I. President Bob Eister welcomed all and Mike Beaudis led us in the Pledge of Allegiance
a. Recording Secretaries – Marie Belfast & Kathy Costa
b. Committee Chairs for 2023 introduced themselves and some had announcements as follows:
· Bring One Take One – Cynthia B (not present)
· Canfield Fair – Jim Zeleznik announced an upcoming meeting on Tues, Feb. 14 at 5pm
· Community Outreach – Lois Martin – Uscanowski & Thresea Harris – This committee entails the Good Nature Garden Partners, Veggies and More Garden Tours, Fellows Riverside Garden Christmas tree decorating/display and other community outreach activities. Thresea announced she brought the ribbons used for decorating the Christmas tree at Fellows Gardens and told the MGVs to take some ribbons as they leave the meeting to remember those affected by breast cancer.
· Education – Stephanie Barkay & Marge Greenisen- Stephanie is our Vice President and plans our educational programs for our monthly MGV meetings. She encouraged us to look through our handbooks for specifics on the MGV yearly volunteer hour requirements and for new hour incentives. She also told us about the “Mornings with the Masters” program starting up. The first education session will be Starting Seeds on March 14th. Pam Baytos will be doing Garden Arts. Marge oversees the Smucker House events.
· Spring Workshop – Marianna Eister & Jim Merva
· Hospitality – Natalie Fraser & Peg Zeleznik
· Plant and Pest Clinic – David Sprague
· OSU Extension Grounds – Mike Beaudis announced that the next grounds meeting will be Feb.28 at 6pm.
· Veterans (Building and Wreaths) – Al Leonhart, Chester Kaschak & Mike Beaudis- This will be our 17th year in providing wreaths for veterans’ graves in December. Mike is asking us for suggestions for a new cemetery this year.
· Pollinator Gardens – Gail Siembida & Marilyn McKinley
II. MGV Officers Items
a. MGV Training 2023 Class – Kristen announced there are 8 enrolled in this year’s class which started Feb. 7.
b. Hospitality -Peg Zeleznik announced that we are in need of volunteers to provide snacks at our monthly meetings as well as breakfast and lunch for our Tuesday training sessions for the new MGV class. She advised that food is needed for 15-20 people for the training class, any MGVs in the office and our office staff. Please complete the necessary Online Occasional Quantity Cooks food certification training if you wish to cook food for these and any other MGV events. This certification must be renewed every 3 years. Peg requests that breakfast items for Tuesday classes be brought into the office by 8:15am and lunch food by 11:00am. Signup sheets were distributed for these activities. Another way to earn volunteer hours is to provide food (light breakfast) for our upcoming “Morning With The Masters” garden speaker series. These take place on the second Tuesdays of the month at 10:00am. Please bring baked goods/fruit for 20-30 people. The first two MGVs to volunteer for these event days will receive the worksheet free!
c. Garden Workshop Scheduled – (April 22 & 29) Marianna Eister announced there will be a meeting held the night of our next monthly meeting in March. She said for this year workers will move from place to place during event days. Marianna told us we will need more MGVs for set up because it will need to be done in 1 day. We will also need to put together the goody bags for those enrolled. If you have craft ideas for items to be sold please send them to Lil at the following address: lillian.quaranta@gmail.com Any items not sold at this event will be sold at the BOTO event. Jim Merva is working on advertising for this workshop, including flyers. He has contacted several Facebook groups. Jim also recommended that any MGVs on Facebook should share the garden workshop flyer. There are several great speakers and topics for these two days.
d. Mentoring Program – Bob encouraged us to come in and meet our new class members in training. Bob also told us there will be some changes and requirements to the mentoring program. Mentors will have the opportunity to meet with trainees. Mentees will be matched with a Mentor with similar interests. They will be placed on the same committee to work together. There will be a training meeting for those who volunteered to mentor on Monday, Feb.13 at 10:00am.
e. Exec Team Meeting – The Executive Team discussed the MGVs’ identified shortcomings and concerns in the MGV program. MGVs wanted more information on committee chairs and co-chairs of committees. Field trips are suspended because of lack of participation. Bob also recommended to limit committee meetings the day of our monthly meeting. Zoom could be used for committee meetings. Contact Kristen or Candace to set the zoom meeting up. Monthly birthdays will not be announced during the monthly meeting but will be included in our MGV Newsletter. Bob told us there will be changes to our monthly administrative meeting to try to keep the meeting to 30 minutes. Continuing Ed sessions will be recorded for later viewing.
f. Garden Art Monthly Series – Begins April 5 – See newsletter for info – We need volunteer help, so please signup.
g. Mornings with the Masters – Series Begins March 14 – See newsletter– We need volunteer help, so please signup.
h. Admin & Communications from OSU – Marilyn M & Pam B will continue to forward emails on training opportunities.
i. Bob also told the MGVs to make sure they read the important reminders on the back of each month’s agenda.
III. OSU Administrative Report – Eric & Kristen
a. Online Occasional Quantity Cooks must be completed before bringing or preparing food for groups. If a MGV wants to bring food but has not completed the OQC training, they can bring in packaged items they have purchased. Sealed packages of purchased food items can be donated by anyone and is also appreciated. The time to buy, prepare and bring food in count towards MGV volunteer hours.
b. 2023 contact list and committee lists are available and were distributed.
c. Review MGV Training Class Schedule – The class schedule is available and you call or email Kristen if you wish to attend any refresher classes or eat lunch with the new class.
d. Recordings will be done of our monthly CE.
e. Team is preparing Applications for MGV Awards (due in March).
Eric told us he needs more Vindicator articles.
After the meeting, Marie asked if we could invite people who might be interested in being a MGV to our monthly meeting. Bob discussed this with Eric and it was decided that interested people would be able to attend if the office and Bob were notified in advance of any visitors who would be attending the meeting. Bob announced this decision at the conclusion of the meeting.
Adjournment of Admin Meeting – Education Meeting followed. Kristen provided an informative meeting on the creation of the pollinator garden at the OSU extension.
Reminders:
· Mike B, chairman of the Veterans Committee, is asking for our members’ help in finding a new cemetery to place our wreaths on this year.
· The $10 yearly MGV dues are due by March 1st to the Office. This can be cash or check, please make checks payable to OSU Extension. These are required state dues.
· Office and Three Pollinator areas in Columbiana. Need volunteers
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Please read the newsletter- more prizes and information to follow
thank you