BCMG Teams & Committees
A team is for projects/programs that run all year long.
A committee is for one-time events.
Members can access the phone and email addresses for all leads in the VMS General Roster.
Click here to watch an explanation video! (October 2022)
Ask a Master Gardener Team
Co-Leads: Butch Lee & Linda Milikien
Team members provide free horticulture information, resources, educational opportunities, and respond to questions related to horticulture and gardening to the general public at events throughout Bexar County. The Sub Teams promote the use of Texas Superstar and native plants, Earth Kind horticulture principles, and water conservation strategies. Additionally, the Sub Teams also increase the public’s knowledge and awareness of BCMG and the AgriLife Extension mission to provide unbiased, research-based, locally-relevant gardening education to the community.
Sub Team – Green Thumb Team
Lead: Linda Milikien
The Green Thumb Team focuses on general public events.
Sub Team – Red White, and Blue Team
Lead: Butch Lee
The Red, White and Blue Team focuses on the Military community of active duty, veterans, and dependents. These events are often held on military bases.
Awards Committee
Lead: Judy Warren
The mission of the BCMG Awards Committee is to annually identify and describe the outstanding BCMG people, projects, programs, research and association to submit by the specified deadline to the Texas Master Gardener Association Search for Excellence Awards Program.
Cashier Team
Lead: Maria Salvatierra
[Description Coming]Communications Team (CommTeam)
Lead: Ann Marie Pease
The Communications Team coordinates both the internal communications (within the membership) as well as the external communication (to the community).
Sub Team – Facebook Team
Leads: Jodi Perez & Rhonda Bell
Facebook Team Members enhance our online presence and foster a sense of community among gardening enthusiasts with trusted advice from a respected recognized organization. All team members should have access to computer equipment and the necessary skills to support the efforts and responsibilities of the Facebook Team. The primary responsibilities include: content creation; editorial calendar; strategy meetings; design excellence; engagement; analytics and insights; and recruitment. Details are provided in this .pdf file also located in the “File Cabinet” on our website.
Sub Team – Leaflet Team
Leads: Nora Fellows & Peggy Qualls
The Leaflet is our periodic, email communication which informs membership and AgriLife staff of BCMG business activities, provides volunteer and CE opportunities (including Specialist courses & other training), and shares special requests and pertinent BCMG information. MailChimp (web-based software) is used for the Leaflet publication with the Team members rotating preparation and editing responsibilities for each Leaflet.
Sub Team – Publicity Team
Co-Lead: Kimberly Casillas
This Team publicizes events (Cultivate, Poinsettia Sale, etc.) and BCMG offerings (scholarships, services, etc.) to the public via community calendars, flyer placement, etc.
Sub Team – Scion Team
Lead: Michelle Hobbs
Editor: Marsha Krassner
The Scion newsletter is a monthly, externally-facing publication that provides locally relevant and timely gardening information to subscribers. This includes new articles submitted by Bexar County Master Gardeners (BCMG), upcoming events and other timely garden-related information. Note as of FY 2022, interns in the BCMG program are required to write an article for the Scion’s In the Garden column in order to obtain their initial certification. The newsletter is also an effective marketing tool for increasing readers’ knowledge and understanding of the various programs and opportunities offered by the BCMG program and Texas A&M AgrilLife Extension.
Sub Team – VMS Calendar Team
Co-Leads: Dave Adams & Sara Holland-Adams
The VMS Calendar Team posts events on the VMS Calendar for MGs and Interns to use to sign up for volunteer opportunities. The VMS Calendar Team can also assist event coordinators with writing information required for event posts in VMS.
Sub Team – VMS Coordination Team
Coordinator: Owen Keiser
Assistant Coordinator: Membership Director
The main role of the VMS Coordinator is to review the Continuing Education and Volunteer Hours entries that MGs have made during the month. If an entry is found to be in error, the Coordinator will send the MG an email explaining the problem and requesting the MG to correct the entry. At the end of the month, the Coordinator generates a number of reports for the Board of Directors showing monthly and year-to-date totals, those MGs and Interns who have completed their requisite hours, and prepares ad hoc reports as requested. Additionally, the VMS Coordinator adds and removes members from the VMS Roster as directed by the Membership Director, and assists members who may have questions or problems regarding VMS.
