart said the program had increased membership by 32 volunteers in two years and listed 10 demonstration garden sites across the county that serve as outdoor classrooms.
Staff described youth outreach (summer garden camps, regional events and overnight camps), therapeutic horticulture partnerships with senior centers, soil test services, and a plant sale that draws more than 700 attendees. Stewart said the Master Gardener program ranks highly in community presentations and partner organizations relative to other county programs in the state.
Commissioners asked about donated produce and recent crop impacts; extension staff said some local strawberries made it through seasonal damage but that apples and peaches suffered in nearby counties, and they flagged an ongoing screworm quarantine response. Staff said they would provide further details later in the season and noted ongoing events and clinics through September.
The presentation consisted of a data-rich midyear report and a description of upcoming programming; commissioners thanked staff and requested future updates on crop impacts and extension services.
