2024 MG Lifetime Achievement and Outstanding Service Awards

 By MG Linda Barrett

The MCMG Board thanks everyone who goes above and beyond the call of duty for MCMG. The volunteer work that we all do is so amazing … like working with seniors in assisted living, answering questions at a plant clinic, or working with wiggly fourth graders at Close Encounters With Agriculture (CEWA). It’s important to recognize this work and the positive impact it has on our community.

Lifetime Achievement Award

These MGs have at least 15 years of exceptional commitment to the mission of the MG program:

Lifetime Achievement Awardees, MGs Diyan Rahaman, Vivienne Baturke, and Cat Khan

Photo: MG Len Friedman

MG Vivienne Burke                                                                                                      

Vivienne has worked with the Speaker's Bureau tech team running the computer and projector at many of our monthly MG meetings. She volunteers with Harvest Festival, coordinating the Tussie Mussies station. Vivienne has also volunteered with the Therapeutic Horticultural group at Brooke Grove for many years. Vivienne was a librarian, and is able to use her research skills and creativity in developing lessons and beautiful flower displays to share with the residents. Vivienne, thank you for your many years of service to Montgomery County Master Gardeners.

MG Catherine (“Cat”) Khan                                       

Cat has been a consistent force with the Youth Gardening program, Grow It Eat It, and CEWA. She was the Chair of Growing Gardeners – the program donated vegetable plants with information in Spanish and English) to Manna clients so they could grow their own vegetables. Seeing the massive food insecurity that had been exacerbated by the pandemic, she set out to find a way to get “Growing Gardener plants” to people willing to grow and donate fresh food to small food banks. In 2022 she created the nonprofit HarvestShare, which collected 24,608 lbs. of food for donation to 13 food banks in 2023. Cat also leads a gleaning group at Pope Farm. Her work continues with teaching methods of growing food in small spaces; distributing seedlings at White Oak Day; and educating people in our community to develop more gardeners. Cat, thank you for all that you do to educate future gardeners and alleviate food insecurity.

MG Diyan Rahaman                                                                                                     

Diyan spent about 10 years writing a column called “Stumped” for The Seed. Diyan selected and researched topics, and collected information from Steve Dubik or other sources, such as UMD Extension or the Home and Garden Information Center . He also served on the MCMG Board as Program Director for Information Tables and Plant Clinics. Diyan chaired the Brookside Gardens Plant Clinic and Information Tables. He provides expert advice and feedback to the voicemail messages left on the MCMG phone line, and to numerous emails. Diyan, thank you for your many years of dedication to MCMG.

MG Michael Parizer                                                                                          

Photo: MG Len Friedman

Our final award is given posthumously to Michael Parizer. Michael served in many leadership roles during his 15 years as a Master Gardener, and is remembered as a leader, mentor, worker, handyman, and all-around good guy for many years at the Fairgrounds Garden. At fair time, Michael would hitch a trailer to his car and cart the fair tent, Dirty Gertie (mascot of the fairgrounds), and all the paraphernalia needed for the Fairgrounds Garden setup. Handyman Michael constructed the vertical garden display, installed and maintained the irrigation system, and dealt with water runoff problems. To honor Michael Parizer, the honorarium given to speakers at our monthly meetings is named in his honor. MGs and the fairground staff will be planting a shade tree near the Fairgrounds Garden in his memory.

Outstanding Service Award
These individuals are recognized for their outstanding service during 2024:

Front: MGs Pam Bates, Johleen Cannon, Ann Claxton, Jeanette D'Amour, LeeAnne Gelletly, Sue Kuklewicz
Middle: MGs Carolyn Morrissey, Sherri Marshall, Holly Larisch, Dave Stopak, Joe Ginther, Mike Welsh
Back: MGs Desiree Yang, Betsy Wooster, Amy Prywes, Allen Perper, Dorothy Nicholson, Terri Valenti, Pat Mucci
Photo: MG Len Friedman

MG Pamela Bates – chair of the Fairgrounds Demo Garden
MG Johleen Cannon – Therapeutic Horticulture at Grace House in Silver Spring
MG Ann Claxton – co-chair of Plant Clinics, Urban Gardening, and Bay-Wise programs
MG Jeanette D'Amour – Gaithersburg Plant Clinic coordinator
MG Charles ("Chuck") Dulaney – Tech Team committee chair
MG LeeAnne Gelletly – Communications committee chair
MGs Joseph ("Joe") Ginther and Mike Welsh – Derwood Demo Garden irrigation
MGs Gayle Greene and David ("Dave") Stopak – lead of the Derwood Demo Garden vegetable garden
MG Susan Kirby – co-lead of the Derwood Demo Garden
MG Mary Lou Johnson – White Oak Youth Garden
MG Sue Kuklewicz – White Oak Youth Garden co-chair
MG Holly Larisch – Therapeutic Horticulture at Layhill Center and Marian House
MG Sherry Marshall – Fairgrounds Garden lead
MG Carolyn Morrissey – co-coordinator of the Kensington Farm Market Plant Clinic
MGs Pat Mucci and Terri Valenti – co-chairs of Garden Discovery Day
MG Dorothy Nicholson – Year of the Heirloom Tomatoes statewide research
MG Allen Perper – Speakers Bureau, Garden Discovery Day, CEWA, and White Oak Youth Garden
MG Amy Prywes – Derwood Demo Garden
MG Kara Singh – White Oak Youth Garden
MG Betsy Wooster – The Seed copy editor, and editor of The Seed style manual
MG Desiree Yang – editor of The Seed