Congratulations to Brigid Oman for being selected as Bexar County Master Gardener (BCMG) of the Year. It is an honor to be recognized by your peers for your work and dedication to the mission of the Bexar County Master Gardeners. It is an even higher honor to be recognized as Master Gardener of the Year.
Every quarter of the year, the BCMG board selects a Master Gardener who has made significant contributions to our mission, someone who exemplifies what it means to be a Bexar County Master Gardener. The names of qualified BCMGs are suggested by board members, and their involvement in the organization is carefully and confidentially considered. After some deliberation, a candidate is selected, their name is announced, and a brief bio is printed in the Scion.
At the end of the year, one of these candidates is selected as Bexar County Master Gardener of the Year. The BCMG’s name, along with a more comprehensive bio, is then sent to the state awards committee for consideration as State Master Gardener of the Year.
At the state level, the various Master Gardener Associations are grouped by size. The Bexar County Master Gardener association falls into the Magnolia category, as our membership is just below 200. The entire Texas Master Gardener Association has approximately 6,300 members.
MG of the Year nominees are grouped into the designated association categories, and the names are sent to three out-of-state judges who independently read and rate each association’s Master Gardener of the Year nominee. The three nominees with the highest scores are recognized at the state convention as Master Gardner of the Year- 1st place, 2nd place, and 3rd place.
In Bexar County three BCMGs have been recognized as 1st Place State Master Gardener of the Year: Lou Kellogg, Lynn Cox, and Grace Emery. Bexar County also has two BCMGs who have received the 2nd place State Master Gardner of the Year award: Bill Swantner and Liana Benavides.