At their December meeting, the Kaufman County Master Gardener Association celebrated 2011’s achievements and installed new officers for 2012.

During 2011, Kaufman County Master Gardeners contributed over 4,301 hours of volunteer and training time. At the state-determined rate of $21.36 per hour, that comes to $91,885 in benefit to Kaufman County. Fifteen Master Gardeners each contributed 100 or more hours: Brad Ackerman, Lynn Ackerman, Rebecca Morrow, Frances Holmes, Richard Kozelski, Nancy Bowman, John Ballard, Hildegard Smith, Ada O’Steen, Bonnie Hoover, Michael Stevens, Margaret Ann Trail, Nancy Harris, Michele Reeves and Debra Middleton. Each Master Gardener received a certificate, presented by Master Gardeners Debra Middleton and Hildegard Smith, showing their volunteer hours for 2011.

The first Master Gardener class, which trained in 2000 and did their internship year in 2001, has completed 10 years of service. Members completing 10 years include Pam Corder, Paula Gilligan, Richard Kozelski, Marsha Sasser and Sandra Stahlman. Master Gardeners noted to have completed 5 years of service were Jeanie Allen Davis, Delores Tigert and Lena Williams.

Judge Wood also presented certificates to the members of Kaufman County’s 2011 Master Gardener training class: Gibran Abdala, Marline Ballard, Sylvia Bissell, Jim Burt, Linda Coulter, Jan Cozart, Marilyn Denmon, Samantha Keats, Wilber Lee Reid, Jal Scarborough, Tamara Stahlman and Renee Word. During 2012, their internship year, they will each contribute a minimum of 50 hours of volunteer service to Kaufman County to complete their certification as Master Gardeners.

The December meeting culminated with the installation of the Association’s officers for 2012. Rebecca Morrow will serve as President; Karen Sanders, President-Elect, Monty Angell, Treasurer, and Nancy Bowman, Secretary. KCMGA thanks Lynn Ackerman for her many contributions as the 2011 President.