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2015 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 803
Commending Virginia Master Gardener Association, Inc.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 20, 2015
Agreed to by the Senate, February 27, 2015

 

WHEREAS, for 25 years, Virginia Master Gardener Association, Inc., has provided exceptional horticulture programs, supported Virginia Cooperative Extension, and served and inspired gardeners throughout the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, in 1988, the first advanced master gardener training was held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; soon after, a group met to discuss the formation of a statewide organization that could facilitate opportunities for a new generation of master gardeners; and

WHEREAS, Virginia Master Gardener Association was officially formed in February 1990, with master gardeners from every region of the Commonwealth making up the board of directors; and

WHEREAS, in its early days, Virginia Master Gardener Association concerned itself with the Virginia State Fair, the preservation of wildflowers in the Commonwealth, the dissemination of information on dogwood anthracnose, and the cultivation of tomato seeds that had orbited the earth on the space shuttle; and

WHEREAS, by the early 1990s, Virginia Master Gardener Association had continued to grow in membership and scope, with members working actively to support policies in favor of strengthening Virginia Cooperative Extension; the organization also began publishing a newsletter, offered training courses, and established the Virginia Master Gardener Association State Conference; and

WHEREAS, Virginia Master Gardener Association now represents more than 5,000 master gardeners who regularly volunteer in support of the Virginia Cooperative Extension service, helping members of the public with water quality, land stewardship, lawn care, and other issues; and

WHEREAS, Virginia Master Gardener Association volunteers also conduct youth outreach in schools and through summer programs; in 2014, volunteers performed more than 365,000 hours of service to their communities and the environment; and

WHEREAS, Virginia Master Gardener Association commemorates its 25th anniversary on February 14, 2015, and will celebrate the organization’s rich traditions of fellowship and education throughout the year; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Virginia Master Gardener Association, Inc., on the occasion of its 25th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Virginia Master Gardener Association, Inc., as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for the organization’s commitment to promoting horticulture in the Commonwealth and its diligent support for Virginia Cooperative Extension.