Master Gardeners Sharon Kulish-Bayles, Kelly Rupp and Terri Small were recently honored for their leadership roles in the WSU Extension Master Gardener program.

Sharon Kulish-Bayles of South Bend was honored as the past volunteer program coordinator of the local program. “Many of our current volunteers remember her full day vegetable gardening class during their training,” according Sue Carbaugh, administrative assistant with WSU Pacific County Extension. “This class is one of the models being used for the upcoming hybrid/satellite location training for new master gardeners in 2024. Sharon also participates in the Southwest Washington Cluster group, which is a leadership group that meets to collaborate with other counties in our region and share best practices.”

“Kelly Rupp of Ocean Park graduated as a certified Master Gardener with the extremely effective class of 2012,” Carbaugh said. “His first big project was joining other interns and converting the former Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Garden in Ilwaco into a demonstration garden which highlights native plant landscaping. As vice president of the local organization, he runs the monthly meetings and arranges a delightful speaker program.”

“Terri Small of Ocosta joined the Master Garden program before she retired,” Carbaugh continued. “She is the mainstay behind the program’s two largest fundraising events, The Home and Garden Show and the Annual Garden Tour, both to be held in Elma this year. Terri and her committee have the challenge of finding amazing local gardens and convincing the home owners to share them, for one day, with the public. The funds from these events support the local Master Garden Foundation which in turn supports the local Master Garden program. Terri has been serving on the Foundation Board for the last 10 years.”

Terri Small