Mariposa County Master Gardeners presented a variety of annual awards December 13. Standing (from left) are Helen Willoughby-Peck and Elizabeth Gabriel, and (seated from left) Barbara Baptista, Marilou Ellis, and Holly Warner. Not all named in the ceremony were present.
Photo credit: Mariposa Master Gardeners

At the Mariposa Master Gardeners awards ceremony December 13, 2015 members were given recognition for hours of service, achievement and, in one case, longevity.

Holly Warner, who serves on the training and public workshops committees and coordinates activities with other agencies, was named Master Gardener of the Year.

Marilou Ellis, a founding Mariposa County Master Gardener in 1995, was presented with praise from the group's president and a proclamation from the county Board of Supervisors, read by Supervisor Rosemarie Smallcombe, a former Master Gardener.

Elna Philbert, a Master Gardener since 2005, received special recognition for all she has done, including handling publicity, serving on a variety of committees and her work at the county fair each year.

Each year, volunteer-hour milestones are announced.  Since 1995, the group has given more than 45,000 hours of service to the county, calculated at more than $1 million in value.  Each member must give 25 hours of service each year. Many exceed that.

Mileposts are: 150 hours, Ferol Conklin, Janette Gamble, Sherry Gorham and Char Horning; 250 hours, Nick Nasarow; 500 hours, Helen Bauman, Dinah Oppenheim and Judy Hardaway; 750, Holly Warner; and 1,000, Elizabeth Gabriel and Helen Willoughby-Peck.