Sub Team – Website Calendar Team
Leads: Ann Vargas & Ann Marie Pease
The Website Calendar Team posts BCMG and AgriLife Extension presentations and events. Many of which are open to the public.
Sub Team – Website Content Team
Lead: Owen Keiser
The Website Content Team is responsible for keeping the BCMG website up-to-date, including announcements on the main webpage (such as the Monthly Meeting and other public events), updating the other pages of the website as directed by the Board of Directors, and interacting with the webmaster if technical problems develop.
Sub Team – Website Online Forms & WooCommerce Team
Lead: Lynn Cox
Online Forms on the website are used to provide community members with the option to ask gardening questions, request a speaker, and apply for training. Other online forms are created as the need arises. WooCommerce is used to manage BCMG’s online sales. Team members enter product information and run reports as requested.
Children’s Vegetable Garden (CVG) Teams
The Children’s Vegetable Garden (CVG) is a hands-on, interactive family program currently offered at two locations which teaches children and their families to create and maintain successful vegetable gardens. Offering Spring and Fall sessions, Master Gardeners and invited experts teach participants appropriate knowledge and skills for both South Texas’ gardening seasons. The CVG is a Bexar County AgriLife Youth Extension Program.
Sub Team – Phil Hardberger Park (PHP) Team
Co-Leads: Kathy Breniman & Linda Cace
The Phil Hardberger (PHP) Park Team works with the home school community on Tuesdays with two 15-week sessions each year. The PHP CVG is administered by Bexar County AgriLife Extension Service in partnership with the Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy and the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Natural Areas.
Sub Team – San Antonio Botanical Garden (SABOT) Team
Co-Leads: Mary Fernandez & Susan Porr
During Saturday meetings in Spring and Fall 16-week sessions, Master Gardener Educators, in partnership with SABOT personnel and other community resources, provide research-based gardening information and techniques at levels appropriate for adults and children. We cover integrated pest management (IPM), proper garden preparation, planting, cultivation, and harvesting. The SABOT CVG Garden Gnome is awarded weekly to the section’s plots (beds) that best reflect six “best gardening” criteria which all participants work to maintain. And there’s a Vegetable Contest each season for participants to show off their prize crop!
Culinary Garden Docent Team
Coordinators: Nancy Mills & Judy Warren
MG Docents educate visitors at the SABOT Culinary Garden through sharing research-based specific information about the current garden plants as well as connecting visitors to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and BCMG websites for locally relevant horticultural information. Days of service are determined by the SABOT and AgriLife Extension and include special SABOT events such as Citrus Day, Viva Fiesta, Pepper Day, Viva Botanica. Details are provided in this .pdf file also located in the “File Cabinet” on our website.
Education Team
Lead: Bill Swantner Co-Lead: Muriel Lanford
The primary purpose of the Education Team is to provide a variety of relevant education on various gardening topics of interest for BCMG monthly membership meetings, which can be used for continuing education. Depending on current resources, the Team may be asked to assist with other education-related events, such as Lunch & Learn, CULTIVATE!, or other educational events.
Gilded Gardeners Team
Co-Leads: Cindy Hernandez & Kandy Wittenberg
The primary purpose of the Gilded Gardeners Team is decorate with theme appropriate materials and include educational content consistent with the event topic. Tasks may include: check out and return of materials to the BCMG office, set-up and break-down of displays, and creating and displaying educational/marketing materials to promote the mission of the Bexar County Master Gardeners. This is an opportunity to combine your creative talents and your gardening knowledge.
This team also plans and coordinates all hospitality aspects of the BCMG Holiday Party and the Annual BCMG Appreciation Luncheon.
Heavy Lifters Team
Lead: Jorge Noverola
The primary purpose of the Heavy Lifters Team is help transport, then set up and tear down heavy materials (canopies, tables, etc.) for various events.
