A Brief History of the Madison Area Master Gardener Association, 1986-2021
Ed Meachen
The Beginning, 1986-1994
Five years after UW-Extension began the Dane County’s master gardener certification program in 1981, a small group of certified master gardeners decided to create an association to better promote community service in horticultural projects and ongoing education. They met for the first time on February 18, 1986, and named themselves the Madison Area Master Gardeners Association.
Harry Galbraith, a 1981 MGV graduate, was the first president, Glen Ketchum the first vice president, Ann Storch the first treasurer, and Ann Munson, the first secretary. Ann Munson certified in 1981, the first year of the program in Dane County, and she remains a member of MAMGA in 2020. The first bylaws were drafted in February 1987. The dues were set at $5. By 1989 the Association had 36 paid members. WIMGA—the Wisconsin Master Gardeners Association was founded in 1992 and MAMGAraised dues to $6 in order to help fund WIMGA. All members of MAMGA thus became members of WIMGA as well and contributed $1 each to the statewide organization. Ann Munson became MAMGA’s first representative to WIMGA.
During the 1980s and 1990s the association grew very gradually with a new president every year between 1987 and 1992. Teri McCormick served as president for the next four years. Meetings were fairly informal and somewhat haphazard during these years. The only income for the association was the $5 membership fee, so income in 1989 of $180 didn’t go much further than purchasing refreshments. Still, the MAMGA membership had grown to 61 members in 1993, and by 1994 the association began to explore additional funding. They decided to sell coffee mugs with the master gardener logo at $7 each. Ann Munson began doing a simple “garden calendar” in 1990 with the support of James Schroeder, the Dane County Horticulturalist. Cost of the calendar was $1. A second calendar published in 1991 costs $2.
Years of Growth, 1995-2012
1995, the tenth year of the association, proved pivotal in MAMGA’s history. Jim Weber, a MAMGA member, suggested building on Ann Munson’s garden calendar project to create a more sophisticated garden journal that might be sold to members and to the public as a source of additional fundraising. President Teri McCormick (in her third term), Vice-President Kristi Seifert, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Rosanne Hill agreed. The journal’s contributors included Ann Munson, Teresa Countryman, Diane Hampel, and Margaret McEntire. Betsy True and Jim Weber illustrated this first garden journal. Weber’s garden journal initiated a number of decisions that would impact MAMGA for the next 25 years. Jim Weber became the editor. He turned out 300 copies for the 1996 gardening year. They were sold for $5 each. This was also the first year that all students in the Dane County MG program were required to be MAMGA members, a tradition that has continued to the present day. As a result of this decision the number of members increased from 61 to 98. With their additional funding the 1995 MAMGA board began a grants program. They gave $100 to the Dane County Community Action Committee and $250 to Olbrich. MAMGA’s grant program, begun in 1995, is now in its 25th year. During the early period of the Journals, Jim Bennett and Betsy True designed the eye-catching MAMGA logo. It first appeared in the 1999 Wisconsin Garden Journal, edited by Jim Bennett. The Journal also featured some incredible artwork, including very fine drawings of Trillium, Echinacea, Lobelia, and Irises by Margie Dougherty-Goodman, Jeanne McDonald, Joyce Carey, and Betsy True. Over the next nine years, through 2004, a small group of key board members guided the association through significant growth in both membership and fundraising. Jim Bennett, served for 4 years as president, and Jim Weber (the first editor of the Garden Journal) served as president the next 4 years. They also served separately and together as editors of the Garden Journal. Membership grew from 98 to 270 by 2003. Garden Journal publication grew from 300 in 1996 to 4500 in 2000. The publication numbers decreased thereafter to 2500 or fewer a year. As the Garden Journal project brought in thousands of dollars in excess of expenses, the board authorized thousands of grant dollars to many Dane County non-profits.
2003: MAMGA becomes an Independent Corporation
During Jim Weber’s third year as president, with the growth in income and membership, concerns about board and membership liability prompted the board to explore an application for non-profit corporation status. The board hired Michelle A. Behnke, a local lawyer to begin working to this end. She filed the paperwork on September 15, 2003, and the Association officially became a non-profit 501(c)(3). Under this designation MAMGA became a public charity, qualified to receive tax-deductible bequests and gifts.
