Our Volunteers Rock!

Volunteering is defined as “the act of freely offering your time and services to a cause or organization without expecting financial compensation. It's a way to give back to the community, support various causes, and gain valuable experience.” That’s a perfect description of Door County Master Gardener volunteers! Members give of their time in a variety of ways.

Gardening education is our primary mission. Our evening lecture series includes guest expert presentations on a variety of current gardening topics and the afternoon Growing Together pre-recorded webinar series are each followed by a Q&A session and social opportunity. We have presented Learning in Retirement courses and led group tours of The Garden Door.  

Community outreach is in our DNA, and Master Gardeners provide garden-related services, advice and education in community projects for non-profit organizations throughout Door County. It’s not just about pulling weeds and cultivating pretty flowers. Master Gardeners provide gardening and educational support for youth and elder care organizations, collaborate with community gardens, maintain pollinator habitat gardens, provide free seeds at select Door County Library branches, and beautify gardens at cultural centers and churches.   

Master Gardeners design and maintain The Garden Door display garden. From spring cleanup,  to planting, weekly weeding and maintenance, mulching, mowing, pruning, deadheading, watering, and all the way to fall cleanup, garden supervisors and volunteers work tirelessly to keep the garden in top form for visitors throughout the season. While working in the garden, they cheerfully answer visitor questions and point out areas of interest.

The annual plant sale fundraiser and related greenhouse activities keep members busy from the planning stages in November through the Memorial Day weekend sale. Workers are in the greenhouses every day from March through May growing nearly 6,000 annuals, vegetables, herbs, tomatoes, peppers and vines. And the sale days are jam-packed with tent and table setup, marketplace organization, and plant transport – all before the actual sale begins! Then for two busy days we help customers select plants and give expert advice.

In addition to that, our board members, officers and committee leaders have the responsibility of managing the organization, running meetings, drafting budgets, paying bills, filing reports, overseeing social media, handling communications and planning for the future. 

Door County Master Gardeners always step up to volunteer their time, talents and expertise wherever it is needed and whenever asked. Each member wears many hats and serves in a variety of ways. Their commitment to our organization and the local community is unwavering. All told, DCMGA volunteers recorded 4,183 volunteer hours last year! That’s an amazing statistic all by itself. But when the Wisconsin average of $34 per hour is applied, using the Value of Volunteer Time by State for 2024 published by the Independent Sector, that’s a whopping $142,226 value of time donated by our dedicated DCMGA members. That’s truly an offering of time and services to a worthy cause without expectation of a return. But the rewards are great when measured in terms of satisfaction, fulfillment and pride in a job well done.