This National Volunteer Week, VCE Loudoun expresses gratitude for the volunteers who serve Loudoun County as Master Gardeners, Master Food Volunteers and 4-H Volunteers. In 2022, over 500 VCE Loudoun volunteers contributed over 15,000 volunteer hours. Beyond the human impact, their efforts generated over $450,000 in value for Loudoun County.
Master Gardeners
Over 140 Loudoun County Master Gardeners provide Loudoun County residents with gardening and natural resource conservation expertise through their programs: Help Desk, Garden Clinics, Demonstration Garden, Healthy VA Lawns, Site Assessment, Children’s Education, Trainings, Lectures and Community Events.
This past year, VCE Loudoun Master Gardeners received five awards at the local, state and national level. The recognition included a resolution from the Virginia House of Delegates spotlighting the impact of the Master Gardeners’ Pond, Stream, and Site Assessment program. Also, the Demonstration Garden won a 2022 Signatures of Loudoun Design Excellence Award in the “Legends” category, having served Loudoun County over the past 30 years.
Master Food Volunteers
Established in 2018, the small but impactful group of six Loudoun County Master Food Volunteers teach healthy food skills with programs such as “Cooking on a Budget” and a “Cooking Challenge,” along with community outreach through programs such as the ‘Healthy Plate Club.” Last year, Master Food Volunteers partnered with organizations such as Loudoun Hunger Relief, Sterling Elementary School and Inova to teach people cooking skills, meal planning and healthy eating. Their efforts reached more than 800 Loudoun County residents.
4-H Volunteers
Over 380 Loudoun County 4-H Volunteers created experiences to promote youth development, offering a range of programs including 4-H Clubs, Embryology, 4-H Junior Camp and local competitions. The embryology program, in partnership with Loudoun County Public Schools, reached over 17,000 students and exposed students to the life cycle with cute chicks. 4-H Junior camp offered youth 9-13 a chance to challenge themselves and have fun, all while fostering leadership development in the teenage camp counselors. See 4-H youth in action at the Loudoun County Fair July 25 - 29, 2023, where they will compete for prizes and auction their animals.
For More Information
To learn more about VCE Loudoun Programs, visit Loudoun.gov/extension or e-mail Jess Yon.
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