Article 2 in the incorporation spelled out the “purpose” of the Association.
The purpose of this corporation shall be to provide opportunities to promote understanding of responsible gardening, to promote community service by the members through volunteer activities in Dane County and to promote the continuing education of members through horticultural education programs and association meetings and to do any and all activities which may be necessary, useful or advisable in the furtherance of the foregoing purpose, either directly or indirectly, either alone or in conjunction with others. This purpose is somewhat unusual in that there is no mention of the relationship between the association and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Unlike other Wisconsin Master Gardener Associations that specifically define their purposes as “…to provide horticultural education and experiences to supplement the educational program of the University of Wisconsin Extension, guided by U. W. Extension Agents” [Southeastern Wisconsin Master Gardeners Association, 2008], MAMGA clearly defined itself as a “standalone” association. By specifying that its members have to be graduates of a Master Gardener Volunteer program, it effectively became an alumni association.
The board rewrote its bylaws to comply with non-profit corporation rules, and purchased the first MAMGA insurance policy to indemnify the new corporation and its board. Board members at that time were Jim Weber, president, Sharon Royston, vice-president, Ann Munson, secretary, Chuck McEniry, treasurer, Jim Bennett, Connie Golden, Nancy Heiden, Heather Hilleren, Jane LaFlash, Jan Porath and Bob Bennin.
The Years of Grants
In the nine years between 1996 and 2004 MAMGA dispersed over $15,000 in grants to dozens of gardening and social causes. The first grant in 1996 was the acquisition of landscaping materials for Domestic Abuse Intervention. In 1997 MAMGA began its long history of providing funds as a sponsor for the annual Olbrich Home Garden tour. In 1999 the association funded five grants totaling $1450. These included $500 for the Madison Home Garden Project, $500 for the Madison Labyrinth Project, $600 for the Latham School Children’s garden, and $600 to Growing Power, Inc. In some years MAMGA gave totals over $3000 including $1000 to Dane County parks, $1000 to the Eagle Heights Community Garden, and $1000 to West Madison Ag Research Station.
In the following six years from 2004 to 2010 Linda Grosz continued the great work of Journal editing, producing about 2500 garden journals each year. Several other board members undertook the heavy lifting of selling the Journals at bookstores, garden clubs, farmers markets, and dozens of other venues. Grants continued at a high level but became somewhat less focused on local community and school gardens, and more on social services. In 2008, for example, grants went to Tellurian UCAN, an addiction center, and $500 grants to four Ecumenical Housing Corporation projects.
Between 2005 and 2013 MAMGA expended $53,403 on grants. Total grants in the years of garden journal publication exceeded $68, 000.
Programs and Garden Tours Through the Years
Among the many programs and garden tours hosted by MAMGA between 1998 and 2002, one of the most interesting events was the annual potluck held in December each year and featured speakers or MAMGA members showing off slides of their gardens. There was no formal graduation program during these years. The annual membership meetings were required by the bylaws to be held on the second Saturday in February. It wasn’t until 2013 that the bylaws were amended to provide more flexibility. The current bylaws require the annual membership meeting anytime between January and the end of April.
By far, the most frequent activities in the first twenty years involved garden tours. In 1999 MAMGA members took a bus trip to Minneapolis, a tour of county flowerbeds, a tour of butterfly gardens, and a tour of a children’s garden. MAMGA hosted the state garden conference. MAMGA began partnering with Hardy Plant Society to do tours of local and member gardens starting in 2002. There were numerous bus tours of gardens, including a tour to Seed Savers in Decorah, Iowa, and a tour of gardens in Monticello, New Glarus and Albany.
The 2006 Strategic Plan and the Garden Journal Years
The board took the opportunity of the twentieth anniversary of MAMGA to work on the Association’s first strategic plan. The 2006 strategic plan proposed three goals for MAMGA: 1) promotion of the Organization of Horticultural Volunteers as a Place to Receive Educational Opportunities; 2) Focus on Fundraising; 3) Improve communication. The strategic plan focused on community garden grants and internships for students with master gardeners. The Educational Committee sponsored two lecture programs, two garden tours, and the annual membership meeting. The MAMGA website had 6,300 visitors, but it was 2007 which saw the first real use of email to inform members about upcoming events. Even so, “excessive” email to members was discouraged.
