Sigma sisters install new officers
Sigma, a social and service sorority, is part of Beta Sigma Phi, an international organization dedicated to life, learning and friendship.
The group’s spring activities included installing new officers for 2013-14 and selecting the Woman of the Year. New officers are Kathy Tucker, corresponding secretary; Jean Smith, president; Ella Wade, treasurer; Martha Poythress, vice president; Norris King, advisor; and Alice Bruton, secretary.
At the Founder’s Day celebration held earlier this spring, Poythress was selected Woman of the Year and presented the Circle Pin by Ramona Kirkman, last year’s winner.
Gardening Guru: Master Gardener training class begins
Are you a garden enthusiast? Do you want to learn more about botany, insects, soil, composting, pruning, turf grass, propagation, pesticides and fruit trees? Would you like to share your knowledge with others in the community?
If you answered yes, then consider becoming an Extension Master Gardener. These volunteers have an interest in gardening and want to share with others through the Lenoir County Cooperative Extension.
The Extension’s next training class will begin in September, meeting weekly at the Extension office, 1791Highway 11/55, just south of Kinston. Preregistration is required and information is available at 252-527-2191 or Peg_Godwin@ncsu.edu.
The training will consist of 45 hours of class time, including tours to Raleigh to see the NCDA Soil and Solution Lab, Plant Disease and Insect Clinic at N.C. State University and the JC Raulston Arboretum. The program’s mission is to train volunteers to develop and deliver consumer horticultural programs that meet the needs of county residents.
Upon completion of training, the volunteers participate for one year in various community activities to “pay back” their training hours. Many volunteers continue to give of their time and talents in the program after the initial year.
The Master Gardener program is designed to fit the volunteer’s interests with time and needs of the community. The volunteers have a wide range of opportunities to work in consumer horticulture. They assist with plant clinics at the Extension office, telephone questions, community teaching gardens and exhibit development, just to name a few.
North Carolinabegan the Master Gardener Volunteer program in 1972. It has rapidly grown, training thousands of volunteers to meet the increasing requests from this state’s gardeners. The key to a successful Master Gardener program is the trained volunteer. The entire concept is based on volunteers willing to share their knowledge and time with others to improve the quality of peoples’ lives.
Peg Godwin is horticulture agent, Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Center. Reach her at Peg_Godwin@ncsu.edu or 252-527-2191.