Two Knox County Master Gardeners (KCMG) received annual awards in January for exceptional service.
Mike Smith, a master gardener since 2015, received the KCMG Meritorious Service Award. Smith is project leader of the Community Garden at Concord United Methodist Church. The garden regularly provides more than 10,000 pounds of organic produce annually to multiple area food pantries.
John Butler, a master gardener since 2010, received the Virginia Raskin Award for his length and breadth of service. The award was named after the first KCMG president. Butler routinely volunteers in excess of 100 hours at Knox County gardens and contributes to administrative tasks for the organization.
In addition, it was announced by Knox County Extension agent Rylan Thompson that the 201 KCMG members contributed more than 17,800 volunteer hours in Knox County gardens and projects during 2022.
Nancy Howell, is spokesperson for Knox County Master Gardeners