At the 2005 membership meeting the board proposed an increase in dues to $10 beginning in 2006 (with an additional mandatory $5 WIMGA fee), the first increase since 1986. There were 415 members in 2006, a high point for the Association. This included 120 students. Of the 295 non-student members, only 157 certified in 2006. There were 11,254 volunteer hours, but 9,807 were “support services.” The Wisconsin Garden Journal, publishing its 12th edition, was still going strong. The 2012 edition involved the work of over 50 members. MAMGA members paid $10, WIMGA members, $12.50, Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society members, $12.95, and the general public, $13.95 for copies of the Journal. It cost $8.50 to produce the Journal. MAMGA realized a net increase of over $7,000 in its accounts in 2005. With the dues increase in 2006 and the sale of bulbs, MAMGA enjoyed a net income of $7,560. In addition it had $25,800 in its Summit Credit Union savings account.
In many ways, 2006 was the high point—as well as the turning point—for MAMGA. The Garden Journal continued its success for the next six years. In 2010 it netted $17,275. But the burden of editing and selling dominated the work of the board. In most years a significant percentage of journals went unsold. In 2008, 350 of the 2500 Journals produced remained unsold. The board tasked a new committee with selling the old journals for $10 and the new 2009 Journals for $14.95. Even before 2006 the struggle to sell the Journal dominated board minutes. Some of the proceeds went to MAMGA’s investment and savings account; the rest went into grants. About $700 went into education programs.
In the years between 2006 and 2012, the board began to realize the Garden Journal was not sustainable for many reasons. The Journal had become almost the raison d’etre of the Association, but it was a work requiring enormous energy at a time when so many things were going online. The Journal was the focus of the organization, rather than a simple fund raising mechanism to do good work. Connie Golden, the 2008 president, expressed it best in February 2008. She told the Executive Committee “MAMGA started out as a gardening group seeking more educational opportunities but has over time evolved into a non-profit organization.” In 2009 the new president, Mary Burke, and other board members, began to recognize the need to take a fresh look at the Journal and its future.
Still, as the income from the Journal continued to grow, MAMGA substantially increased its grants program. In 2011 MAMGA gave $4,758 to six community gardens and another $2500 for five “partnership” grants. These five grants, $500 to Olbrich Garden to support its home garden tours, $500 to the Dane County Extension Teaching Garden, $500 to Allen Centennial Garden, $500 to the UW West Ag Research Display Gardens, and $500 to the UW Arboretum, became annual grants for the next five years.
MAMGA also hosted the statewide WIMGA conference in 2000, 2011 and 2014.
2013: The End of the Garden Journal
In 2012, in her third term as president, Burke suggested a committee be appointed to address the question: “should the journal be discontinued?” Ironically, this was the same year that MAMGA allotted $5,000 for grants. Under Catherine Murray’s presidency in 2013, the Garden Journal Committee began its work. Mindy Habecker, UW-Extension, facilitated the committee whose members included Bonnie Berg, Jan Blakeslee, Stephanie Bloomquist, John Cannon, Percy Mather, Mary Polancih, Cheri Schweitzer, and Dana Warren.
The Garden Journal Committee presented its report on October 17, 2013. The eight members suggested that the continuation of the Garden Journal would require a good editorial team and a good marketing team. The editor would need to be salaried. The committee realized that going down this path would take MAMGA outside its mission and goals and make it a completely different organization. The Committee “did not conclude with a formal recommendation to the Board….the general sentiment was that MAMGA should refocus on member services, promoting gardening, and encouraging connection among members.”
Upon receipt of the Committee’s report, the board voted to end the publication of the Garden Journal. With that, a major MAMGA era ended. But thanks to the hard work of people like Linda Grosz, Jim Weber, Jim Bennett, and many others the Garden Journal assured MAMGA’s future by providing a reserve fund that would allow plenty of time for the association to decide upon a new direction.
A New Direction, 2014-2020
At the end of 2013 MAMGA had assets in its money market and 24 month certificates of deposit of $47,000, but with the termination of the Garden Journal, the end of the bulb sales project, the continuation of $4,000 in yearly grants, and annual membership dues at a modest $10 per person, expenses exceeded revenues in 2014 and 2015 by over $9,000.
