Commissioners honored the Knox County Master Gardener program's 40th anniversary during the Oct. 27 meeting. Corey Holmes, president of Knox County Master Gardeners, and Ryland (Rylan) Thompson, the county extension agent, presented program history and an overview of volunteer activity and community impact.

Holmes recounted the program's founding: "The Knox County Master Gardener program graduated 48 people in its first class and has held annual training programs each year since," noting the first class was taught Oct. 17, 1985. Thompson reported recent metrics for the program: in 2024 volunteers contributed roughly 22,800 hours (valued at an estimated $680,000 by the independent sector standard), the group trained 42 interns in 2025 with more than 240 active volunteers overall, and Master Gardener projects produced about 12,900 pounds of donated produce in 2024.

Commissioners praised the program's educational outreach — including community gardens, demonstration plots, farmers‑market support and youth garden programming — and thanked volunteers for their sustained contributions to county residents. The commission approved an honorary resolution recognizing the group's service; program leaders asked the public to consider joining the 2026 intern class and highlighted ongoing projects such as pollinator gardens and school garden classrooms.

No fiscal action was required; the Master Gardener delegation left materials and offered to brief commission staff on volunteer opportunities and the program's ongoing community partnerships.