Volunteers are the lifeblood for Extension programs such as 4-H and Master Gardener. The recipient of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Extension Volunteer goes to Beatrice Sailer, Master Gardener volunteer.
In 1997, the Urban Garden Center (UGC) on Oʻahu was blessed to have the recently retired science teacher from Mid-Pacific Institute become a UGC volunteer. Bea is a volunteer leader with a persistently positive attitude about UGC and CTAHR’s mission and policies. She uses her career training as a teacher and her creativity in her volunteer endeavors. She has long been the charismatic leader of a volunteer group called the ‘Sprouts’ that focuses on plant propagation techniques and promoting the use of research-based horticulture and learning activities, particularly for children. Here are just a few examples of the impact Bea has made as an Extension volunteer. From September 2008 to March 2020, Bea led:
- 238 school groups, Kindergarten to 3rd grade, of 10,400 students and 2,170 teachers and parent chaperones
- 56 groups of 885 senior citizens and other adults.
- For 19 years between January 2000 and November 2018, Bea led cadres of Sprouts, a weekly group of volunteers, who provided nursery support for the propagation of approximately 50,000 trees.
Bea Sailer also matches the impact of her volunteer efforts with a positive attitude and skill of working effectively with people that make her a valuable member of the CTAHR Extension ʻohana. It is with a heartfelt and grateful Mahalo that we express our appreciation for volunteer service, above and beyond the call of duty, to Beatrice Sailer.