A group of six 2013 MGV graduates came on the eleven member board in 2014 with no prior experience in MAMGA, joining a board with only three members who had served more than two years. In early 2015 this novice board under the leadership of the new president, Ed Meachen, agreed to undertake a comprehensive yearlong strategic planning effort to clarify MAMGA’s mission and goals in the post-Garden Journal future.
The board launched the planning process at its March 2, 2015 meeting, voting to commit funds and effort with the goal of delivering a plan to members for approval at the annual meeting on March 12, 2016. A committee was appointed, and hired a planning manager and facilitator. Once again, Mindy Habecker served as facilitator. The committee appointed by the board, included president Ed Meachen, former president Catherine Murray, secretary Percy Mather, treasurer Cathy Cryor-Burgweger, Dennis Tande, Dana Warren, and Lisa Johnson. Over the course of the year, the committee surveyed all its stakeholders, including the current membership, the public garden grant partners, and the vendors who provide garden discounts to members. The committee gathered historical documents from 1986 to the present, including budgets and bylaws. A focus group of former board members provided their advice and perspective about the association’s future. Finally, the committee invited the 12 board members as well as seven current MAMGA members to a full day planning retreat on October 24, 2015.
The retreat participants identified eight strategic initiatives and draft action plans. The board approved the strategic initiatives at the November 2015 meeting. The result was Footsteps to Our Future, a Five-Year Plan for the Madison Area Master Gardeners Association 2016-2020. The plan was approved by the members at the March 12th annual meeting.
Although the board tackled all eight initiatives, they focused most of their time on three: bringing the budget into balance, promoting education, and encouraging interaction among members who scarcely knew each other. Volunteerism and support for UW-Extension’s role in promoting horticultural education in the community undergirded all these initiatives. The new strategic plan circled back to the roots of MAMGA in the 1980s—education and social interaction among master gardener volunteers.
The MAMGA Program Committee, however, forged a new path. Beginning in 2015, as the board and other members began working on the strategic plan, an invigorated and creative Program Committee put together six educational programs, a substantial increase over the previous year. They also launched Green Thumb Tuesday, a luncheon social where MAMGA members met and talked about gardening while getting to know each other. In the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s MAMGA’s Education Committee consisted of three board members. They usually planned the annual meeting, two or three educational programs, and many ambitious garden tours. In 2014-15 a board member chaired the committee, but an open invitation to members garnered over a dozen active members. The year the membership approved the strategic plan, 2016, the Program Committee sponsored 12 programs.
The Program Committee has played a pivotal role for MAMGA in the period from 2016 to 2023, preparing enough education programs to meet members recertification continuing education needs each year. Under the leadership of Cheri Schweitzer, Barb Klasinski, Ed Meachen, and Deb Pienkowski It sponsored half-day symposia on school gardens, community gardens and urban gardens.
The strategic plan called for a balanced budget. The board achieved that goal in 2016 by cutting some partnership garden grants and increasing membership dues to $25. The board continued to provide grants, but on a smaller scale to support community and school gardens.
With a balanced budget, a very active educational program array, and a vibrant social and grant outreach effort, MAMGA has built a more sustainable association focusing on member interests and more active support of UW-Extension’s horticultural needs. But the future will require agility and creativity as the association meets new challenges. Membership decreased in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 as the number of graduating students declined due to cuts in funding for Extension. The relationship of the association with the Extension Master Gardener Program became more complicated with respect to the issue of MGV annual recertification. Despite Board efforts to encourage MGV recertification, 15% of MAMGA members do not recertify every year.
Annus Horribilis 2020
2020 was the fifth and final year of the strategic plan. It proved to be another pivotal year for the Association. The worldwide COVID 19 pandemic beginning in March altered most of MAMGA’s goals. Many of the educational programs had to be canceled, volunteering was suspended, and the remaining programs moved online as virtual education replaced face-to-face education.