Hotline Team
Lead: Art Vazquez
The primary purpose of the Hotline Team is to answer the public’s gardening questions that come by phone, or via our email address: [email protected].
Lunch & Learn Team
Lead: Regina Maspero
[Description Coming]Poinsettia Sale Committee
Lead: Kimberly Casillas
The Poinsettia Sale Committee coordinates all aspects of the sale leading up to the delivery day: coordinating the stock, arranging for online sales, coordinating dates for deliveries, drafting publicity messages, etc. Additional volunteers needed for the delivery day are solicited through the Leaflet and VMS Calendar at a time closer to the event. This supports the BCMG mission of improving horticultural knowledge and practices within Bexar County by providing funding for the educational events.
Rodeo Committee
Lead: Bill Swantner
The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is the premier horticulture/agriculture event in Bexar County and is one of BCMG’s signature events with these two goals: education for the general public and raising scholarship funds for college-aged young adults to pursue an education in horticulture.
The BCMG Rodeo Committee staffs the event in three primary areas: 1) every year, the construction crew (working closely with the horticulture agent) transforms our allocated space into a small nursery and education center; 2) our Ask a Master Gardener Team provides education outreach by interacting with the general public, hearing their concerns, and directing the general public to websites enabling independent research; 3) our Cashier Team tracks plant inventory and receives payment for the plant sales whichhelp fund our scholarships.
Scholarship Committee
Lead: Angie Kirby
The goal of the Scholarship Committee is to provide scholarships to deserving College/University students majoring in horticulture or related agricultural areas. The mission of the committee Chair is to provide information about the BCMG Scholarship and the application process and deadline to Texas Colleges and Universities with Horticulture Departments, to market the Scholarship opportunity, to solicit and collect applications. The Chair further solicits committee members and trains scholarship committee members to score the applications based on a predetermined rubric, and to recommend high scoring students to the Board. The Board selects and awards the Scholarship. The Scholarship Committee Chair also facilitates and coordinates the awards, monitors student registration, grades and transcripts and solicites and helps publish student biographies. This supports the BCMG mission of improving horticultural knowledge and practices within Bexar County. Note: It is important to understand that there is no standing committee; the Chair is the only standing position.
Speakers Bureau Team
Leads: Darcy Mix
Presentation Development Lead: Nancy Mills
Schedule Coordinators: Josie Seeligson & Mary Calderon
The mission of the Speakers Bureau Team is to provide educational presentations on a wide range of gardening topics to the public. Speakers present at BCMG education events such as CULTIVATE!, Lunch & Learn, Second Wednesdays at the SABOT, as well as to groups/organizations who request a speaker. Team members can choose the topic(s) they are comfortable giving. Approved presentations are housed in the Speakers Bureau Library for speakers to use. Other team members research and develop new presentation for the Speakers Bureau Library. Team members can choose to be speakers, developers, or both.
Spring Bloom Committee
Lead: LaVunn Mims
The primary purpose of this event is to provide the public with MGs and Interns who can answer their gardening questions. A BCMG plant sale is also included at this event.
Top Tomato Committee
Co-Leads: Darcy Mix & Desiree Linson
The Top Tomato Contest is a fun event hosted at Fanick’s Nursery. Community gardeners bring their best tomatoes in a variety of categories to be judged by local experts. The Top Tomato Committee coordinates the event in conjunction with the Horticulture Agent, Fanick’s Garden Center, and the Ask a MG Team. Any additional volunteers needed for the day of the event are solicited through the Leaflet and VMS Calendar.
Youth Garden Buddies Team
Lead: Andres Villagran, AgriLife Extension Youth Garden Coordinator
Youth Garden Buddies Team (YGBT) focuses on educating and mentoring the next generation through gardening. Our mission is to mentor the next generation in the field of gardening. Much of our work specializes in direct interaction with the youth through school gardens, children’s vegetable gardening, local events/festivals, and preparation for such. This team offers a focus on youth components of BCMG, supporting the mission and purpose of the organization.