Master Gardener Years of Service Recognition 2026

By MG Linda Barrett

Congratulations to the Master Gardeners celebrating 15, 20, 25, or 30 years of service. They've worked side by side to achieve the MCMG mission “to educate residents about safe, effective, and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes, and communities.” We offer them our thanks for the many hours, days, months, and years of sharing their garden knowledge and expertise.   

15 Years of Service (class of 2011)

MG Marsha Barnes has been a valued volunteer with Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) for the past 15 years.	MG Dorothy "Darlene" Nicholson has co-led the Derwood Demo Garden, coordinated and photographed the Weed Book and Bug Book, in addition to leading the start-up Explorers adolescent group started by the police department.
MG Lily Bruch enjoys working with the vegetable team in the Derwood Demo Garden.	MG Kim Robinson has worked on many programs and continues with the Plant Clinic at Brookside Gardens.
MG Mary Hagedorn’s volunteer activities have included Close Encounters with Agriculture, Speakers Bureau, and Grow It Eat It.	MG Shelley Rae Rudick loves participating in the environmental track of Close Encounters With Agriculture, and the Urban Garden program.
MG Kathy Kircher has led the TH program at Kensington, and the annual holiday centerpiece-making workshop.	MG Terri Valenti specializes in large scale events: Grow It Eat It, Discovery Day, the semiannual plant swap, and volunteering at White Oak Garden.
MG Susan McCaffrey is a steady presence at the Brookside Plant Clinic on Sundays.	MG Cindy Walczak enjoys the great variety of MG activities, and volunteers with plant clinics, special events, and the Bay-Wise Program.
MG Katie McIe has served as a Board member, the Olney Farmers Market Coordinator, and is currently the keeper of our VMS Records.	MG Janet Young was MCMG President in 2014 and 2015, led a research project to identify the best broccoli, and is currently co-coordinator of the Olney Farmers Market Plant Clinic.
MG Yumiko Miura enjoys working at the Healing Garden at USO and finds joy in planning the monthly TH sessions for patients at Walter Reed.

20 Years of Service (class of 2006)

MG Joy Adler Back in the day there were fewer volunteer options — the “telephone room,” a burgeoning Speakers Bureau, and a few hands-on garden sites. Joy enjoys volunteering at the Davis Library, Kensington Farm Market, and especially, the weekly “mucking-about” at Nature Forward.	MG Ilse Konigshofer began her MG internship in the DDG shade garden and the Brookside Gardens Plant Clinic. She continues to volunteer at Brookside alongside other MGs exchanging ideas, sharing experiences, and offering guidance to the public.
MG Lynn Furrow has volunteered at plant clinics, TH, and Harvest Festival. She really enjoys interacting with the public and other MGs at plant clinics.	MG Marcia McComb loves fielding questions at the Gaithersburg Plant Clinic. She is a pro at teaching others to make Tussie Mussies at the Harvest Festival, and she volunteers every year at CEWA. If that wasn’t enough, she has been the Coordinator of the TH group at Asbury Assisted Living since 2010.

25 Years of service (class of 2001)

MG Susan Bell brings her passion for garden design and landscaping to her MG volunteer work. She has been presenting to garden clubs through the Speakers Bureau. Susan has written for the The Seed, and actively volunteers at several MG events.

MG Janine Trudeau is passionate about connecting people to nature. She has worked with CEWA, getting kids outside and helping them make connections to where their food comes from. She enjoys teaching her local community and neighbors about native plants, plant and animal best habitats, and enticing them to come out and enjoy the wonders of the natural world.

30 Years of Service (class of 1996)

MG Eric Wenger has enriched the MCMG program with his knowledge and expertise in gardening. He is an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) specialist for turfgrass and ornamental plants. He shares his knowledge generously with other MGs and through the Speakers Bureau, giving presentations to garden clubs, schools, and professional industry seminars on general gardening, IPM, lawn care, and garden pests.