During the same period the re-incorporation of UW-Extension into UW-Madison resulted in substantial changes to the Master Gardener program. UW-Madison, Division of Extension eliminated the requirement of a seven month classroom education followed by an examination to gain certification. Consequently, there would no longer be any students in the program. Many short courses are still offered by Extension educators, but they are not required to achieve certification
Certification is now exclusively by “Onboarding,” which includes an examination, criminal background checks, and a short course in the do’s and don’ts of volunteering. Elimination of the student component of MAMGA membership, which had been an important component of MAMGA since 1996, continued to reduce the number of MAMGA members. In addition, all the Wisconsin master gardener associations were “divorced” from UW-Madison Division of Extension, and became standalone entities. This included WIMGA, the statewide master gardener association, which lost its direct affiliation with Extension.
A Note on Bylaws
The bylaws governing MAMGA changed substantially in 2003 when MAMGA became a corporation under the federal rules governing non-profit organizations (501.c.3). Between 1986 and 1999 MAMGA was governed by a group of “officers.” There was a president, a vice-president, a secretary and a treasurer. Even before becoming a non-profit corporation, and perhaps in preparation for it, MAMGA adopted an eleven member board in 2000. In 2004 it followed federal guidelines and created a set of bylaws that more closely defined members, meetings, rules governing the board of directors, committees, officers, contracts, loans, financial instruments, and indemnification of officers. MAMGA also filed for and obtained a state tax exemption in 2008.
The structure of the bylaws has not changed since 2004, but many bylaw articles have been amended over time. It is the board’s responsibility to consider amendments to the bylaws each year, and if amendments are proposed, they are brought to the members at the annual meeting for a vote. The bylaws have had some amendments nearly every year since 2016. In addition, the bylaws require a vote by membership at the annual meeting for election of board members and changes to membership dues.
Board Members (1986 to 2022)
The first meeting of the Madison Area Master Gardeners was called on February 18, 1986. Officers: President Harry Galbraith, Vice President Glenn Ketchum, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Ann Storch. Dues were set at $5.00.
1987 Officers: President, Carol Mathis, Vice President Glenn Ketchum, Secretary Diane McCallum, and Treasurer Ann Storch. The first By-Laws were adopted in Feb. 1987.
1988 Officers: President Glenn Ketchum, Vice President Diane McCallum, Secretary Mary Ann Diefenthaler, and Treasurer Ann Storch.
1989 Officers: President Diane McCallum, Vice President Harry Galbraith, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Debbie Cravens. 36 paid members.
1990 Officers: President Harry Galbraith, Vice President Ken Schumacher, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Rosanne Hill.
1991 Officers: President Ken Schumacher, Vice President Sherry Golz-Waldhart, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Rosanne Hill.
1992 Officers: President Werner Doering, Vice President Teri McCormick, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Rosanne Hill. WIMGA Board Representative: Ann Munson. 36 paid members of Madison Area Master Gardeners. Dues were raised to $6.00 per year so $1.00 could be sent to Wisconsin Master Gardener Association.
1993 Officers: President Teri McCormick, Vice President Cathy Brue, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Rosanne Hill. WIMGA Board Representative: Ann Munson. 61 paid members of Madison Area Master Gardeners.
1994 Officers: President Teri McCormick, Vice President Cathy Brue, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Rosanne Hill. WIMGA Board Representative: Ann Munson. Fundraising items: Coffee mug with WI MG logo $7.00. 61 paid members of Madison Area Master Gardeners.
1995 Officers: President Teri McCormick, Vice President Kristi Seifert, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Rosanne Hill. WIMGA Board Representative Ann Munson. 98 paid members of Madison Area Master Gardeners. Fundraising items: Coffee mugs and T-shirts with MG logo. All enrolling students in Dane Co. Master Gardener program required to become members of Madison Area Master Gardeners. 1996 Wisconsin Garden Journal 300 printed and sold at $5.00 each. Editor Jim Weber. Grants: $100 CAC, $250 Olbrich Gardens. Total: $350.
1996 Officers: President Teri McCormick, Vice President Kristi Seifert, Treasurer Rosanne Hill, and Secretary Ann Munson. WIMGA Board Representative Ann Munson. 109 paid members of Madison Area Master Gardeners. 1997 Wisconsin Garden Journal 500 printed and sold at $6.95 each. Editor: Jim Weber. Grants: $253.35 Domestic Abuse Intervention landscaping materials. Total: $253.35.
