By Bethany Sinnott
For the Salisbury Post

Amy-Lynn Albertson, Rowan County extension director, has received this year’s N.C. State Extension Achievement Award.

The purpose of the award is to recognize those who have significantly contributed to the success of their Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program. The county agent is responsible for the training and supervision of the master gardeners in addition to multiple other duties. Albertson has been in her current position since December 2015. 

Nominators for the award must be members of the County Extension Master Gardener Association. Debbie Scott and Sue Davis are the official nominators, but multiple members submitted endorsements of the nomination. 

Albertson garnered high praise from the master gardeners for her effective leadership of the program during the pandemic. She not only adapted the regular monthly meetings to online platforms but taught the semester training course online for aspiring master gardeners after the pandemic made in-person class meetings impossible. As a result of her efforts, membership in the Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association grew from 36 members to 60. 

Master Gardeners said they were also grateful to Albertson for taking over the care of the greenhouse and demonstration gardens at the Rowan County Extension Office when the master gardeners were unable to work on site during the pandemic. 

Among the Master Gardeners who submitted endorsements of Albertson were Faith Parsons, who praised her leadership in training new master gardener classes and inviting guest speakers to share specialized knowledge at the Master Gardener monthly meetings.

“She shares her expertise with joy and infectious enthusiasm for all things gardening,” Parsons said.

The nomination form for Albertson’s award also included endorsements from her fellow extension agents Laura Allen (4H) and Toi Degree (family and consumer services). Other supporting endorsements were from the Rowan County farming community members who witnessed Albertson’s success in recruiting master gardeners to work with community projects such as the Rowan County Arts & Ag Tours.