Instructor Ann Kline gives a lesson on weed identification techniques. Photo provided by Purdue Extension Noble County.

News Release

ALBION — The recent Extension Master Gardener class for Noble and Whitley Counties was deemed a success for all participants. This class included a collaboration between the Master Gardener program and the Chain O’Lakes Community Re-Entry Center.

Each fall, Purdue Extension in Noble and Whitley County jointly offer a basic training course to instruct participants on fundamental gardening knowledge and then incorporate new Master Gardeners into the program. This year, 16 individuals from Noble, Whitley and Allen counties completed the course. Six of these participants were residents of the Chain O’Lakes Community Re-Entry Center who attended each weekly session over the course of 15 weeks. At the end of the class, all of the students passed the exam and each became a Master Gardener intern.

Chain O’Lakes Re-Entry Center residents and new Master Gardener Interns Nathan Dimmock, Daniel Collar, Andy Spriggs, and Jose Ortiz shared, “The notion of learning from the Purdue Master Gardner Extension Program while at Chain O’ Lakes Community Re-Entry Center was far more than expected. The true value has been the ability to help families, our spiritual growth, and the knowledge to give back to our community.”

Master Gardener Class of 2024. Photo Provided by Purdue Extension Noble County.

Ann Kline, coordinator and instructor for the Master Gardener program in Noble County enjoyed teaching the class, “The men in the class from Chain O’Lakes were not only attentive, but fully engaged and asked thought-provoking questions. All the class participants connected well, supported each other, and made those Monday nights the perfect balance of learning and fun.”

Classmates Kert and Julie Resler agreed, “It was a pleasure to attend the Master Gardener class with the men from Chain O’Lakes. They were able to share their knowledge and added a lot to the class. We all had great conversations with them and were happy to encourage their progress.”

The Master Gardener program provided an opportunity for the center residents to not only enhance gardening skills, but also to connect with the community. Charles Bowen, warden at the re-entry center shared, “These men are a part of our community and will soon be released. All of us share a vision where our men are building meaningful connections to our communities. While we help the men prepare vocationally, the community connections are arguably the more important aspects of successful reentry. We all have the desire and the need to serve others and be a part of something larger than ourselves. I’m proud of the men and thankful to all involved in fostering these relationships.”

The Chain O’Lakes facility is not new to gardening. Master Gardener Bruce Kennedy leads an annual winter garden class, holds greenhouse workshops, and works alongside the men in the Chain O’Lakes Re-Entry Center gardens that cover over half an acre. He shared, “Noble County Master Gardeners have been teaching classes at Chain O’Lakes and working with the men in our community garden for 15 years now. We have donated an average of over 2 tons a year to the Central Noble Food Pantry. I am proud to be a part of this project: of the food donated, of the knowledge shared, and of the friends I have made. Now Ann and Charles have taken it to a new level and I am proud to be a part of this, too.”

Chain O’Lakes administration support their new Master Gardener interns in attending monthly meetings and volunteering in the community as they are able. The men will assist in teaching the winter garden class to other re-entry center residents and will continue to grow produce for the Food Pantry.

The residents from the Chain O’Lakes Community Re-Entry Center were honored alongside other new and advancing Master Gardeners at the Noble County Master Gardener Annual Awards Banquet on Wednesday, Jan. 10. This event was a celebration of individual and collective achievements, as well as highlighting collaborative initiatives and their impact on individuals and communities.

At the Awards Night, Central Noble Food Pantry manager Bonnie Brownell emphasized the produce grown by the residents of the re-entry center is higher quality than you would find in most groceries and explained how the men neatly clean and package the vegetables. She also shared how many families are blessed by the donations.

John Orick, Purdue Extension Master Gardener State Coordinator, said, “I would like to congratulate the six new Purdue Extension Master Gardener Interns from the Chain O’ Lakes Re-Entry Center and the entire group of new Purdue Extension Master Gardener interns for their outstanding accomplishment! Thank you for your commitment to “helping others grow” in Noble County!”

This collaboration is one of many examples where Master Gardeners fulfill their motto of “Helping Others Grow.”

Master Gardener Class of 2023. Photo Provided by Purdue Extension Noble County.