1997 Officers: President Jim Bennett, Vice President Kristi Seifert, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Rosanne Hill. WIMGA Board Representative Ann Munson. 122 paid members of Madison Area Master Gardeners. 1998 Wisconsin Garden Journal 1200 printed and sold at $7.95 each. Editor Jan Kinar. Grants: $250 Olbrich Sponsor Home Garden Tour. Total: $250
1998 Officers: President Jim Bennett, Vice President Kristi Seifert, Secretary Ann Munson and Treasurer Ann Munson. WIMGA Board Representative Ann Munson. 144 paid members of Madison Area Master Gardeners. 1999 Wisconsin Garden Journal 1200 printed and sold at $8.95 each. Editor: Jim Bennett. Grants: $250 Olbrich Garver property acquisition, $500 CAC block grant. Total: $750.
1999 Officers: President Jim Bennett, Vice President Jim Weber, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Jim Bennett. WIMGA Board Representative Ann Munson. 2000 Wisconsin Garden Journal 1300 printed and sold at $9.95 each. Co-Editors: Jim Bennett and Jim Weber. Grants: $500 Madison Home Garden Project, $500 Madison City Park Labyrinth project, $600 Latham School Children’s garden, $600 Growing Power, Inc., $250 Olbrich. Total: $2450.
2000 Officers: President Jim Bennett, Vice President Jim Weber, Secretary Ann Munson, Treasurer Debbie Jacobs and Jim Weber. Members: Sally Averkamp, Sarah Brooks, Jeffrey Froh, Jan Kinar, Liz Koerner, Jane LaFlash, and Kristi Seifert. WIMGA Board Representative Debbie Jacobs. 159 paid members of MAMGA, dues were raised to $8.00 so $3.00 could be sent to WIMGA. 2001 Wisconsin Garden Journal 4500 printed and sold at $12.95 each, distributed by Wisconsin Trails Media Group, Editor Lisa Checkai. Grants: $750 Madison Home Garden Project, $1000 Dane Co. Parks tree funding, $1000 Eagle Heights Community Garden, $400 Hoyt Park landscaping materials. Total $3,150.
2001 Officers: President Jim Weber, Vice President Jan Kinar, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Lynn Fornter. Members: Jim Bennett, Sarah Brooks, Debbie Jacobs, Randy Harrison, Liz Koerner, Jane LaFlash, and Kristi Seifert. WIMGA Board Representative Debbie Jacobs. Dues raised to $10 due to $5.00 sent to WIMGA. 2002 Wisconsin Garden Journal 1500 printed by MAMGA, not Wisconsin Trails Media Group. Grants: $1000 West Madison Ag Station children’s gardens, $750 Madison Home Garden project. Total: $1,750.
2002 Officers: President Jim Weber, Vice President Jan Kinar, Secretary Leslie Schenk and Treasurer Lynn Fortner. Members: Jim Bennett, Randy Harrison, Jane LaFlash, Nancy Heiden, Heather Hilleren, and Sharon Royston. WIMGA Representative Debbie Jacobs and Sharon Royston. Grants: $500 Community Action Coalition for Urban Garden Development, $500 to West Madison Agricultural Station to help finance school projects, $500 to the Edible Schoolyard Initiative, $400 to Project 2000, a Sun Prairie natural area development, and $100 to MSCR Pontoon program which beautified boat launch sites in the city of Madison. Total Grants: $1,500. Printed 1200 Wisconsin Garden Journals.
2003 Officers: President Jim Weber, Vice President Sharon Royston, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Chuck McEniry. WIMGA Board Representative Sharon Royston. Members: Jim Bennett, Connie Golden, Nancy Heiden, Heather Hilleren, Jane LaFlash, Jan Porath, and alternate Bob Bennin. In 2003 we gave grants of $550 to West Madison Ag Station, $550 to Walden Homes, $200 to Sun Prairie Project 2000, $500 to Edible Schoolyard Initiative, $200 to Oregon Library Garden. Total grants: $2,000. 270 paid members as of 3-24-03.
2004 Officers: President Jim Weber, Vice President Sharon Royston, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Renee Alswager-Klein. Board members: Jane LaFlash, Connie Golden, Heather Hilleren, Linda Grosz. WIMGA Board Representatives Ann Munson and Sharon Royston.
