MGACRA-SPONSORED EVENTS CALENDAR
(Formatting: Month date - "Name of Event," time, at location (location address).  Contact, person's name, email address (place in calendar by name, in order of starting time, alpha)
Some lectures and events will be offered via You-tube or ZOOM technology. The Free Lance Star and MGACRA Facebook page will also be used to post/advertise all activities.
 
All gardening, insect, plant disease, and horticultural related questions can be called into our VCE office: 540-658-8000.  Guy Mussey is our VCE Agent for the four-county area and Fredericksburg.  Additional resources are available at: ext.vt.edu where subjects of interest can be searched.


MG Monthly Meetings: 
**During 2021 registration will be required to access any meetings being conducted via Zoom.**
11 Aug - MGACRA Board Meeting, 1:30 p.m., Via ZOOM (link will be emailed to Board on April 9).  POC: Tina Will, brianandtina.will@gmail.com.

18 Aug – MGACRA General Meeting via ZOOM, Time 7:00 p.m.  (link will be emailed to all by Kathie Holliday).  POC: Kathie Holliday, klholliday7@gmail.com
Guest Speaker/Subject:  MG Elizabeth Daly "Widewater Native Plant Garden"
 
24 Aug – 4th Tuesday Special Education Opportunity, 7:00 p.m. conducted via ZOOM.  Guest Speaker/Subject:  Frank Reilly/”Fire Wise Landscaping”.
 
 
Other Calendar Events:  TBA
 
 
MG Volunteer Opportunities:
Each Thursday (weather permitting) - Cedell Brooks Park Native Demonstration Garden Workdays, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm.  You sign up in Better Impact (click on the Opportunities tab, go to the Opportunities Calendar, and click on whatever Thursday works for you!), or you can just turn up with your tools. The demonstration garden is located at 11215 Henry Griffin Rd, King George, VA 22485.   Please bring your marked tools and water.  POC:  Alvin Calhoun, aac.ac4@gmail.com

Native Garden at Widewater State Park:  You can contact coordinator Beth Daly to find out about the latest plans and activities. The park rangers on site are also happy to answer any questions you may have while working in the garden.  Bring your tools, water and a hat.  Snacks and water are also available for purchase in the gift shop, and parking is free for garden volunteers!  Beth can be reached at  elizabethdaly@juno.com.
 
Plant Clinics:  Volunteers are needed to get planned clinics going.  If you can help contact Lisa Ellis.  If you coordinate a Farmer's Market plant clinic, please let Lisa know if you intend to hold your clinic this year!
 
Fredericksburg Fair Coordinator & Volunteers Needed:  The Fredericksburg Fair will go on this year, from July 29 - August 8!  Master Gardeners have always had a strong presence at the Fair, and this year that effort needs a new coordinator.   Please contact Lisa Ellis if you have questions about the event or want to know more about the duties involved as Coordinator!
 
Smart Green Lawns:  Additional volunteers are needed.  No special lawn knowledge is necessary, and one-on-one training will be provided via zoom or in the Extension office.  New volunteers will be work with our veteran SGL volunteers to really learn the ropes.  Please contact Lisa Ellis if you are interested in volunteering or have questions about the project!
 
Belmont Nature Trail: MG Jody Wilken is the Grounds Coordinator at Belmont, and she is looking for some volunteers to work on the Nature Trail giving educational walking tours to visitors.  Though you would be volunteering as an MG, Belmont has its own internal volunteer process as well, which includes a background screening (paid for by Belmont).  Don't let that process scare you off, though, you'd still be earning Master Gardener hours!  Please contact Lisa Ellis or Jody (jwilken@umw.edu) to get started!
 
Chatham Historical Gardens: Did you know that you can earn volunteer hours every Wednesday, year-round, from 8am-1pm by joining project Coordinator Carol Hyland in the beautiful Chatham Historical Gardens?  Interested?  You can sign up in Better Impact (click on the Opportunities tab, go to the Opportunities Calendar, and click on whatever Wednesday works for you!), or you can just turn up with your pruners.  Please contact Carol if you have any questions at  cahyland@cox.net
 
Master Gardener Education Opportunities:
The International Master Gardener College (IMGC) will be held virtually Sept 12-17 2021.  Join leading researchers, industry experts, and master gardeners from around the world. There will be six days of virtual networking, workshops, and education.  The VMGA is offering scholarships for this year's IMGC!  For information about the scholarship, please visit the VMGA website: https://vmga.net/wordpress/vmga-diane-relf-scholarship-guidelines/.  Contact Lisa Ellis for more nomination information 
 
 
(Page last updated: 5/18/2021 RF)
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