It is my pleasure to present Bill Rice with the 2010 Purdue Master Gardener Coordinator of the Year Award!
This is the 4th year for soliciting nominations from Master Gardeners around the state to recognize their local county coordinator. The criteria for nomination included communication skills, enthusiasm, leadership, ability to delegate, sensitivity to diverse needs, and encouragement of growth and continued participation.
It is always difficult to single out just one worthy candidate for recognition, as we have many very excellent coordinators on staff. But this year the Hamilton County Master Gardeners did a great job of organizing and writing their nominations!
Bill, your Master Gardeners just adore you! I want to share just a small sample of what they had to say; in fact they had so many wonderful quotes, it was really tough to pare them down to just this sampling.
- Bill has been unflagging in his support of the Master Gardener program over his 15 years in Hamilton County Extension.
- Bill’s door is always open to a Master Gardener or Intern with a question about whether an activity counts for volunteer hours or an idea for something new for the group to try.
- Bill allows us to grow in many directions but keeps us focused on the original Master Gardener purpose. He does this with a smile and sense of humor.
- Bill consistently provides information on educational opportunities within the state, nation, and global. He also gives input and suggestions for programs we may wish to consider as local events.
- Bill recognizes and supports the diversity of needs and interests of the Master Gardeners.
- Bill is a model of encouragement, support, and leadership for the HCMGA. He knows his business, loves to get his hands dirty and is completely committed.
- I honestly don’t know when he sleeps!
- Bill is a firm believer in the Master Gardener Program. He encourages us all to take advantage of the options we have available to us as well as looking for opportunities to stretch the organization. He is present at our meetings and actively engages those around him.
- Bill is exceptionally adept at leading a successful Master Gardener Program. He maintains an excellent balance of leading from in front, from behind, and from your shoulder.
- Bill diplomatically saw to the establishment and maintenance of a consistent government/committee structure for our local Master Gardener Association enabling us to grow from a group of about 35 in 1995 to almost 300 over 15 years with few pains.
- Bill constantly challenges us to further our education by promoting the “Growth Award”, a certificate for 15 hours of advanced education plus 100 hours of volunteer work in a year.
- Bill’s encouragement of continued participation, creativity, and personal growth shows in our high rate of member retention and in our 35+ active committees.
- Bill is not one that takes the spotlight – in fact he’d rather redirect it to others.
- With all of the other responsibilities Extension Agents have, I feel we are quite fortunate to have a person who is willing to “go the extra mile” to help us “go the extra mile” for our community.
- The previous recipients of the Coordinator of the Year award have well deserved their honor. However, none has been more unstinting with his support of and enthusiasm for the MG Program than Bill, who richly deserves to be the 2010 Purdue Master Gardener Coordinator of the Year!
Congratulations Bill on this well-deserved commendation from your dedicated force of volunteers!