2005 Officers: President Connie Golden, Vice President Heather Hilleren, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Renee Alswager-Klein. Board Members: Karen DeLaitsch, Jeanette Golden, Linda Marx Renee Mabry, Pat Greathead. WIMGA Board Representative Jillene Fisch. Garden Journal Editor Linda Grosz.
2006 Officers: President Connie Golden, Vice President Sue Carlson, Secretary Ann Munson, and Treasurer Pat Greathead. Board Members: Karen DeLaitsch, Bonnie Berg, Linda Marx, John Werblow, Renee Mabry, Sandy Krentz. WIMGA Board Representative Jillene Fisch. Garden Journal editor Linda Grosz.
2007 Officers: President Connie Golden, Vice President Sue Carlson, Secretary Pat Benz Suick, Treasurer Greg Thomson. Board Members: Bonnie Berg, John Werblow, Sue Christoffersen, Judy Metz, Neon Ringwood, Suzanne Rieder. WIMGA Representative: Jillene Fisch. Garden Journal editor Linda Grosz. Grants: $750 Dane County, $200 Middleton YMCA, $750 Quam, $1000 Olbrich, $300 Tellurian. Total: $3,000. Printed 2500 Garden Journals.
2008 Officers: President Sue Christoffersen, Vice President Suzanne Rieder, Secretary Pat Benz Suick, Treasurer Cathy Cryor Burgweger. Board Members: Connie Golden, Judy Metz, Neon Ringwood, Suzanne Rieder, Molly Crossen, Larry Jensen, Andy Justus. WIMGA Board Representative Molly Crossen. Garden Journal editor Linda Grosz. Grants: $600 St. Stephens Church, $500, Tellurian UCAN, $500 Ecumenical Housing Corporation-Dempsey Manor Apartments, $500 Ecumenical Housing Corporation-Taylor Ridge Apartments, $500 Ecumenical Housing Corporation-Meadow Grove Apartments, $700 Ecumenical Housing Corporation-Monona Meadows. Total grants: $3,300. Printed 2500 Garden Journals
2009 Officers: President: Sue Christoffersen, Vice President: Cindy Strohm [?], Secretary: Sue Carlson [?], Treasurer: Cathy Cryor Burgweger. Board Members: Mary Burke, Judy Metz (alternate), Randy Glysch, Molly Crossen, Larry Jensen, Andy Justus. WIMGA Board Representative: Molly Crossen. Garden Journal editor: Linda Grosz. Grants: $500 St. Stevens Church Community Garden, $575 Dane County Juvenile Shelter, $400 Glacial Drumlin School Garden, $700 WI Youth Company, $350 Monona Public Library, $500 Monona United Methodist Church. Total grants: $3,025.
2010 Officers: President: Mary Burke, Vice-President, Cindy Strom, Treasurer, Molly Crossen, Secretary, Randy Glysch. Board Members: Sue Christoffersen, Molly Crossen, Luba Konowalsky, Pat Benz Suick, Patty Zehl, Kristen Sobol. Ann Munson, Cathy Cryor Burgweger, Lisa Johnson (ex officio). 464 members as of February 2010. Sold 2100 garden journals.
2011 Officers: President: Mary Burke, Vice President: Ann Munson, Treasurer: Cathy Cryor Burgweger, Secretary: Kristin Sobol. Board Members: Randy Glysch, Kate Kemper, Aleta Murray, Catherine Murray, Patty Zehl, Paula Lenius (Alternate). E-News Editor: Joan Fitzgerald. Jeannie Manis, Webmaster. 425 members in 2011.
2012 Officers: President: Mary Burke, Vice President: Ann Munson, Treasurer: Cathy Cryor Burgweger, Secretary: Kristin Sobol. Board Members: Randy Glysch, Kate Kemper, Aleta Murray, Catherine Murray, Paula Lenius, Jeannie Manis, Anne Rodgers-Rhyme (Alternate). E-News Editor: Joan Fitzgerald. Jeannie Manis, Webmaster.423 members in 2012.
