The 2013 WSU-MGFWS Advanced Education Conference is Now Open for Registration.
“40 Years of Growing…Together”
Registration is now open for the 2013 WSU Master Gardener Advanced-Education Conference to be held at the Edward D Hansen Conference Center at Comcast Arena in Everett, Washington.
Find all the information you need to register and make lodging arrangements at www.wa-mg-conf.org.
The tours come first, held on Wednesday, September 25th. This year you may attend two of the three being offered if you wish, with the WSU Mt. Vernon Research Center and Hibulb Cutural Center & Natural History Preserve leaving at noon, and Chihuly Garden and Glass departing at 4:30 (the garden glass is spectacular at night!).
The educational portion of the conference follows on September 26, 27 and 28, 2013. The Program Committee already anticipates your happy frustration at having 40 exceptional classes to choose from this year! Not only have we engaged the top experts on many new, advanced topics, but have invited panelists to discuss current issues and offer two walking classes to diversify your learning.
Thursday night is the 40th Anniversary Celebration Party highlighting the 2013 “Sharing Success” exhibits, a gallery walk with delicious appetizers hosted by Jane Billinghurst, 2012 State MG of the Year and Chair of Sharing Success.
On Friday morning, see the MG Program come to life with Sharon Collman and Tonie Fitzgerald, looking (laughing?) at pictures and sharing stories from the first 40 years and perspectives for the next 40 going forward.
Friday evening includes the MGFWS Awards Ceremony and Northwest gardening icon Ed Hume speaking on how Master Gardening goes well beyond the program itself.
Master Gardeners from across our state share a love of lifelong learning about gardening and this Conference celebrates our shared passion! So get started!
Log on to www.wa-mg-conf.org to see what’s in store, find your lodging and get registered for September.
Patty Kerston and Dianne Elledge, Co-Chairs 2013 Master Gardener Advanced-Education Conference
Chris Bailey, President Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State
Tonie Fitzgerald, Program Leader WSU Master Gardener Program
The Sharing Success Gallery Walk
The Sharing Success Gallery Walk will be held at the Master Gardener Advanced Education Conference in Everett, Washington, September 26-28, 2013
This year, we are going to do something a little different, and we’d like as many of you to be involved as possible. “Searching for Success” is now “Sharing Success”, and displays will be showcased as part of the official conference program in a Gallery Walk on Thursday evening from 5:15 to 7:15 pm.
All conference attendees will be invited to browse the displays, fill out comment cards, and place stickers on displays they’ve visited as they sip wine and snack on hors d’oeuvres. We encourage you to bring displays used for public-outreach events and also displays or outreach materials that explain particular gardening techniques developed by or events supported by Master Gardeners in your program. For instance, a particular propagating technique, fun kids’ activities, or creative garden structures. In a word, ideas you’d like to share with your fellow MGs — great or small, program-wide or from individual MGs.
As the evening progresses, veteran WSU Extension Educator Sharon Collman will say a few words about the history of outreach and the sharing of ideas in the Master Gardener program, and Skagit County Master Gardener Jane Billinghurst will share ideas, thoughts, and comments contributed by conference attendees as they visit the displays.
This is a great opportunity for us all to learn from each other, and we hope you will want to be part of this celebratory event.
Please pass this invitation along to all Master Gardeners in your program who have something they’d like to share.
When: Thursday, September 26, 5:15 to 7:15 pm (Set-up: 5:00 to 5:15 / Tear-down: 7:15 to 7:30)
Participants to provide: Display materials, someone to answer questions about the materials from 5:15 to 6:00 pm, and someone for set-up at 5:00 pm and tear-down at 7:15 pm (15 min each)
Provided: Tables, electrical hook-up if required, wi-fi access, index cards for people to note down what they found interesting or things they learned from the exhibit or from talking with the exhibitor, stickers for people to place on displays they found inspirational, for fun or interesting facts learned, and for displays providing information they can take back and use in their home garden or incorporate into their MG outreach.
Displays: Panel displays, hands-on activities, examples of interactive quizzes, flash cards, signs, brochures, and more.
Contact: Please email jane.billinghurst@gmail.com about the content of your display, how many tables or partial tables you require, and if you need an electrical connection, or if you need more information.
Deadline: August 15, 2013
Submit News of Statewide Interest by email to: webmaster.mgfws@wsu.edu