2013 Officers. President: Catherine Murray, Vice President: Cheri Schweitzer, Treasurer: Cathy Cryor Burgweger, Secretary: Mary Burke. Aleta Murray: WIMGA Rep. Board members: Steve Hoffland, Paula Lenius, Anne Rodgers-Rhyme, Dana Warren. E-News Editor: Joan Fitzgerald. 434 members in 201
2014 Officers: President: Ed Meachen, Vice President: vacant, Treasurer: Cathy Cryor Burgweger, Secretary: Percy Mather, WIMGA Rep: Aleta Murray . Board Members: Steve Hoffland, Jon Daugherity, Dana Warren, Dennis Tande, Bonnie Mitchell, Lori Nelson (Alternate) Catherine Murray resigned as president in October 2014. Ed Meachen was Vice President from March 2014 to October 2014. E-News Editor: Joan Fitzgerald.
414 members in 2014
2015 Officers: President: Ed Meachen, Vice President: Lori Nelson, Secretary: Percy Mather, Treasurer: Cathy Cryor Burgweger, Co-Treasurer: Art De Smet, WIMGA Rep: Dennis Tande, Board Members: Jon Daugherity, Steve Hoffland, Bonnie Mitchell, Jim Scorgie, Dana Warren. E-News Editor: Joan Fitzgerald. 393 members in 2015
2016 Officers: President: Ed Meachen, Vice President: Lori Nelson, Secretary: Dennis Tande, Treasurer: Art De Smet, WIMGA Rep.: Dennis Tande. Board Members: Dana Warren, Jim Scorgie, Deb Pienkowski, Bonnie Mitchell, Sally Kefer, Laura Jirsa Dille, Steve Hoffland. E-News Editor: Percy Mather. 362 members in 2016
2017 Officers: President: Ed Meachen, Vice President: Lori Nelson, Secretary: Dennis Tande, Treasurer: Art De Smet, WIMGA Rep: Deb Pienkowski. Board Members: Laura Jirsa Dille, Sally Kefer, Percy Mather, Bonnie Mitchell, Diane Tabak, Dana Warren. E-News Editor: Percy Mather. 343 members in 2017
2018 Officers: President: Ed Meachen, Vice President: Lori Nelson, Secretary: Dennis Tande, Treasurer: Art De Smet, WIMGA Rep: vacant. Board Members: Sally Kefer, Bonnie Mitchell, Diane Tabak, Judi Janowski, Victoria Robertson, Percy Mather, Dana Warren. E-News Editor: Percy Mather. 321 members in 2018
2019 Officers: President: Ed Meachen, Vice President: Bonnie Mitchell, Secretary: Dennis Tande, Treasurer: Art De Smet, WIMGA Rep: B’Ann Gabelt. Board Members: Mary Collet, Judi Janowski, Sally Kefer, Luke Martz, Percy Mather, Victoria Robertson. E-News Editor: Percy Mather. 328 members in 2019
2020 Officers: President Ed Meachen, Vice President: Judi Janowski, Secretary: Dennis Tande, Treasurer: Art De Smet; WIMGA Rep: B’Ann Gabelt, Board Members: Mary Collet, Sally Kefer, Dana Warren, Percy Mather, Victoria Robertson, Luke Martz (resigned Jan. 2020—replaced by Bonnie Mitchell). E-News Editor: Percy Mather. 328 members in 2020
2021 Officers: President Ed Meachen, Vice President: Judi Janowski, Secretary: Dennis Tande, Treasurer: Art De Smet; WIMGA Rep: B’Ann Gabelt, Board Members: Mary Collet, Sally Kefer, Percy Mather, Karen Allenstein, Victoria Robertson, Dana Warren. E-News Editor: Percy Mather. 300 members in 2021
2022 Officers: President Ed Meachen, Vice President: Judi Janowski, Secretary: Dennis Tande, Treasurer: Art De Smet, WIMGA Rep: B’Ann Gabelt, Board Members: Karen Allenstein, Eugenia Beecher, Percy Mather, Barbara Park, Carol Troyer-Shank, Mary Collet. E-News Editor: Percy Mather. 305 Members in 2022
2023 Officers: President: Ed Meachen, Vice President: Judi Janowski, Secretary: Dennis Tande, Treasurer: Mary Davidson, WIMGA Rep: B’Ann Gabelt, Board Members: Karen Allenstein, Alyska Bailey, Emigh Cannaday (term finished by Art De Smet), Nancy Kieraldo, Barbara Park, Carol Troyer-Shank. E-News Editor: Percy Mather.